Thank You For Your Service
Oh sweet Memorial Day! When us live
Vets get praised for staying alive and our dead comrades have tiny
American flags placed near their headstones. “I'm getting sick and
tired of people thanking me for my service,” said Boston Bob.
“Quit griping,” said Cap'n Crunch,
“take the thanks and live with it.”
“I especially enjoy being thanked by
draft dodgers,” I said. Crunchy strongly objected. He wasn't a
draft dodger, he was a loyal American who served in the Illinois
National Guard from 1965 to 1971.
“Why did you join the Guard,” asked
Hard Luck Hanna. Crunchy gave a half-heart-ed explanation about his
sick Mother and his Union apprenticeship in his Father's company.
“Thank you for your service,” said
Run-aground Ralph. I thanked him and asked which branch he served in.
“I joined the Navy but transferred to the Coast Guard.”
“They did some great work on the
rivers in Nam. Did you and John Kerry serve together,” asked Boston
Bob.
“I would have never served with that
yellow Commie. I was stationed on the Great Lakes for four years. We
rescued a lot of people and guarded the border,” said Ralph. He
also got a Master's degree in business from Case Western University.
“So you hid out on Lake Erie for four
years? Never volunteered for Nam? Never transferred anywhere? Well
that was special,” I said. “We should be thanking you for your
service, too?”
“Hey Betty, bring us another round
for us heroes,” said Hanna. We asked her when and where she served.
“1991, Gulf War. I was a nurse and met my my husband there. Then I
came back and we worked for the VA.”
Betty brought the beer. “My
ex-husband did three tours in Afghanistan and now he's crazy as a
loon. There ain't enough thanks.....”
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