Monday, November 25, 2024
Hey Buddy
Went to our local pizza sports bar to get an extra crispy plain and an ice-cold beer. Sat next to Buddy who claimed he didn't bite. I lied and said I don't either. Buddy is an 80-year-old widower. Looks forward to a beer and a sandwich and conversations once in a while. He's a man of the land. Hunts, fishes, kayaks, boats, doesn't care about the present football games on the giant TVs in front of us, behind us, next to us. Me neither. We got one thing in common. He's a Viet Nam vet. Worked on the jet engines, not in the jungle. I say, good for you. I'm presently reading a book about the nurses who worked in Viet Nam called The Sisters. He's not a reader. Also thanked him for his service, which I never do. But he wanted to hear it, and so sometimes I do say it. Then he goes and says, there's only one person he wanted to see when he got home from Nam. Your mama? Your girlfriend? Your wife and children? Nope. Jane Fonda. As if!! I say, well, she did a really dumb thing, it's true, but we have a president who believes anyone who volunteers to go into service to defend our country is a loser and an idiot. Shakes his head, says I voted for him. I hope you are happy. I am he says. I just hope he does what he says he's gonna do about immigration. I didn't ask him exactly when he realized he is a bigot, or who the hell do you think works in the kitchen of this restaurant and every other one in this town. I just said well the man is a known con artist and fraud, plus a well-documented liar, so why would you think he's not lying about that? Shakes his head again. Renewed my me and mine philosophy. Good thing because I was actually thinking about contributing to the annual (once a year is enough aint it?) food drive in the hood. I'm gonna let the republicans take care of the needy from now on.
