Monday was Memorial Day. Said so on my 365 Days of Dave Barry calendar, so it must be true. Memorials, of course, are more memorable when you actually remember the person you're commemorating.
For example, I noticed my 6-year-old son, Nicholas, reading my t-shirt at breakfast this morning, the one emblazoned with "That Pat Boone Is A Lovely Man," an actual quote from Sharon Osbourne (wife of Ozzy) on that family's TV show in reference to their former neighbor and my still-current uncle. Here's how the conversation ensued:
Nicholas: "Where did you get that shirt?"
Me: "Mommy got it for me at Dillard's a couple of years ago."
(pause)
Nicholas (incredulously): "Is Uncle Pat famous?"
Me (credulously): "Yes. In fact, he's a very famous singer."
Nicholas: "You mean like Kira?" (the yellow ranger who fronted a garage band in the TV series Power Rangers Dino Thunder...but you knew that already)
Me: "Well, she's a TV character. Uncle Pat is a real singer, one of the most famous ever."
(As I tried to make a connection, I realized he never listens to the radio and has virtually no clue what a recording artist even is.)
Me: "Have you ever heard of Elvis?"
Nicholas: "No."
Me: "How 'bout The Beatles?"
Nicholas: "Are they the ones who wear red shirts?"
Me (puzzled): "I think you're thinking of The Wiggles."
Nicholas: "No, they wear different colored shirts."
Me: "Oh, yeah."
Nicholas: "Are most of The Beatles dead?"
Me: "As a matter of fact they are."
Nicholas: "I think I saw them singing one time, and they all had on red shirts."
I'm sure the extant Beatle, Paul, would be pleased to know his group's legacy is secure with the next generation: the mostly-dead band with red shirts.
I hear a growing number of God-folk who are convinced war is summarily evil and that Bush is either the Antichrist or at the very least next of kin because he sent so many Americans and others into battle. I have serious concerns, myself. But there are those in uniform who actually believe it is the essence of Christ to defend the defenseless, even to the point of giving up their lives.
Better than a token "thank you" to those selfless souls, I hope all of us can celebrate this holiday by giving up our lives for someone else. No matter what they're wearing.
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4 comments:
Beautiful Challenge Boone. Thanks.
Conversation 30 years from now:
Nicholas: Do you know who Ludacris is?
Son of Nicholas: No. Is he famous?
Nicholas: He was. Now he's dead.
Son of Nicholas: What did he sing?
Nicholas: "Act a Fool" and many other bad songs.
Son of Nicholas: Aint that a shame
Nicholas: No, that was your uncle Pat.
Son of Nicholas: Is he the one who wore white shoes?
Nicholas: No, that was the White Power Ranger - White Thunder.
Son of Nicholas: White Power Ranger?
Nicholas: Nothing is what it seems as Dino eggs bring out a risky kind of Zord-play. A brand new alarm surfaces when Mesogog and henchwoman, Elsa, hatch a plan to stop the Rangers. The wily White Ranger is born from their blunder, and the Power Rangers have no idea who he is! As Dr. O is about to reveal White Ranger's true identity, he gets fossilized. The Power Rangers will have to work together closely to subdue rad Dino Zords and their most powerful foe yet -- White Ranger!
Son of Nicholas: Didn't Ludacris sing, "Phat Rabbit?"
Nicholas: As a matter of fact he did.
Son of Nicholas: I think I saw him rapping one time. He was shirtless.
Special Forces Prayer
Almighty GOD, Who art the Author of liberty and the
Champion of the oppressed, hear our prayer.
We, the men of the Special Forces,
acknowledge our dependence upon Thee in the
preservation of human freedom.
Go with us as we seek to defend the defenseless
and to free the enslaved.
May we ever remember that our nation,
whose motto is "In God We Trust,"
expects that we shall acquit ourselves with honor,
that we may never bring shame upon
our faith, our families, or our fellow men.
Grant us wisdom from Thy mind,
courage from Thine heart, strength from Thine arm,
and protection by Thine hand. It is for Thee
that we do battle, and to Thee belongs the
victor's crown.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the
power and glory, forever, AMEN.
This prayer is from the back of an SF handbook. I put it in my blog back in January. It's from the earliest days of Special Forces training.
That's good writing, there. Didn't know where you were going until you got there. Thanks.
funny, Boone. Everyone knows Pat is phat.
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