The family and I are heading out to my wife’s mother’s cabin. I stopped into the grocery store to pick up some bacon and some corn on the way home from work. While I was there, I saw a familiar hat. The Veteran hat. You know the one… it’s almost always black (sometime’s Navy blue for the squids) with yellow writing. All it said was US Marine Corps on it. The guy wearing it looked to be about 80 years old and he was picking between a few packages of chicken breasts.
Me: Thank you for serving, when did you serve?
Him: Thank you. World War 2.
Me: REALLY!? (the fanboyism was really really showing, then)
Him: Yep!
Me: Where were you for it?
Him: I was on Iwo Jima.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was better than meeting one of my favorite celebrities! I couldn’t even carry on more of a conversation with him, he had me squeeing. He got a grin, a big Semper Fi and I told him good day. I just met one of the greatest people on Earth, today. I just wish I’d had the presence of mind to ask him for his contact information so I can ask him for his stories.
Not a Tango, nothing to see here 
For good reason! Even if you were to be super selective when it comes to “Celebrity”, such as say “Had a Platinum Album” or “starred in a summer blockbuster” there are still a TON more of those people than those who served and survived that hellish little island siege.
Comment by Weer'd Beard — June 5, 2012 @ 6:38 am