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Post by smsmith on May 29, 2021 19:22:18 GMT -6
I hope we all remember what Memorial Day is really about.
We talked to a Vietnam vet today. We've talked to him a good number of times over the years. Today, we were talking about gardening and he shared where he lived. It's a place that my wife and I had talked poorly about previously (to ourselves)....when we didn't know who lived there. This guy more than paid his dues to this country. The wife and I both felt pretty shitty about thinking poorly about the guy's place...we both need to learn to not judge how people live their lives or how they keep their properties.
Happy Memorial Day everybody
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Post by kooch on May 29, 2021 19:59:41 GMT -6
I was at the mill picking up more lime today and struck up a conversation with the guy that runs the forklift and manages the shed full of stuff.
Got to talking about Memorial Day. He’s a vet. He was in Iraq and saw a lot. Easy for me to tell when a guy is not bullshitting about Iraq. He and I are friendly and always BS for a while. So we are not strangers.
Surprised me when he said, I brought this home with me and lifted his shirt showing a gnarly scar. Yep. He was shot in his abdomen. Crazy things you find out about people as you get to know them.
He said he lost a few friends that day. It was kind of an emotional talk for both of us. He’s a better friend today than he was the day before. Crusty hippy looking dude (in a Waylon Jennings sort of way)that lives in a 12x28 cabin with no running water. (He does have grid power though. I asked. So he can weld if he wants to. )
This is the same guy that showed me a mountain lion picture from his front yard yesterday. Some of us would take one look at him and judge on appearance.
Edit - I don’t thing WE in HERE would judge him for the way he looks. But in general people do. It’s just natural and not the best trait in humans in general.
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Post by Sandbur on May 29, 2021 20:20:29 GMT -6
I better understand what Vietnam vets went through than I do the Iraq war vets, probably due to my age. With time, things come out.
I have tremendous respect for them and all vets. I have a cousin who has suffered with cancer from Agent Orange for years. I can understand his attitude, while some relatives from a protected environment can not understand him. There is much more to Vietnam War than just this...
Thank you to all of our servicemen, alive and deceased and specially blessings to the families of the deceased.
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Post by smsmith on May 29, 2021 20:39:48 GMT -6
I better understand what Vietnam vets went through than I do the Iraq war vets, probably due to my age. With time, things come out. I have tremendous respect for them and all vets. I have a cousin who has suffered with cancer from Agent Orange for years. I can understand his attitude, while some relatives from a protected environment can not understand him. There is much more to Vietnam War than just this... Thank you to all of our servicemen, alive and deceased and specially blessings to the families of the deceased. I guess I'll never be able to understand anybody who served in an active war zone. My wife has a nephew who served multiple tours in Afghanistan. Has two silver stars and a multitude of other medals. Held several of his buddies as they died. I can only pretend to imagine what he dealt with.
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Post by Foggy on May 29, 2021 21:17:50 GMT -6
I was at the mill picking up more lime today and struck up a conversation with the guy that runs the forklift and manages the shed full of stuff. Got to talking about Memorial Day. He’s a vet. He was in Iraq and saw a lot. Easy for me to tell when a guy is not bullshitting about Iraq. He and I are friendly and always BS for a while. So we are not strangers. Surprised me when he said, I brought this home with me and lifted his shirt showing a gnarly scar. Yep. He was shot in his abdomen. Crazy things you find out about people as you get to know them. He said he lost a few friends that day. It was kind of an emotional talk for both of us. He’s a better friend today than he was the day before. Crusty hippy looking dude (in a Waylon Jennings sort of way)that lives in a 12x28 cabin with no running water. (He does have grid power though. I asked. So he can weld if he wants to. ) This is the same guy that showed me a mountain lion picture from his front yard yesterday. Some of us would take one look at him and judge on appearance. Edit - I don’t thing WE in HERE would judge him for the way he looks. But in general people do. It’s just natural and not the best trait in humans in general. The guy has grid power and an ability to weld if he wants......and he is a vet with a job. I'd say that's a step up from where he might be. At least he is not moving to Fargo. . In all seriousness....there are allot of vets whom have paid some dues for all of us here at home. They come in all conditions and some carry some baggage. I think we can all understand that. All have my respect. I'm a vet too....but seen no overseas duty. Seen some come back from Viet Nam in my time. Been said: But for the grace of God....there go I.
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