A suggestion

This weblog generally has limited itself to a discussion of things Christian. I have endeavored as far as possible not to indulge in two things: 1) a discussion of my personal life; or 2) a discussion of my life at work. I will endeavor to keep to those desiderata as far as possible.

However, something has occurred which causes me to break with that set of desiderata, just for now.

I had driven my wife home from work early, and had made dinner for us (crab bisque, with bacon, and a bacon sandwich), and I was still hungry, so I went to the corner store to buy a package of Fritos. I live in a blue collar neighborhood, within a mile of a Navy base. When I went in, I saw a fellow in uniform, khaki camoflage, who has the slumped shoulders and attitude which befits someone who had spent the day doing some really strenuous work. As I have a full beard (more salt than pepper), and hair that goes about halfway down my back (as befits a Russian of the really old school, but which in these days might be mistaken for a '60s hippie), I attempted to keep out of sight, got my Fritos, and managed to stand in line behind him. I tapped the guy in uniform on the shoulder, and said: "May I shake your hand." He turned in my direction, took a double take, but (thankfully) shook my hand anyway. I said, "Thank you for protecting us." He said, "You're welcome. But there have been some like you who have spat in my face." I lowered my head, and said: "Yes, but they were fools: I'm not. Again, thank you." Then he thanked me, finished his purchase, and walked away.

This prompted in me some thought, which expresses itself as follows: Guys, I know that you don't much like Dubya. I know that you don't much like the war. I personally thought that getting rid of a monomaniacal twit with delusions of grandeur and who came within an ace of getting nuclear weapons was a no-brainer, although I was not much impressed with the inability of Those In Power to get their thumbs out and to make plans for an end-game, which would ensure such basics as securing the borders and preventing insurgents from running the place.

Regardless of your feelings, allow me to vent mine: you can do and feel all you want about our so-called leaders. You can even say that you're "against the war but support our troops." But know this: if I see or hear any of you bozos spitting on a single member of our armed forces, I will happily do the same for you. Right before I break your f**king face.

Just so you know.