Jakob called me on November 11th with a "Happy Veteran's Day". Nice of him to do so even though his Dad was standing alongside prodding him on. Uf dah, it's not easy saying a simple thank you when there so many conflicting thoughts running through your head.
What can I say? The war sucked? I didn't really want to be there? It was an ugly war that should never have been fought? Can't say I'd have understood such ideas back when I was eight.
Whatever I did say probably reflected my jumbled mind. A little stammering, a stutter or two, then a simple thank you. Before I die I'll have to have a heart to heart with all my grandchildren. Let them know what the war in Vietnam was like from a grunt's point of view. Doubt very much their high school history classes will get it right.
