Military wife responds...

[critch]

This is a forward from a friend. I enjoyed it. I hope y'all do too.

critch


Excellent "real life" from a Military Wife
>
>I was sitting alone in one of those loud, casual steakhouses that you find
>all over the country. You know the type--a bucket of peanuts on every
>table, shells littering the floor, and a bunch of perky college kids
>racing
>around with longneck beers and sizzling platters.
>
>Taking a sip of my iced tea, I studied the crowd over the rim of my glass.
>My gaze lingered on a group enjoying their meal. They wore no uniform to
>identify their branch of service, but they were definitely "military:"
>clean shaven, cropped haircut, and that "squared away" look that comes
>with
>pride.
>
>Smiling sadly, I glanced across my table to the empty seat where my
>husband
>usually sat. It had only been a few months since we sat in this very
>booth,
>talking about his upcoming deployment to the Middle East. That was when
>he
>made me promise to get a sitter for the kids, come back to this restaurant
>once a month and treat myself to a nice steak. In turn he would treasure
>the
>thought of me being here, thinking about him until he returned home to me.
>
>I fingered the little flag pin I constantly wear and wondered where he was
>at this very moment. Was he safe and warm? Was his cold any better? Were
>my
>letters getting through to him? As I pondered these thoughts, high pitched
>female voices from the next booth broke into my thoughts.
>
>"I don't know what Bush is thinking about. Invading Iraq. You'd think
>that
>man would learn from his old man's mistakes. Good lord. What an idiot! I
>can't believe he is even in office. You do know, he stole the election."
>
>I cut into my steak and tried to ignore them, as they began an endless
>tirade running down our president. I thought about the last night I spent
>with my husband, as he prepared to deploy. He had just returned from
>getting
>his smallpox and anthrax shots. The image of him standing in our kitchen
>packing his gas mask still gives me chills.
>
>Once again the women's voices invaded my thoughts. "It is all about oil,
>you know. Our soldiers will go in and rape and steal all the oil they can
>in the name of 'freedom' Hmph! I wonder how many innocent people they'll
>kill without giving it a thought? It's pure greed, you know."
>
>My chest tightened as I stared at my wedding ring. I could still see how
>handsome my husband looked in his "mess dress" the day he slipped it on my
>finger. I wondered what he was wearing now. Probably his desert uniform,
>affectionately dubbed "coffee stains" with a heavy bulletproof vest over
>it.
>
>"You know, we should just leave Iraqi lone. I don't think they are hiding
>any weapons. In fact, I bet it's all a big act just to increase the
>President's popularity. That's all it is, padding the military budget at
>the expense of our social security and education. And, you know what else?
>We're just asking for another 9-ll. I can't say when it happens again that
>we didn't deserve it."
>
>Their words brought to mind the war protesters I had watched gathering
>outside our base. Did no one appreciate the sacrifice of brave men and
>women, who leave their homes and family to ensure our freedom? Do they
>even
>know what "freedom" is?
>
>I glanced at the table where the young men were sitting, and saw their
>courageous faces change. They had stopped eating and looked at each other
>dejectedly, listening to the women talking.
>
>"Well, I, for one, think it's just deplorable to invade Iraq, and I am
>certainly sick of our tax dollars going to train professional baby killers
>we call a military."
>
>Professional baby killers? I thought about what a wonderful father my
>husband is, and of how long it would be before he would see our children
>again.
>
>That's it! Indignation rose up inside me. Normally reserved, pride in my
>husband gave me a brassy boldness I never realized I had. Tonight one
>voice
>will answer on behalf of our military, and let her pride in our troops be
>known.
>
>Sliding out of my booth, I walked around to the adjoining booth and placed
>my hands flat on their table. Lowering myself to eye level with them, I
>smilingly said, "I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. You see,
>I'm sitting here trying to enjoy my dinner alone. And, do you know why?
>Because my husband, whom I love with all my heart, is halfway around the
>world defending your right to say rotten things about him."
>
>"Yes, you have the right to your opinion, and what you think is none of my
>business. However, what you say in public is something else, and I will
>not
>sit by and listen to you ridicule MY country, MY president, MY husband, and
>all the other fine American men and women who put their lives on the line,
>just so you can have the "freedom" to complain. Freedom is an expensive
>commodity, ladies. Don't let your actions cheapen it."
>
>I must have been louder that I meant to be, because the manager came over
>to inquire if everything was all right. "Yes, thank you," I replied. Then
>turning back to the women, I said, "Enjoy the rest of your meal."
>
>As I returned to my booth applause broke out. I was embarrassed for making
>a scene, and went back to my half-eaten steak. The women picked up their
>check and scurried away.
>
>After finishing my meal, and while waiting for my check, the manager
>returned with a huge apple cobbler ala mode. "Compliments of those
>soldiers," he said. He also smiled and said the ladies tried to pay for my
>dinner, but that another couple had beaten them to it. When I asked who,
>the manager said they had already left, but that the gentleman was a
>veteran, and wanted to take care of the wife of "one of our boys."
>
>With a lump in my throat, I gratefully turned to the soldiers and thanked
>them for the cobbler. Grinning from ear to ear, they came over and
>surrounded the booth. "We just wanted to thank you, ma'am. You know we
>can't
>get into confrontations with civilians, so we appreciate what you did."
>
>As I drove home, for the first time since my husband's deployment, I didn't
>feel quite so alone. My heart was filled with the warmth of the other
>diners who stopped by my table, to relate how they, too, were proud of my
>husband, and would keep him in their prayers. I knew their flags would fly
>a
>little higher the next day.
>
>Perhaps they would look for more tangible ways to show their pride in our
>country, and the military who protect her. And maybe, just maybe, the two
>women who were railing against our country, would pause for a minute to
>appreciate all the freedom America offers, and the price it pays to
>maintain it's freedom.
>
>As for me, I have learned that one voice CAN make a difference. Maybe the
>next time protesters gather outside the gates of the base where I live, I
>will proudly stand on the opposite side with a sign of my own. It will
>simply say, "Thank You!"
>

[rtread]

This is why I will walk up to a bunch of soldiers in a local restauraunt, tell them I really appreciate what they are doing, and wish them the best. I ask them where they are from....and I see the same looks in their faces when they talk about home that I had years ago. Support for these people is crucial to their success....and ours.

[CalHunter]

Thanks critch. I think many of us get sick and tired of these idiots running their mouths when they don't know jack.

[hntngirl]

Excellent post, critch! Thanks!

[PABuck_HNTR]

Thank You for a Great post critch!