Re: SooooOOOOOOOOOO ?

[RTS <gafa@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 6/5/2021 12:48 PM, ABLE1 wrote:
> On 6/5/2021 12:28 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
>>
>> I may or may not have shared this before.  As most of you know I am a
>> life long independent biker.  A 99%-er if you will LOL.  I would still
>> be a biker, and I still enjoy riding for a very short time, but what
>> my fishing partner and personal physician tells me is likely PTSD from
>> a BAD wreck in the early 2000s causes me to quickly stop enjoying the
>> ride.  A short ride into town to visit the post office is fine, but
>> before I can consider a second stop I find myself headed home on
>> autopilot.  I can't wait to get the bike back in the garage and shut
>> down.  I still have 3 bikes, but I have not had one out of the shop or
>> garage in 3-4 years.
>>
>> Anyway, some years back a buddy of mine who was one of the chapter
>> founding members of VNV MC Chapter G (Ghost Chapter) often asked me to
>> hang around.  I was never a prospect, and was never a prospect for a
>> prospect.  I wasn't really a hang-a-round either.  I am not qualified
>> to be a member of VNV MC or Legacy Vets MC.  I just went because my
>> buddy and I liked to ride together.  Except on official sanctioned
>> runs we would always run side by side.  On sanctioned runs I had to
>> ride behind everybody due to protocol or I would get disinvited.  Yes,
>> I had to ride behind even the hang-a-rounds.  LOL.  One year the
>> Chapter P (could have been the SA I forget) specifically invited me
>> and a few other people to ride along for their Memorial Day run.
>> Basically visiting cemeteries and finishing off at an American Legion
>> hall.  They wanted us to swell their numbers for visibility sake.  I
>> figured why not.  Its as good of a way to honor dead veterans as any,
>> and I would get to spend the day riding my motorcycle.  I wore my
>> regular warm weather gear.  Jeans, long sleeve loose fitting t-shirt,
>> and a denim vest with just an American flag patch and ABATE of Arizona
>> patch ON THE FRONT.  I never had any patch on the back of my vest.
>>
>> Slight interlude here.  Recently on social media a few people sought
>> to preempt "incorrect" ways of observing memorial days with lists of
>> rules or prejudgments.  I found it to be a little bit disengenuous
>> judgmentalism.  Kind of like the woke/cancel/sjw culture of today
>> exudes in abundance.  From what I saw of most older real combat
>> veterans they will tolerate, except, or even rejoice in any sincere
>> recognition of those who didn't make it back.  I posted a slightly
>> different, ut equally accurate version of this story in reply each
>> time I saw one of those lists.
>>
>> At our first stop on the Memorial Day run I had a little old lady walk
>> up to me stick out her hand and thank me.  I'm not a veteran either
>> combat or otherwise.  I was embarrassed.  I wasn't trying to represent
>> myself as anything I wasn't but I also didn't want to embarrass the
>> little old lady.  I st6uck my hand out in return shook her hand and
>> told her I hope she has a fantastic life... or something like that.
>>
>> Immediately afterwards I cornered a couple of the old VNV guys and
>> asked them what I should do in this circumstance.  They said, "Do
>> exactly what you did.  Don't embarrass the little old lady, and if she
>> has any questions guide her over to one of the guys you know is a
>> vet.  If pressed say you are just here to show support."
>>
>> Now I am sure if I started regaling that little old lady with false
>> tales of glory and heroism the best I could have hoped for was a quick
>> invitation to leave, but they had no issue with that little old lady
>> thanking me.  Memorial Day is not a day to thank veterans.  Its a day
>> to show appreciation for those who came back in a body bag or didn't
>> come back at all.  She was doing it wrong, but her intent was
>> sincere.  There was no need to embarrass her for thanking a living vet
>> or for directing that thanks unknowingly to somebody who was not a
>> vet.  She couldn't show the honest appreciation to those in the
>> ground.  Or maybe not to the extent she wanted to so she showed her
>> appreciation to the living.
>>
>> It happened a couple more times that day, and I was uncomfortable, but
>> when I looked around nobody was particularly watching me to make sure
>> I "did it right either."Â  I was there to show my appreciation for
>> those veterans who gave everything, and that was enough.
>>
>> Remember that those people in the ground here and abroad.  Intact or
>> scattered with the winds were real people.  Some were assholes.  Some
>> might have been saints.  Most were just like you, and they gave their
>> life for you.  They were your mom, your dad, your brother and your
>> best friend.  Some were tat crotchety guy down the street that nobody
>> liked. Â Â All of them went to war for you so you could have the life
>> you.  Some may have appreciated knowing you hang your head in
>> remembrance. I suspect many really would rather you gather friends and
>> family in the backyard for a barbecue.  Don't let anybody else tell
>> you how to remember those who gave their lives for you.  Just remember
>> that they did.
>
>
> Good story Bob,
> The little old lady was doing what she felt she needed to do because it
> was right.  There need not be any second guessing or whatever.  I will
> thank you for showing up and paying your respects to those that have
> fallen.  Good job!!
>
> I don't remember if I typed this story here or not in the past.
> My Dad was in the Battle of the Bulge.  He never talked about his on
> duty days.  One day a number of years ago before he had passed my Mom
> called me and said she got a call from a guy by the name of Steve that
> was the son of one my Dad's Platoon guys.  He said he was in the area
> and wanted to know if he could stop in and say hello.  I asked when was
> he going to be there, my Mom said Saturday morning but I didn't need to
> be there.  I said, Oh yes I do!!  See you Saturday Mom!!
>
> I arrived on Saturday and about an hour later Steve shows up. With
> introductions all around Steve then told a story.  BTW at the time
> my Dad had Parkinson's and Alzheimer's so his yesterday memories were
> lost.  But, memories from 50 years before were sharp as a tack!!!
>
> Steve said that his Dad had died a year or so before.  He said that his
> Dad was wounded during the Battle of the Bulge.  He was shot in the leg
> and was down.  The German gunner was about the finish him off and my
> Dad came around the tank and took out the German.  His Dad was then sent
> home.  His Dad and my Dad had exchanged letters over the years and when
> his Dad had died he and his sisters were going through some old stuff
> his Dad kept in a closet.  He found the letters and the story of what
> had happened.  He said that he wanted to meet the man that saved his
> Dad's life because if he hadn't he would not be here today!!
>
> It was a VERY SPECIAL MOMENT!!  Even now, trying to type this for me
> is difficult!!!
>
> There is a whole lot more to the that special moment and after that I
> may type at another time but not today!!
>
> Thanks for reading!!
>
> Les
>
>
>
>

   Gentlemen,  there are a million tales from military life,  some
bloody, some funny,  but no matter, each happened to a fellow human..
Respect is due to any person willing to serve and uphold the honor
of the United States when called upon..
RTS  (USAF 70-76)

--

*Rocky T. Squirrel, esq.*