I went to Walmart a couple of Sundays back, for my usual monthly stop. I thought I would try something, an experiment of sorts. I put on my “LePage our Governor” T-shirt and my “Misiuk for Congress” pin and off I went. I was hoping that somebody would approach me, perhaps spark a conversation. Maybe I would run into a mom like me who’s wearing a Michaud tee in the hardware department, or spot a dad wearing a Cutler tee in the Pet Department.
I wasn’t 20 feet in the store when a guy comes up behind me saying, “You voting for him again, I sure am,” and he was smiling. I told the guy, “Yes! Not only am I voting for him a second time, but I’ve met the man twice and he is the real deal.”
We chatted briefly, wished each other a good day, and parted ways. Later on, over at the processed, pre-packaged, sodium loaded sandwich meat, I met a Vietnam War hero. I talked with him for probably 15 minutes or better. We discussed his time in Vietnnam and what he came home to. He had been called a baby killer. He told me about the bullet he took in the head that almost killed him. Although I was born in ’66, I grew up hearing of these stories and watching a lot of documentaries. I was beginning to become teary eyed, when he grabbed my hand and said, “I want to thank you.” I was stunned. I replied, “Excuse me, you want to thank me?” He said, “Yes, you know, you know dear, you know!”
I’ve met veterans from a lot of our different wars, but never had this experience while doing so. Here I was being thanked by a Vietnam vet only because I knew the history. We shook hands and parted ways. It wasn’t until my drive home that I realized I never did see a mom in the hardware department or a dad sporting a Cutler tee in the pet department. Maybe next time?
Carrie Pelletier, Biddeford
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