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From the Publishers Desk - November 2011
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THANK a Veteran
Hi dad. I heard the familiar sound of a cable clanging against a metal flagpole the other day and it reminded me of those blustery Saturday afternoons down at the boat docks in San Pedro. The scent of the salty ocean air hung heavy in the harbor as it blended with the pungent aroma from the canvas sails. I know this may sound weird, but my fingers always smelled like barbequed hot dogs after a day at the docks.
Remember the cool picture in the diner of the river that looked and sounded like it was moving whenever it was lit up? How about the time hard we laughed hysterically at my best friend Vince when he was trying to be cool and then fell into the algae infested water we called the green glick! Kids, it's never a good idea to have one foot on a boat and the other on a dock, unless of course you're looking for an excuse to get wet or laughed at.
With Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving just around the corner, I thought that this would be a good time to bring the spirit of both holidays together by expressing my gratitude for all that you did for me and for our country. I hope I've thanked you enough for all the love and support you gave me unconditionally. You were a great dad and an excellent role model. I don't believe I would have this wonderful life filled with loving and amazing people had it not been for you. You were always there when I needed you most.
I know for certain that this blessed life I have would not be possible without the bravery and sacrifices of millions of American soldiers just like you who fought for our freedom. When you are born and raised with the freedom we all enjoy, it's far too easy to take it for granted. I know I do.
Sometimes I wish I would've asked you more about your experiences during the war. What were you thinking after you heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor? What was it like going through basic training in the Marine Corp? What islands did you fight on and which battle did you get shot in the leg? What was it like for you when your dad never came to visit you while you were lying in a San Diego hospital bed for a whole year?
When I think about all the tragedies and heartache you experienced before your 21st birthday, it's sort of ironic that you weren't legally old enough to drink your sorrows away. Your mom died when you were six, you were separated by over 1,000 miles from your dad and sisters for eight years during the Great Depression, then when you were finally reunited with them in California at age 14, you found out that your dad was an angry and abusive alcoholic who constantly criticized you. Then of course there were the horrors of war you spent the rest of your life trying to forget about. On second thought, maybe it's better that I didn't grill you like a news reporter.
I suppose that's why I'm still amazed at what a fine man and father you were. I've heard it said that it's extremely common for boys to turn out to be like their fathers. Fortunately for me, that didn't happen to you. You managed to break the chain. While you fought for the freedom we all continue to enjoy, you also exercised the freedom to become the man you wanted to be. That was the best example you could've ever set.
It's hard to believe that it's been 18 years since you took your last breath here on earth. I have so much to thank you for, it's hard to know where to begin. Thank you for taking me to McDonalds and putting up with my special orders, which always seemed to take forever to get. Thanks for buying me my favorite plastic dinosaurs that day we went to Toy World. Thank you for not making a big deal out of me crying and wanting to leave my friends birthday party when I was five. Thank you for not dying when your doctor told you that you had 5-15 years to live and I was only nine. Mostly, thank you for giving me a better childhood and a better life than you had. Mom said that's what you really wanted to do, so all I can say to that is mission accomplished.
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