In this realm, WWII, I don’t know much about anything. Really, it’s pathetic and embarrassing. I watched Saving Private Ryan one night when it was on TV, and I was struck by how loooooong the scene was, the beach invasion scene (is that Normandy? I could imdb it, but I’m not going to, as further embarrassing proof of how little I know), and then I realized: a scene? In a movie? Right. And then I started to understand, just a little bit.
I know little to nothing about war or military. One of my closest friends is a Captain. I don’t really know what’s what, no matter how many times it’s been explained to me. He could be Hero Squad (and likely is), and I wouldn’t know the difference. Again, embarrassing.
Here’s what I do know: my grandfather fought. I’ve seen a few letters and heard a few stories. I know that he hated – HATED – ‘those damn japs’ with a hatred I don’t understand. He was stationed in the Phillipines. One day he was fixing a jeep engine or somesuch, when the guy standing right next to him was shot in the head by a sniper. He died. That could have been my grandfather.
My quasi-step-brother Jeff is in Afghanistan, and he publishes videos on facebook of the fun they have. Really. Laugh-out-loud stuff. For this I am grateful. (here’s where I was going to post one of these videos, but Jeff’s having trouble with email over there: “Doesn’t help that we have 50 guys using one router. It’s like LA traffic on Hunt Rd.”
Again, though I don’t know much…
Waldo, Jeff, Brett, Jed, Britney, Ron . . . and, of course, Jen, Brooke, Grace . . . and a million others . . .
Thank you.
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What is this? Why, it's homework!
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1 comment:
Don't feel bad--I don't know what he does, either.
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