12/11/2012

  So, I’ve been driving down to Oregon City every day to feed and water my friend’s dog.  I stopped at a Plaid Pantry convenience store and got some cigarrettes.

I do not smoke in my car.  I bought it new and have this opportunity to Treat it Right from Day One.

I was standing outside the store, smoking.  I had a pair of sweat pants on – no need to dress up for the dog – and since it’s kind of cold, my Corcoran Jump boots on, bloused over by the sweat pants.  My hair is SHORT – 1/2 inch all around – I cut it myself with my beard trimmer (no beard at present). I dunno what I look like, but standing there, smoking, a car pulled up and a guy got out, and he said. "were you in the Army?"

"The Navy, actually’, I said.

He said. "thank you for your service".

I wasn’t sure what to say, so I said "You’re welcome."

I was in the Navy, in the early 80’s, when the Soviet Union was "our opponent".  It was "the second Cold War", that period of high tension before the USSR collapsed and did the worst thing possible to the US – they ceased to exist.

No one’s ever done that before for me; I kinda liked it.

 *****