I feel alright – I feel alright tonight

After a 21 ½ hour flight over 5,864 miles the remaining part of my task force was back in to where it had departed from, Volk Field Wisconsin. I was on the first flight into theater and the last flight out. We took 360 over and all came back with every thing intact (we did have some non combat injuries). We thank God for that. The statistics for death in Iraq are light, but, the reality is, you’re going to where you won’t die, but be killed or maimed.

The first week back home has been a stormy one, both in weather and in life. I’ve heard that it’s been dry for months, then as soon as I get back rain. It’s rained every day. My personal life has had it’s storms too. Not from “dramatic effects” of the war, but, life here. I’m not the same person I was before I went to Iraq or this time last week. The earth is a far more pretty place to me now and the world that more uglier. Things are rarely what they seem.

Folks have been really nice though. From the nice folks in Bangor Maine that lined up to shake our hands when we landed in there to the man in the barber shop this morning. My phone has barely rung. I did wind up on the Channel 13 News and receive a few e-mails as well as people saying that they saw me. But, everyone has been really polite, I’ve been asked a few pointed questions, and the strongest one from my Civilian Boss, but, he’s a Vietnam Vet, so I answered him straight out. He’s been there, done that. He knows where I’m coming from.

Nothing I did was glorious or heroic. My experience was not movie material. People often thank me, but, all I did was go do my job. NO ONE has a right to be jealous of me. As all of the fakes come out looking for attention, let them have it. People love it when you’re full of shit. I went and did my job as best I could, it wasn’t pretty nor ugly, it was just my job. Nuff said.

Bosco, as I said, came right up to me. God bless her. I pulled up into my yard after dark, she walked right up to me wagging her tail and let me hug her. Other than my mother and aunt that I let meet me at the air port ( The Reguvinator was going to drop my truck off for me) that hug with Bosco set the precedence. So, I’ve hugged a dog and a Tomcatskitten, and those have meant the world to me. As I was somewhere over the North Atlantic my Grand Son was born. He’s beautiful. Today I held my finger out to him and he grabbed hold and squeezed it. His whole hand wraps around my finger. Looks allot like his daddy, has his mama’s eyes. Odd as it is to me, at not quite 39, listening to harder music than my kids (actually step kids), but, that’s how it is when you get involved with someone that started young and they start young.

So, that’s it. I’ve got things I’m working on. I’ve got a life to live.

Today your love, tomorrow the world…

The Appalachianist

(This picture was given to me by a friend from Kansas, it was from the storms that had the tornadoes this spring)