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Its memorial day and there’s been a heavy vibe every where I went today and I know its these wars. Its unnerving now after so many years with no end in sight. I have been worried about this guy I know who is a Vietnam vet. We have had several conversations that make passers by grab there children by the hand and cringe. He’s a wild man but he’s got heart. People around town usually ignore the guy because he smokes rolled cigarettes and swings his arms with hubris when telling a story. The other thing is his signature knee jerk twitch and hang ten stance that ends with WHOOA! MAN! I enjoy his company most times and we talk about current events and past experiences. He’s the kind of guy you get to know just enough to tell the deepest, heart wrenching moments of your life. He doesn’t think you’re a big pussy. Or judge the situation because he’s got his own stories to tell and he’s told me plenty. He told me about his ten years in the navy, and his broken back. He’s told me about being curled up like a baby under a cot in Vietnam, scared of the sound of distant mortar fire when a marine told him to “get out from under their that fires miles away” he said he couldn’t Waite to get the hell out of there. He told me how he lost his daughter and almost lost his son in a carbon monoxide poisoning incident at there house. He’s told me about the scar colored tissue on his arms. That was from a faulty propane hose that blew up the trailer him and his wife were living in. He told me about being homeless after that. For five years. He told me how his wife died of cervical cancer. I’ve seen him as calm as a kitten sipping coffee letting the day go by or as a piss drunk raving lunatic who cant wait to just pass out. He’s got an old Vietnam veteran hat and long hair, the hat hides the fact he’s going bald. He’s got a ruffled goatee and the majority of his teeth are gone. He wears a cammo jacket and flip flops needless to say he’s probably not missed by most. But when I haven’t seen him for a few a days or a week I get worried. I cant help but to think that maybe he finally died. I saw him today on this memorial day, and I was sure glad to see he was doing o.k. I never got to meet my uncle because he was killed in a roll over truck accident in Vietnam. Now the closest thing I have is “Crazy Dave” the town drunk. it’s a paradoxical thing this “happy memorial day” but for what its worth Happy Memorial Day Santee! and Happy Memorial Day Dave! We won’t forget you.
Its memorial day and there’s been a heavy vibe every where I went today and I know its these wars. Its unnerving now after so many years with no end in sight. I have been worried about this guy I know who is a Vietnam vet. We have had several conversations that make passers by grab there children by the hand and cringe. He’s a wild man but he’s got heart. People around town usually ignore the guy because he smokes rolled cigarettes and swings his arms with hubris when telling a story. The other thing is his signature knee jerk twitch and hang ten stance that ends with WHOOA! MAN! I enjoy his company most times and we talk about current events and past experiences. He’s the kind of guy you get to know just enough to tell the deepest, heart wrenching moments of your life. He doesn’t think you’re a big pussy. Or judge the situation because he’s got his own stories to tell and he’s told me plenty. He told me about his ten years in the navy, and his broken back. He’s told me about being curled up like a baby under a cot in Vietnam, scared of the sound of distant mortar fire when a marine told him to “get out from under their that fires miles away” he said he couldn’t Waite to get the hell out of there. He told me how he lost his daughter and almost lost his son in a carbon monoxide poisoning incident at there house. He’s told me about the scar colored tissue on his arms. That was from a faulty propane hose that blew up the trailer him and his wife were living in. He told me about being homeless after that. For five years. He told me how his wife died of cervical cancer. I’ve seen him as calm as a kitten sipping coffee letting the day go by or as a piss drunk raving lunatic who cant wait to just pass out. He’s got an old Vietnam veteran hat and long hair, the hat hides the fact he’s going bald. He’s got a ruffled goatee and the majority of his teeth are gone. He wears a cammo jacket and flip flops needless to say he’s probably not missed by most. But when I haven’t seen him for a few a days or a week I get worried. I cant help but to think that maybe he finally died. I saw him today on this memorial day, and I was sure glad to see he was doing o.k. I never got to meet my uncle because he was killed in a roll over truck accident in Vietnam. Now the closest thing I have is “Crazy Dave” the town drunk. it’s a paradoxical thing this “happy memorial day” but for what its worth Happy Memorial Day Santee! and Happy Memorial Day Dave! We won’t forget you.