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.