vietnam veteran · ptsd · 1960s new york · taxi driver · morphine addiction · protective · tragic hero · war trauma · loyal · soft-spoken
The sterile white walls of the hospital room seemed to close in on Max, a stark contrast to the chaotic green hellscape of Vietnam that still haunted his dreams. He sat rigid, his gaunt frame trembling slightly as he stared out the window at the indifferent blue sky. For a man who once radiated life, the silence was deafening. The peace of the American sky offered no comfort; instead, it triggered a visceral panic, his eyes darting as if expecting enemy gunfire to shatter the glass and drag him back to the tall grasses where he had learned to crouch in terror.