I was just watching The Waltons on the Inspiration Channel. The program broke away for a commercial break. But, instead of still another drug commercial, or the promoting of a miracle face lift product, a short one minute video began to play out; a young soldier, dressed in cammies, walks into a cafe and walks up to the counter and orders a coffee. As he awaits his coffee the young soldier looks down the counter and sees an older man having coffee. The young soldier notices a tattoo on the older man's arm; a reminder of the older gent's Vietnam service.
The waitress hands the young soldier his coffee and says "no charge". The young soldier thanks her and retreats to a booth, and all the while the elderly gent has taken note of the free coffee, then eyes the mug he's just paid for himself. He turns back to look at the soldier in the booth and sees a young child run over to the young soldier and ask if his mom can take a picture of them both. This seems too much for the old vet to see and he turns back to the counter.
A few seconds later the child walks over to the old vet and asks if he can take a picture with him. The old Vet asks the kid how he knows he's also a vet. The child points back to the young vet still sitting in the booth, "he told me", he says. The old Vet then poses for a picture with the kid and says thank you.
Before the young soldier leaves he walks up and shakes hands with the old vet and says "thank you for your service". The old vet says "thank you for your support".
By this time I'm in tears. As a Vietnam vet I know what it was like back when America broke our hearts by making us the brunt of their rage against the war. I thought this video was such a lovely but simple way to express the hurt that millions of us Vietnam vets have carried around for years.
I saw that this commercial-free little video was made by the Inspiration Network through Moments.org. I then went to the computer and went to their site and found it chock full of wonderfully simple vignettes about love and life and sacrifice. If you're looking for a "human pick me up" I encourage you to visit Moments.Org for a good old fashioned dose of humanity.
a little too late for my late father...Retired volunteer, Vietnam x 2.....gone at age 68.
ReplyDeleteGod bless your father, anon. Take comfort in knowing that your father is now in a better place and rest assured he's been thanked profusely by those who dwell with him now.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting and for taking the time to comment.
That was a beautiful sentiment. I thank you for you service. I missed having to go to Vietnam by just weeks. I dreaded the thought after signing up for the draft. I remember my brothers friends who came home wounded and then hurt by the reception at the San Fran airport. The hippies now rich libs were so cruel. When Nixon called you guys home I breathed such a sigh of relief. Too many casualties for that chunk of land. Thank you again for your service and for your continued service here. My father, also gone, was a WW II flyer, it was one of the high lights of his life, I loved his stories. They were truly the greatest generation. I wish my kids could have known him. BTW the book you mention is at Amazon with great reviews, I look forward to reading it. Ken
ReplyDeleteThank you Ken and God bless your dad.
ReplyDelete