Posted on 05/23/2005 7:54:29 AM PDT by redrock
The bus seemed to be stopped forever....or at least quite a while.
I was taking the bus to visit some friends. We had pulled over downtown to pick up some passengers...and it seemed that we were at that one stop for a while. I had noticed that the driver had lowered the ramp to let on a person...wheelchair or other I didn't know.
I heard someone from the back speak softly...."I see why were taking forever.....just another drunk Indian."
I looked up to see ....and in the doorway (moving ever so s-l-o-w-l-y...and I mean s-l-o-w-l-y) was a American Indian (or Native American for all you P.C. bunch). He was moving his legs about 3 inches at a time....and he was using his crutches to balance himself. He kept trying to speak to the bus driver....but you couldn't really understand him...his words were so slurred.
Finally he managed to get to the front seat (vacated by someone else in an effort to speed things up I guess) and plopped down. Just then...the bottom of his pants came up and you could see the two metal rods that passed for his legs.......and I could see the scarring on his face that made it (or I would guess it would) difficult for him to move his mouth.
Somewhere in the next few blocks...I started a conversation with him. ( I talk to everyone....I find people interesting). We started off the with the usual mundane stuff....the weather...(it was snowing)...how the buses are always late. Then I noticed the tatoo on his hand.
"Semper Fi"
I asked if he had been in the Marine Corps. He looked at me with that '1,000 yard stare'.....the kind that old Veterans sometimes get.....and slowly nodded yes.
So...for the next couple of hours...we rode the bus talking...(it turns out that he rode the bus sometimes just to get out the weather)...learning.
*******************************************
He was from the Navajo Reservation....and came up to "The Big City" once in a while to visit the V.A.Hospital...and have his 'stumps' (how he put it) checked out since the fit with his metal legs never quite worked out.
He told me of how long ago ...as a young man on the 'Res.'.....he joined the Marines. Going thru Basic....learning how to be a Radio Operator....then going to Vietnam.
Of spending the first few months there...basically bored. Just doing the routine patrols....and the tedious life while at base. Then....of being on one patrol.
The patrol was Company size.....and the enemy was at least twice as many. The chaos when the first explosions happened.....the C.O. yelling on the radio (the one that he was carrying) for fire-support. The sound of small arms.....the yelling and screaming.....and for some reason...he remembers how bright the sky was.
Then nothing.
He awoke with a Navy Corpman over his face....calmly asking him questions. Questions that never seemed to make sense...as if the Corpman was speaking some language other than english.
...and in the distance...someone was screaming.
He told me that he was trying to concentrate on the Corpman (maybe he was asking something important)...and he wanted to tell the person screaming to shut up.
Then......just before he passed out from the pain and the morphine.......he realized the person screaming.....was him.
************************************************
He awoke aboard a Navy Hospital ship...with tubes going into and out of his body. The room that he was in was so clean....and had other men in it. He looked around the room...and saw men with casts on...and with I.V.'s feeding them.
Then he looked down at the foot of his bed.
It took awhile for his brain to connect.....and to make the reality check and actually realize that he had no legs.
He said that he just laid there and cried.
**********************************************
They cleaned him up.....trying to fix the wounds to his face...but he would always have scars. Scars that would limit his ability to speak.
They fitted him with a wheelchair at first....and then around 6 years later...metal legs. They gave him physical therapy...to try and teach him to use his new legs.
They gave him a Purple Heart.....and sent him home.
***********************************************
We Americans have this image of what a Hero is supposed to look like.
Tall. Square Jaw. Blond hair....blue eyes.
But it usually doesn't work out that way.
If you are ever in "The Big City" and you see along the side of the road (usually down-town) a 5'4" Navajo painfully making his way down the sidewalk with his metal legs and two crutches.....pull over and raise your hand in a salute.
For an American Hero is in front of you.....
And...for me at least...a day to say "Thank You" to all those who ever wore the uniform.
This MEMORIAL DAY....let 'em know that you appreciate what they did.
redrock
redrock
redrock
redrock
Why not give him a ride?
Semper fi.
redrock
"We Can Be Heroes.....Just For One Day"
-----MEMORIAL DAY 2005--Thread # 1
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1408120/posts
"Just Another Drunk Indian..."
----MEMORIAL DAY--Thread # 2
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1408698/posts
redrock annual Memorial Day threads PING
I for one would find it to be a great honor to be in the persense of one of these living ledgends! [Sorry for my typing being off, I have the flu]
May the Lord bless and keep all our brave veterans.
He wouldn't accept one.After talking to him...it seems that 1)He wants to move on his own..(I can do it) and 2)...He's one of the most stubborn people I've met when it comes to his independence.
redrock
Bump!
redrock
We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.
redrock
Man whoever said 'just another drunk Indian' was lucky I wasn't there. Last night on Extreme Makeover they built a veteran's affairs building on the Navajo res. Watching that show required more tissue than usual!
Great story. Thanks.
If you saw "Extreme Makeover:Home Edition" last night, you got the chance to see many of our brave Native American veterans (the show built them a Veterans building on the reservation). They had a ceremony with the American flag, with the flags of Indian nations. They sang the Star Spangeld Banner in Navajo. It was beautiful and touching.
redrock
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.