The VA

Jack and Jackie's Wedding
Jack, Dan (my dad), Elaine, John, Jackie, and Anne

Jack and Jackie at John and Karen's Wedding

So I've been volunteering at the VA, and today I had a really nice time. Sometimes all the sick people remind me of my ever-impending death. But today they all reminded me of My Grandpa Jack. He's my dad's dad and my dad is just like him. He tells stories about men named Colonel Pancake, and tries to talk me into manufacturing for a career. He also served in the Navy during WWII, which is when many of the vets I interact with served. There's such a camaraderie among them. They can't hear well, but they still tell each other stories. They can't see (I'm in the eye clinic) but they still wave and smile at each other. It's wonderful.

Today it was extra wonderful because I had a chance to sit and observe some of the older couples. Now, I am and have been for some time a cynic about marriage. I'm learning in school just why I'm a cynic (first step is admitting I have a problem) but today as I watched Mrs. Burnell get her blind-ish husband a coffee and some oreo snacksters I was really touched. What if he had been there by himself? What if he had slept with his secretary in '77 lost her, the kids and the station wagon? Where would he be now? Today when he ran over some other guys foot with his walker, it was his wife that smoothed out the situation. She was the one who found his VA card in his wallet, she's the one who remembered the last four digits of their phone number, when he kept giving out his social security number instead.

I don't know the point I'm trying to make exactly. But I will say it's nice to see people together mutually meeting each others needs and doing it out of love.

Also observed at the VA today was a 75 year old man in Tall chocolate Uggs. He was overheard by myself and others telling his fellow Veterans the deep and twisted plot of the film "Beverly Hills Chihuahua."