Posted on 05/26/2014 9:10:17 AM PDT by AuditTheFed
This is a story I hate to tell because it shames me.
The second or third year, as usual, we got rained on.
Only this time, it was a frog drowner.
My thigh high boots filled with water and sank to my ankles.
I thought putting a bandanna over my nose and mouth would help but I only succeeded in waterboarding myself for 40 miles.
When we got to the VA, I was the most miserable, mouthy, whiny, complaining bitch you could hope to never see.
I slopped across the parking lot to where the welcoming vets stood and a man in a wheelchair with no legs grabbed my hand and thanked me, with tears in his eyes, for coming, despite the weather.
I have never been so ashamed in my whole life.
Here I was, pissing and moaning over wet clothes and muddy hair, when this dear man probably slept in some godforsaken, stinking rice paddy for a year.
I hated myself.
It was a pivotal moment in my selfish life.
I squeezed his hand and said “Yeah, the weather ~was~ a bit soft” and grinned.
It will, even there’s NO chance of rain, undoubtedly soak me again this year and by God, I will ride there cheerfully and gratefully.
I see that we’re back to the position of raising funds for “luxuries” like soap and shampoo, again.
Funny how we’d been riding prior to the last 5 or so years to pay for real luxuries like big screen TVs and video games.
Cannot *imagine* what has changed.
:-\
Maryland PING!
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