Date: Thu, 11 Nov 2010 16:47:05 -0500
Reply-To: David Milo <dellaone@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Milo <dellaone@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Remembrance Day/Veteran's Day (NVC)
In-Reply-To: <AANLkTinB7GUv8VJ9ryTQe5Y19sDxaadGBoBrUxMms8Ti@mail.gmail.com>
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Even my Vanagon is shedding tears.
Thanks Al.
Dave
On Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 4:30 PM, Al Knoll <anasasi@gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks Jake and welcome home to all the Veterans on our list.
>
> From time to time I share the following with other veterans. It is OFF
> TOPIC with no vanagon content.
>
> Soldier in the rain.
> It had been a long time since he'd heard that eagle scream.
> It had rained hard at the river camp where he and others had spent the
> night. In the drizzle before dawn, he wrapped his sleeping bag in the
> plastic tarp and gathered his things. It was only a couple of miles to a
> corner out of the rain near the park. He stumbled coming up the slippery
> bank and as he picked himself, up the mud on his tattered clothes brought
> back memories of mud in another place, now so far away. He wandered
> through downtown, but at this early hour few noticed the bedraggled figure
> with his bedroll and muddy clothes. The corner near the convention center
> would be dry just across from the park and the sun would warm things up a
> bit he thought as he crossed the trolley track. Memories of long ago were
> powerful today as he thought of friends whose faces would never age like
> his
> had over the years. His reflection in the glass door of the auditorium
> embarrassed him and he stopped to try to straighten his hair and brush off
> the mud. Just around the corner, he set down his bedroom and leaned back
> up against the building. The parade would be by in a couple of hours and
> he
> could warm up here while he waited. There was a little bit left in the
> bottle and it felt good going down. As the commute traffic along the
> street next to the capitol picked up for the morning, the sun peeked out
> and illuminated his corner behind the hedge. He remembered last year when
> he and his buddy had shared the corner. His friend had died that winter
> from alcohol and abuse, this year he was alone. From inside the tattered
> jacket he took three grimy medals and carefully pinned them on. The
> street
> was quiet now, closed off for the parade. He sat in the corner and
> thought
> how things had gone these past years when he couldn't hold a job and lost
> his home. Dark images from the past had stolen his resolve and ambition
> and pulled him down to where he was today. He could hear the parade music
> as they turned onto the street a block or so away. Wiping away some inner
> rain, he stood up and gently took an old green hat out of his bag. He
> smoothed his tangled hair as best he could and put the beret on at just the
> right angle. As he stepped from behind the hedge towards the street he
> could see the flag bearers at the front as they marched toward him. The
> sparse crowd at the curb moved aside as he approached. When the flag drew
> close, he snapped to attention and held a razor sharp salute as it passed.
> Sometimes all you have left is your pride and your memories. He'd made it
> to one more Veterans Day.
> The Veterans Administration estimates there are over 175,000 homeless
> veterans in the land of the free this winter.
> (c) Al Knoll 1999
>
> On Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 12:33 PM, Jake de Villiers <
> crescentbeachguitar@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > I'd like to take a minute to thank the veterans on this list (and
> > everywhere
> > else) for their service in the causes of freedom and democracy.
> >
> > For sure, not all military conflicts are entered into for the right
> reasons
> > but the men and women on the ground deserve all the support we can give
> > them
> > for the work that they have done and continue to do.
> >
> > Thank you all.
> >
> > --
> > Jake
> >
> > 1984 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX 'The Grey Van'
> > 1986 Westy Weekender/2.5 SOHC Suby 'Dixie'
> >
> > Crescent Beach, BC
> >
> > www.thebassspa.com
> > www.crescentbeachguitar.com
> > http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27
> >
>
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