Chet The Dog

Posts Tagged ‘Memorial Day’

Memorial Day

” … to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan … ” (Lincoln’s Second Inaugural

Jamey Johnson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVdCYf2cAUo

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

He came around from behind the cash register and rolled toward us in his wheelchair real fast, long hair lifting off his shoulders in the breeze. Vin was another old Army pal of Bernie’s, had a massive upper body and below that a lower body easily covered by a small blanket. They shook hands, Bernie’s hand, which normally looked so big, lost in Vin’s. “What’s doin’?” Vin said, reaching into his pocket and tossing a biscuit my way. I was ready, caught it in midair.

(from A Fistful of Collars)

Memorial Day: We Remember

“Well,” Bernie said, “I don’t follow these things too closely and –“

“What’s your excuse for that?” The jowly-faced dude waved his cigar at Bernie. “You don’t care about this country?”

Sometimes – not often, and in fact I can remember every single occasion – Bernie can look dangerous. So dangerous he comes close scaring me. The fur on the back of my neck stands straight up, and then I’m dangerous, too. We’re a team, me and Bernie, a team you don’t want to mess with – a truth that was starting to dawn on the jowly-faced dude. I could tell from the way he blinked, and suddenly began looking smaller.

Earl put the razor down carefully on the shelf in front of the mirror, beside his scissors and combs, and then turned to the jowly-faced dude and spoke quietly. “Is that any kind of question to ask a war hero?”

When humans get alarmed, their features all move higher, not a good look on the jowly types. “Um, I had no idea that … uh, and of course it would change the way, er – “

“Saved my life.” Earl’s voice rose. “And I wasn’t the only one, far from it. So there’s a whole bunch of guys like me who wouldn’t take kindly to Bernie here getting asked that type of question.”

The jowly-face dude swiveled the barber chair in Bernie’s direction. “Ah, Bernie – if you don’t mind me calling you that – if I’ve given any offense, that wasn’t my intention, and I’m a big supporter – thank you for your service, by the way! – of our wonderful mili – “

Bernie had already stopped looking dangerous. “We’re good,” he said.

(from Tender Is The Bite, coming July 6. And since today’s the last day of the month, it’s the deadline for sending in pics for Chet’s June Friend of the Month – check out the FB page for details.)