November 12

I didn't write yesterday, what else is new, but I did think about my father a great deal, what with it being Veterans' Day and all, and I watched something on PBS last night about some American airmen who were shot down over Borneo during World War II and were rescued by the indigenous people, very interesting. I thought I would write, but I didn't.

During third period this morning, I took myself from the library, and after a brief pit-stop, headed over to the office where I had to discuss some budget details. I turned the corner to pass through the big cafeteria, and saw that it was full of people, almost every table full. Now, this happens sometimes, for one reason or another, and I slowed down to see if I could figure out what the event was that was going on there. And I began to realize that at each table sat one or two very old men (at one table an old man and an old woman), and that they were talking to the kids seated around them. Most of the kids were listening politely; at some tables, the kids were fascinated, couldn't take their eyes off their guest speaker. All of the elderly visitors were wearing VFW caps or jackets or both. It was one of the most moving Veterans Day celebrations I've ever seen. I stood at the side, watching, for several minutes. At some tables, the kids were laughing at a funny story that had just been told, at some tables, I could see expressions of amazed understanding on their faces. The veterans, our heroes, were animated, fascinating. I wanted to go ovver to one of them, anyone of them, and thank them for what they'd done for us, but I couldn't bear to interrupt anyone, so I just watched. At one table, there was a man I knew, close to my age, who was a Vietnam vet, but most of them were from World War II, maybe a few from Korea. I thought of my father again; I could almost see him sitting at a table with kids and telling his stories. My kids or my sister's would have been so proud to have him come into school and do that, but no one thought of it then. Anyway, it was just a beautiful thing that I'm very happy to have seen.





watching L/O :: ENTRY #2134
READING: Slept Away by Julie Kraut