I was at my restaurant just a few days ago, chilling in the bar area with my friend and coworker, just waiting for my shift to begin. A older woman, the only patron at the bar, asked my friend, the bartender, to turn on the news on the wall-mounted TV.
“Sorry,” she said, “I know the news is all bad. Everywhere in the world it’s all bad.”
“No worries,” I replied. “I haven’t watched it in years. I used to have to watch all the time as political science major, but I don’t anymore.”
“Oh, you studied politics?”
“Used to. It was too much stress. My life is much happier now,” I laughed.
“So what do you think about the War in Libya?”
BREAK!
Yes, I know what you’re thinking. Politics is never a good issue to discuss – especially not war when you’re a veteran. But, she seemed friendly enough so I said, “I don’t think we should be there. I don’t think we should be anywhere anymore. We accomplished our objectives, it’s time to go.”
Now, keep in mind, this woman only saw me as a server, and probably wouldn’t have ever guessed that I used to me a Marine.
“What objectives? Our men are dying needlessly over there, wasting their lives,” she spoke with an angry passion.
This is when the change occurred. I couldn’t stop myself. “What objectives!” I sneered, raising my voice. “What about freedom from tyranny for 20 million people?”
She replied, “It’s a shame how we send our men over there to kill woman and children--”
OH HELL NO. I stopped her. “Wait, wait, wait,” I screamed. “Are you saying are troops are going over there just randomly killing women and children?”
“Dario!” my friend interrupted us. “Hey, I need your help in the back with something real quick.” I followed him right away, without another word.
Obviously, he was taking me into the back to calm me down, but I just couldn’t believe how the woman could just so nonchalantly spread hate about our troops. I would’ve screamed at her all day. I would’ve scared her and made her cry. But that’s certainly not healthy behavior.
I was wild then. And – despite her untruthful comments – that’s still not the right way for me to be. I’m an educated, peaceful man now. I’m graduating with a Master’s from a liberal college this May. I don’t know why I can’t remove the combat Marine from my psyche.
Connect with Dario online:
Personal Website (Free Writing, Podcast, Dario in the Media, Biography, Books, Blogs)
20 Something Magazine (Editor-in-Chief, Creator)
JMWW Literary Journal (Senior Nonfiction Editor)
The Veterans Writing Project (Instructor, Nonfiction Editor)
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