[Florida, July 18, 2009] Last Wednesday, I flew to Atlanta to meet up with an old friend from my misspent youth who became a lifetime member of the ZZ Top fan club in 1983. Ever since, she has received two free tickets when ever they tour. They opened for Aerosmith who will remain forever young on Youtube:
The next
morning I awoke fully conscious that it was the first Thursday of a weekly
global call to fast for Gaza http://www.fastforgaza.net/statement during daylight
hours so that the hearts and minds of the leaders of the world would open up to
the human misery in Gaza Palestine and be moved to end the siege and
occupation. Three hours and three cups of coffee later, I boarded the hotel
elevator for the last time.
In next walked three sharp dressed tan/brown/grey camo covered young men whose parents might not even be as old as many years as ZZ Top have been a band: forty years and they still are sharp:-
-
I
asked where were they going and a baby faced blond responded, "I am going
to Iraq and they are both shipping
out to Afghanistan."
I mumbled how sorry I was that it had to be the way it is, but I do hope, pray and work for the day when all our troops come home and go to concerts and may they still be young.
In the Atlanta airport, as I made my way from ticketing to security, I counted dozens more tan/brown/grey camo covered soldiers. After removing my belt and shoes for SECURITY, I turned and looked into the eyes of one of three other soldiers-but these guys were much closer to my age.
I asked, "Is there a base around here? You tan/brown/grey camo men are everywhere."
He
replied, "No, we are all shipping out after a two week R and R. I am going
back to Iraq and they are both going to
Afghanistan." (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).