A young man who works/worked for the husband at the car dealer dropped by on Christmas Eve to pick up toys for homeless children. Danny is in the Army Reserves and was part of the invasion of Iraq back in '03. Luckily he made it home safely and in one piece. I found out on Saturday that his mother didn't even know he went to Iraq. He told his mom that he was away at school.
Danny will be telling her that he is going away to school again for 19 months as he's been deployed again to Iraq starting in February. Of course this distressed the hell out of me. I immediately went into crazy woman mode over the illegal war. Danny didn't want to hear it though. I was also particularly pissed at the Ford dealer for laying him off the day before Christmas Eve, the fucking bastards. But they aren't selling cars due to the boycotts by the religious, the gays and the environmentalists. How does a young person get a fucking break in this country?
I told him that I could get him hooked up with an underground railroad to Canada, but he told me that it's a job and it pays well. He wants to go. I asked how much it pays and he told me $3,500/month. I told him that was ridiculous to be willing to risk his life for that pissy amount of money... not that I can imagine any amount of money that would motivate me to go to Iraq. Danny remained calm despite my ranting and questioning him about how it felt to go into people's houses and search them disrupting their lives. He shrugged. It's a job.
My 20 year old son witnessed this, smirking at my typical 'Liz-ness' as he calls it. I never asked my son what he thought of fighting in this war. I never gave him the chance to tell me anything because I informed him that I would get him out of the country before I would allow him to be a part of bombing the hell out another country. On the other hand, if our country was invaded and being bombed, you can bet your ass that I would be an insurgent who set bombs on the side of the road and would have the whole family involved. Oh I certainly do believe in fighting to defend my country. I don't believe anyone is defending my freedom by killing Iraqi's. But I digress.
Danny's girlfriend who also worked for the same car dealer was also laid off right before Christmas. She happens to be pregnant and they will be married before he's deployed. He needs to get her on his benefits as she lost hers.
He told me that her parents are mad about her situation and her mom told her that she won't be able to help her out because the other daughter is pregnant with twins and so her welfare comes first. She hasn't met his parents and he hasn't met hers. oy vay. Her parents are from Italy and his from China. Can you imagine what a cool exotic child they are going to have?
His visit left me rather perturbed to say the least, but I had a rib roast in the oven to worry about and my guests would soon be arriving. Now that the Christmas weekend is over, I have time to reflect on all this bullshit for an hour or so as I have to get off the computer and clean up the house for the son's girlfriend from Arizona who will be arriving at LaGuardia later on (if the fog lets up). I have to put on my pretend happy face again. Ho Ho Ho!
Anything interesting happen over your Holiday weekend?
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Before I forget, it was bitter sweet to see the FEMA trailers decorated for Christmas in Katrina ravaged Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. And these before and after pictures of this town are mind blowing. The human spirit is just amazing.
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