Amazing True Story 5-03-08

[sgtusmc]

  Amazing True Story 5-03-08
Peter Macdonald 465 Packersfalls rd Lee NH 03824 603-659-6217
   Today I volunteered for Bambi Miller at the Strafford County Conservation District second time this week.  The number of people volunteering to help the plant sale be a success was amazing.  NH Residents buying plants for their spring yards, with happy faces and cheerful words.  Bambi is a joy to volunteer for because she is so organized. 
   We finished transporting plants for Bambi so I went for a walk in Dover NH.  I did not get far when I noticed a boy tinkering with his lawn mower deep in thought.  I said hi and asked if he needed help getting it started.  The frustration and anger just did not seem to fit this stranger to me's personality as he in a quite voice said could you?  I am not a mechanic but a few simple checks of the gas, spark plug and other things could not hurt and maybe will help.  The boy started explaining what went wrong and then looked at me and said "do I know you"  I acknowledge that I did not know him but may be he has seen me around Dover some place.  A strange thing happen, both of us just sat down as something between us clicked.  He started telling me about his mother and how he tries to help her out because his DAD was sent to Iraq 6 months earlier.  He started telling me how proud he was of his dad in the beginning.  Then he believes that some how now he hates his dad for leaving his mother who is struggling ever day and he hears her cry every night.  They are in contact every week with his dad.  His dad each time tells them how great life is over there.  How his dad is really enjoying being deployed while his mother suffers.  The boy had heard on the news that a I.E.D killed Marines near where his dad was stationed earlier that day.  The boy was feeling bad because he was so angry at his dad but what if his dad was killed.  What if his dad comes home disabled, like others that loose their jobs, family and life because nothing back here is the same.
   I explained that I was a 100% disabled U.S. Marine.  I understood that his father did say he was enjoying life deployed but that is so the boys mother did not worry.  That his mother was not crying because his father was enjoying life but because she missed him and was worried about him.  I explained how his father has changed just joining the military.  That something inspires boys that join the military to learn a pride in this nation that can not be compared to anything else.  That no matter what; dad would be different when he comes home.  The conditions of combat and the death and destruction will have an impact on his dad.  His dads love for the boy and his mother will never be less, that the love will grow stronger. I compared the boys dads returning behavior to the lawn mower that a little love and attention will make life better.  At that moment I noticed a stick had dislodged the spark plug wire.  I pointed to it as the Boy pushed it back on.  Looking at me the word "Terrorist" came out of the boys mouth.  I read about you in the paper a while back.  You are nothing like what I read.  I explained that the newspapers hype up the facts to impress the readers. I explained that I was not a terrorist that I was just helping a Madbury family with a zoning issue.  That when a citizen questions the integrity of a judge or government official some times they violate the law to stop your exposing the wrongs in government.  Just like his worries about his father some day he will look back and realize that the pride he learned of the United States places his nation above his family for their future.  The lawn mower then stated and the boy took it for a test run.  I just got up and left.  I hope some how I helped this boy understand.
Peter Macdonald Sgt USMC Semper Fi

[Shane Maxfield]

Good post, DevilDog.  Thank you for being one of the few.

Semper Fi,

GySgt. (ret) Shane C. Maxfield, Keene NH

[sgtusmc]

Thank You