Ryan's Recall

One of the most emotional scenes on television in 2009 was the gut-wrenching phone call that Aaron Conklin made to his little brother Ryan, to break the news that Ryan had been recalled back to Army active duty and back to Iraq. 

Ryan Conklin hadn't spoken to his brother for awhile, and because Aaron wasn't sounding like himself, Ryan wasn't sure who at first was calling. When he realized it was Aaron, Ryan thought it was a social call and went into what he had been doing lately, like marching in the Veterans' Day parade and going to an IAVA gala. As he paused, he heard his brother trying to speak, but could tell Aaron was having great difficulty doing so. Ryan was understandably confused.

Finally Aaron was able to choke out, "You got that packet in the mail that you've been dreading." Not understanding, Ryan asked what it said. Aaron then said the words that Ryan had hoped he would never hear: "You have to report for active duty."

Ryan immediately went into denial mode, and repeatedly yelled at Aaron to shut up, thinking, hoping, that this was just a terrible joke.

With insistence, Aaron was able to convince Ryan that it was true. The packet had arrived two days before, and since that moment his family had been suffering through when and how to tell Ryan of its contents. His parents were too distraught with grief to even try to speak to Ryan, so it fell about Aaron to place the call. Stunned, Ryan sat back and quietly asked to hear the rest of the message.

Aaron read through all of the details while Ryan tried to take it in. Aaron got to the part that said the recall was part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and for Ryan that was the crushing blow. It meant that Ryan would be returning to the place that was the source of bitter memories.

Eventually Ryan's great inner strength came to the fore and he went into circumspect acceptance of what had befallen on him. But then his thoughts considered the others in his life and how this turn of events would affect them. For himself, he could be resolute, but when it came to thinking about the pain that those he loved would feel, Ryan became very troubled in spirit.

His distress was made worse as Aaron got to heart of their mother's anguish. Aaron tried to remind Ryan of something that he had said he would do if he was ever recalled. Aaron didn't want to say it explicitly as the call was being recorded, so he tried to nudge Ryan into remembering what he had threatened to do. It appeared that it had something to do with Ryan harming himself. Aaron said the family didn't want Ryan doing anything irrational.

Ryan made a noise indicating he saw the thought of himself doing something irrational as preposterous. He calmly, but emphatically reassured Aaron, "That's not me."

Doing his duty, Ryan put on his brave face and gave a chuckle. But all the while his heart was heavy, knowing that his mom and dad were sick with grief and wondering what would happen to their little boy.