Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Sunshine and Smiles


They parked us just a
short stroll
or should I say
march
from the
firing range.

So it was
all morning long
as we heated the chili
iced the
Monster and Gatorade
and arranged
buckets of 
cheese and sour cream
and hot peppers
we did so
to the echo of
gunfire.

Loud
continual
gunfire.

They actually
posted us just a
short few yards
from the weapons trailer
where lines of
soldiers
were checking out guns
for their assigned practice.


We felt very
very secure.

It was a
gloriously sunny afternoon
of
Walking Tacos
in fun little Doritos bags
and steaming bowls of chili
piled high with cheese.
When all was said and done
lots of uniformed hero's
had been served
and many lunches happily devoured.
It was an afternoon
of grateful smiles.

"Thank you, Ma'am"
"Thank you so much, Ma'am"
"Much appreciated, Ma'am."

(Marry me. Any one of you.
Right this minute!)

Long live 
good manners
that could make 
a one-room schoolhouse
teacher cry.

We served dozens
of men and women in uniform
all through the lovely afternoon.

(And those who look like almost-men, too.....
seriously....how old AM I??? Some of those
younger gentlemen looked like they
haven't started shaving yet under
the shadow of those
cammo helmets.
Can you enlist
in the Army
when
mom has to
drive you to base
because you're not old enough
for your grown-up license?)

It was a fun, fun day.
And the hungry ones
were just so darned appreciative.

Especially this one.


This is my lifelong
brother from another mother
and fellow student
who led our study team
through countless
grad school battles.
This soldier led my buddy 
and I through
class after class
and we always
emerged victorious.
Even though
every now and then
the enemy lurked
very near.
(Like standing next to the table
at Panera. Ohhhh...sorry. 
Private hahaha.)

Anyway.
I know I can always and forever
count on him
for anything
at a moment's notice
through thick and thin.

That's his beautiful wife
and holder of the home front
behind me.
Along with a very fun friend
I just met through our volunteer duty
on a gorgeous
autumn day. 


As the afternoon
wrapped up
and I headed for home
I found a little souvenir
lying in the gravel
by my car.

I guess if you're
spending the day with
Habitat for Humanity
it's pretty reasonable to assume
you might drop a nail or two.

If you're
working in a beauty salon
you might lose track of a bobby pin or two.

So yeah
I get it.


Oops. 


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