This is my Veterans Day story. It happened a little over a month ago. Im not really a writer (sorry for the length and any spelling or grammatical errors) but I tried to record it while it was still fresh. Happy Veterans Day to all who serve. We appreciate you. 9/28/14 Today I went with Janelle to the Savannah Rapids Pavilion to walk on the canal. As we rounded the corner approaching the river, I heard a man yell out for help. An elderly gentleman was on his knees at the waters edge. Can you help me up, please? We rushed over to find him soaking wet and muddy, cane in one hand and shaking all over. With some effort, we helped him to his feet and up the hill. He said he was sitting on the bank of the canal, drinking a soda, when he got really tired and fell in. He said he had cancer and gets tired sometimes. He was a short, heavy fellow with tattoos on his arms, USMC and Semper Fi. And he was thoroughly drenched. While Janelle went back to the Jeep to get a towel, we had a chance to talk. He said he was in Vietnam. A machine-gunner. Shot through the right leg in 65. He pulled up his wet shorts and showed me a ghastly, deep, gouged-out bullet scar in the back of his lower thigh. His buddy to his right in the machine gun nest was shot between the eyes, he said. The fellow to his left had his leg blown off at the knee. He said, They sent me back in 68. That was when he was hit in the shoulder blades with scalding hot shrapnel that seared his skin over the embedded metal and made him feel like his insides were boiling. He showed me that, too, another nasty scar. Uncle Sam was going to send him back again in 69 but they called it off. He said thats where he got the Agent Orange cancer. Over in Vietnam Nam. I told him I appreciated his service and everything he did for me. Of course, that didnt seem nearly enough. He said, Im 70 years old and Im on the downswing. He told me how he married his wife when she was 15 and she had died 5 years ago in his arms from cancer that she got from drinking contaminated water at one of the bases where theyd been stationed. He said he reckoned he was going to lose his left leg soon to his own cancer. Im no doctor, but it looked horrible to me. Reddish-purple and swollen with thick, pebbly skin. Janelle returned with the towel and tried to help him dry off a bit. Trying to lighten the mood, she asked how the water was. He smiled. Thankfully, not deep or I might not be here. He said he came to the canal six months ago, fell down the bank and broke his thumb. He held it up. It was still swollen and the nail was a blackish-green. I guess Ill lose that too. I felt bad about leaving but we had to be on our way. Are you sure youre okay, I asked. Oh yeah, yeah, Ill be fine, he replied. I told him to keep the towel. It was the least I could do. He said thanks and stuck out his hand. My names Lucky. That made my day.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 02:39:28 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015