Friday, August 06, 2004

Another Letter to the Troops

On a previous post, I let you all know that we were pulling for letters for the troops over at ShlagleRock whose friend will be deployed to Iraq in the next few weeks and will hand deliver our letters to the troops. You can leave your letter to the troop in the comments section below or trip on over to Shlagle Rock and leave your message there.

In the meantime, an acquaintance of mine left a letter for the troops and I'm going to post it here:

Dear soldier,
Last night I had a dream. The mayor of a town outside your military
base found out that your unit was returning stateside. He organized a
parade. In the front were about 60 of the sharpest Harleys you've ever
seen in rows
of 4 across, immediately followed by a marine color guard in dress whites,
followed by some cool hot rod
convertibles with the mayor, your base commander and other dignitaries.
Then came a group of 100 retired FDNY carrying a 911 banner "NEVER FORGET"
followed by the local high school band. Then fire trucks with lights,
sirens, and firemen shooting water guns at the folks. Then drum and bugle
corps, military units, fire trucks, bands, special parade units like 160
'vols' with muskets in period dress with a tattered flag and a lone
drummer.
The various army units were in various uniforms interspaced with a few navy
units in both blues and whites. As
the parade passed, the youngsters in the crowd began to return fire with
their water guns, but they never fired on the military, only the firemen.
The drum corps behind you kept a lively Doom ditty ditty ditty doom pop,
doom
ditty ditty ditty doom..... There were flags everywhere. there was bunting
on the houses and yellow ribbons.
Vendors were selling balloons and flags and cotton candy. Clowns were
frolicking in the street. People were screaming SEMPER FI and LETS ROLL,
and women would yell WE LOVE YOU. There were horses with cowboys and
cowgirls and even a stage coach. As you reached the review stand there
stood two taller
buildings on either side of the street. Just then the drummers picked up a
new beat. You passed the stand sharply
and did a right face. A few seconds later just within the echo of the
taller buildings, the bugles blasted their best
number. Chills ran through your body. After another two blocks, you
marched into the park. There were refreshment stands all over and
everything was free. You got a philly steak and a cup of real coffee and
found a
seat next to a fireman and across from one of the buglers. They patted you
on the back and shook your hand.
While you ate, the public was being held back because they would pay for
their food, so they were kept in the street while the paraders were served.
During the lively conversation, you asked the bugler if he could play a
solo. He smiled then stood on the bench and played DANNY BOY. He was joined
by three others who
harmonized the toon. Everything went quiet.
The crowd outside the park began to sing GOD BLESS AMERICA and then the
gates were opened. The park became a mass of humanity. Everybody was happy
and in the big party mood. You shook hands with a thousand people and were
kissed by a thousand more.
When I awoke, this morning, I called the town hall. If more of us do that,
then my dream will come true for you.
We would really enjoy that.
God bless you and keep you safe.

Bill an American patriot

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