Sunday September 27, 2009

This is going to be one of those posts I put a title on after I write it. oops, if your looking at this and there was nothing there to begin with, I hit "enter" after i decided to just use the date as a title. crap, I hate it when i do that.

Last night, we went to a birthday party for a friend from the post. Just about everything we do lately is somehow connected to the post. In a way, i guess that is a good thing. Anyway, this mans son recently came back from Iraq. I don't ask these brave people about the experience there, because I don't know how to start the conversation. It scares the hell out of me. Anyway, I got ahead of myself there. We got to the party and didn't know anyone. pretty soon, another member showed up, and John and I found out these two guys were brothers. We were both surprised. they have the same last name, but neither of us connected it. So many people out here have the same last name, such as Garcia, I don't even blink at it any more.

a bunch of people showed up and hte party was really a lot of fun. We chatted a lot with different people and ate some really good food. There  was tri tip, chicken, lumpia(homemade) noodles, rice, chile beans and some other stuff. It was a mix if american and Filipino. Love that food. For desert, we had a white cake with strawberry filling and whipped cream frosting. His wife put a picture of her husband when he was in high school, with a big ole afro, and a current one on the top of the cake. I wish I had brought my camera just to get a pic of that.

so let me get to what I started to tell you in the beginning. John and the friend that went with us, so he didn't have to drive, started talking to the son. they are both vets, and know how to start that conversation. He brought out a book of pictures his mom had put together for him when he was over there. He would send her pictures, and she kept them all. She had them all developed, and put them into sleeves, then into a book. there were so many pictures. I was sitting off to the side, talking to his mom, and listening to small parts. Watching that exchange between the two generations of foreign war vets, was heartwarming to say the least. To see the young new brave man, explain is experiences to the older vets, and to see the sincere interest from them was site to behold.

I really wanted to see what they were looking at, but i didn't want to interfere with the exchange that was happening. I know none of them would have minded, but it would have changed the conversation. I was also watching his mom and dad. Without saying a word, their faces beamed as their son told his story through the pictures he sent home. I couldn't imagine the pain she went through when he son was over there. it would tear me apart. I did slide over his shoulder and take a short peak at one picture he said was his trophy shot. It was of a smoking humvee that had just been hit. he was the driver when it was hit, but he drove it as far as he could to get out of the line of fire, and to a safe spot. Then, him and his guys jumped out of the humvee and ran for safety. they stayed there for a short while, until the rest of the unit showed up and rescued them.

That is when i asked him, You were Hit? he said yes, like it was nothing. That tore me up. it was getting kinda late by then, and the last of the guests were saying good by. We followed them. Before we left, I hugged the young man and told him Thank you for your service to our country. That was all I could say. We left after that and I drove home. I didn't ask about the pictures, because i know I cant handle that. I would cry. The things we don't know are so much scarier than what we do know.

When you see a vet, tell them thank you. You don't have to say anything else, they know why you said it, and they love it.

That's it for today. We are off to the post again today for another function. I want another us weekend. See ya all later.