HOME | DD

Description
Just adding one more member to Kyle's family.

David McLontra

Age: 77

Species: river otter

Status: retired

Likes: napping, drinking, hard candy and watching game shows. Also likes being with his grandkids.

Dislikes: computers; politicians

Father to Martin McLontra and grandfather to Kyle and Regina McLontra; former auto repair shop owner and Vietnam War veteran.

In the mid 1950's, when David was 12, he and his parents moved across the country to Southern California. His father took up a job working as
an engineer at an electrical plant while his mother remained home, maintaining the status of an everyday housewife. Though David had a close
relationship with his mother, he felt distant from his father who was usually self-centered and cantankerous. He worked hard at the plant, but
would sometimes spend his money at a bar before coming home tipsy, resulting in major fights.

When David was old enough, he was allowed to drive his parents car, but was only allowed to take it when they said so. It bothered him enough to want to get his own car.

David's fascination with cars grew more and more. In high school, David took up shop classes and learned how to work on autos, learning the basic details of an engine to welding. After graduation, he moved out of his parents' house and in with his girlfriend, a young ferret named Diane. With no money for college, David took up two jobs, one as a gas station attendant, the other as a chauffeur. Eventually it became too stressful for him. With his working hours and Diane, who got into the Counterculture, their relationship took a severe strain and their arguments escalated into major fights, to the point where even the police paid them a visit.

In 1967, at the height of the Vietnam War, David was drafted into the U.S. Army. Even though they opposed the war, David had to go. He said good bye to Diane and headed for boot camp where he endured brutal training and gained combat experience. The following year he graduated from the academy and was shipped off to Vietnam shortly after the launch of the Tet Offensive.

David found combat very different from his training. While out on duty with his fellow marines, he constantly felt tension throughout his body, knowing that at any moment his platoon could be ambushed or fall into a trap set by the enemy. He saw several of his troops killed or wounded in combat. He did everything he could for them. He still wrote to Diane and she would write back, but after a while the letters stopped.

One day David himself was seriously injured in a bomb attack and had to be airlifted back to base. He required surgery and a blood transfusion, but his tail was so badly damaged that most of it had to be amputated. David made a steady recovery, but he knew that from then on, he would never be the same.

Eventually, David was discharged from the army. He was jubilant. After four years in Vietnam he was finally allowed to return home. But his happiness would be short lived.

When he got back to California, he suddenly felt very isolated and cut off like an astronaut on an alien world. He tried to get in touch with his loved ones, only to find his parents had passed away and Diane married. It did not take long for depression to overwhelm him. Suicide became a regular occurrence on his mind. He tried hard to pull himself together.

Finally he decided to start over. In the spring of 1973, he left California and headed back East to where he grew up as a child. He found a new place for himself and wanted to go back to the one thing he always loved: working on cars.

He found a job at an auto shop and worked his way into becoming assistant manager and, eventually, manager. In later years, he started dating one of his newer customers, a young otter named Natalie.

For the first time in years, David felt truly happy. He proposed to her and they were wed. In 1980, Natalie gave birth to their only son, Martin.

Sadly Natalie passed away from pneumonia in 1995 and left David to raise their teenage son on his own.

Today David is retired and Martin runs his business.

Description
Just adding one more member to Kyle's family.

David McLontra

Age: 77

Species: river otter

Status: retired

Likes: napping, drinking, hard candy and watching game shows. Also likes being with his grandkids.

Dislikes: computers; politicians

Father to Martin McLontra and grandfather to Kyle and Regina McLontra; former auto repair shop owner and Vietnam War veteran.

In the mid 1950's, when David was 12, he and his parents moved across the country to Southern California. His father took up a job working as
an engineer at an electrical plant while his mother remained home, maintaining the status of an everyday housewife. Though David had a close
relationship with his mother, he felt distant from his father who was usually self-centered and cantankerous. He worked hard at the plant, but
would sometimes spend his money at a bar before coming home tipsy, resulting in major fights.

When David was old enough, he was allowed to drive his parents car, but was only allowed to take it when they said so. It bothered him enough to want to get his own car.

David's fascination with cars grew more and more. In high school, David took up shop classes and learned how to work on autos, learning the basic details of an engine to welding. After graduation, he moved out of his parents' house and in with his girlfriend, a young ferret named Diane. With no money for college, David took up two jobs, one as a gas station attendant, the other as a chauffeur. Eventually it became too stressful for him. With his working hours and Diane, who got into the Counterculture, their relationship took a severe strain and their arguments escalated into major fights, to the point where even the police paid them a visit.

In 1967, at the height of the Vietnam War, David was drafted into the U.S. Army. Even though they opposed the war, David had to go. He said good bye to Diane and headed for boot camp where he endured brutal training and gained combat experience. The following year he graduated from the academy and was shipped off to Vietnam shortly after the launch of the Tet Offensive.

David found combat very different from his training. While out on duty with his fellow marines, he constantly felt tension throughout his body, knowing that at any moment his platoon could be ambushed or fall into a trap set by the enemy. He saw several of his troops killed or wounded in combat. He did everything he could for them. He still wrote to Diane and she would write back, but after a while the letters stopped.

One day David himself was seriously injured in a bomb attack and had to be airlifted back to base. He required surgery and a blood transfusion, but his tail was so badly damaged that most of it had to be amputated. David made a steady recovery, but he knew that from then on, he would never be the same.

Eventually, David was discharged from the army. He was jubilant. After four years in Vietnam he was finally allowed to return home. But his happiness would be short lived.

When he got back to California, he suddenly felt very isolated and cut off like an astronaut on an alien world. He tried to get in touch with his loved ones, only to find his parents had passed away and Diane married. It did not take long for depression to overwhelm him. Suicide became a regular occurrence on his mind. He tried hard to pull himself together.

Finally he decided to start over. In the spring of 1973, he left California and headed back East to where he grew up as a child. He found a new place for himself and wanted to go back to the one thing he always loved: working on cars.

He found a job at an auto shop and worked his way into becoming assistant manager and, eventually, manager. In later years, he started dating one of his newer customers, a young otter named Natalie.

For the first time in years, David felt truly happy. He proposed to her and they were wed. In 1980, Natalie gave birth to their only son, Martin.

Sadly Natalie passed away from pneumonia in 1995 and left David to raise their teenage son on his own.

Today David is retired and Martin runs his business.