Keepers

If it doesn't fit .. It fits here .. - -

Keepers

Postby Romulus111VADT » Mon Sep 08, 2008 11:36 am

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress; lawn mower in his hand, and dish-towel in hers. It was the time for fixing things. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress. Things we keep.

It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, eating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more.

But then my mother died, and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more. Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away...never to return. So... While we have it... it's best we love it... And care for it.... And fix it when it's broken..... And heal it when it's sick.

This is true... For marriage.... And old cars.... And children with bad report cards..... Dogs and cats with bad hips.... And aging parents.... And grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it.

Some things we keep. Like a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with. There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special.... And so, we keep them close!

Good friends are like stars.... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.
Former member
Romulus111VADT
Major
Major
 
Posts: 4898
Joined: Thu May 02, 2002 7:48 am

Re: Keepers

Postby Anxyous » Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:06 pm

Nice words man, nice words  ;)
Image
User avatar
Anxyous
Major
Major
 
Posts: 2593
Joined: Mon Dec 25, 2006 4:04 pm

Re: Keepers

Postby BigTruck » Mon Sep 08, 2008 2:42 pm

Well put!!
Alienware X51_R2 (thank you wife) Windows 8.1, 6GB Ram, Intel Core i3-4150 CPU @3.50GHz
FSX Acceleration settings on max, no twitches or glitches.
Saitek X52 Stick and Throttle
User avatar
BigTruck
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
 
Posts: 7048
Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 2:35 pm
Location: Tuscaloosa, AL

Re: Keepers

Postby Jared » Mon Sep 08, 2008 8:00 pm

well put. Does this mean then that we are al keepers?
User avatar
Jared
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
 
Posts: 9976
Joined: Sun Jul 13, 2003 11:18 am
Location: Uniontown, Ohio

Re: Keepers

Postby Romulus111VADT » Mon Sep 08, 2008 8:07 pm

well put. Does this mean then that we are al keepers?


That's up to you and how you view those around you. This is generally meant in the family context. Then your close friends and so on.

You gotta admit, in certain situations (IE a war zone) it's difficult to get that warm fuzzy feeling, especially when someone's trying to kill you. ;)
Former member
Romulus111VADT
Major
Major
 
Posts: 4898
Joined: Thu May 02, 2002 7:48 am

Re: Keepers

Postby BigTruck » Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:11 pm

well put. Does this mean then that we are al keepers?


That's up to you and how you view those around you. This is generally meant in the family context. Then your close friends and so on.

You gotta admit, in certain situations (IE a war zone) it's difficult to get that warm fuzzy feeling, especially when someone's trying to kill you. ;)


But you gotta admit, you find out who the people around you REALLY are.
Last edited by BigTruck on Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Alienware X51_R2 (thank you wife) Windows 8.1, 6GB Ram, Intel Core i3-4150 CPU @3.50GHz
FSX Acceleration settings on max, no twitches or glitches.
Saitek X52 Stick and Throttle
User avatar
BigTruck
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
 
Posts: 7048
Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 2:35 pm
Location: Tuscaloosa, AL

Re: Keepers

Postby Romulus111VADT » Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:32 am

well put. Does this mean then that we are al keepers?


That's up to you and how you view those around you. This is generally meant in the family context. Then your close friends and so on.

You gotta admit, in certain situations (IE a war zone) it's difficult to get that warm fuzzy feeling, especially when someone's trying to kill you. ;)


But you gotta admit, you find out who the people around you REALLY are.
Former member
Romulus111VADT
Major
Major
 
Posts: 4898
Joined: Thu May 02, 2002 7:48 am

Re: Keepers

Postby Ravang » Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:46 pm

well put. Does this mean then that we are al keepers?


That's up to you and how you view those around you. This is generally meant in the family context. Then your close friends and so on.

You gotta admit, in certain situations (IE a war zone) it's difficult to get that warm fuzzy feeling, especially when someone's trying to kill you. ;)


But you gotta admit, you find out who the people around you REALLY are.  There's an old saying in the Marines and Im sure it goes true for every branch, if you want to find out who someone really is, go to the field with them.  Some people I used to despise became best friends after a trip to the field with them. And some people I thought were good guys or respectable people, I couldn't stand before we left...


Not necessarily, we had a 90 day wonder that came on like he was the ultimate in military knowledge and he didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground. We disliked him from the start and grew to hate him intensely. At times we weren't sure who's side he was on, he was such a moron in the bush. It took everything I had to keep my men from fragging his sorry ass. I finally told my CO, that I couldn't guarantee his safety any longer on missions because he was a danger to everyone but the enemy. As per the norm, he was promoted up and out.... ::)

I met my best friend in Army JROTC, before we probably never would have said two words to each other, but as the saying goes "You don't you someone until your out there busting your a$$ with them." Now we're practically inseparable, nice to know that when the 1st SGT losing his temper there is someone laughing at him with you (and then getting yelled at with you, which makes it all the more hilarious). We do pick on each other a lot, me being from 'The North' and her from 'The South', you'd think the Civil War hadn't ended, or no one  informed the south that they lost. ;) Nice to have someone who you can count on to be by your side. But on the other hand there are those people I couldn't stand before JROTC and I really can't stand them after... ;D

....Extra push-ups for you Private!!!.... :P
Last edited by Ravang on Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Ravang
Ground hog
Ground hog
 
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2009 11:40 pm
Location: South Carolina, USA

Re: Keepers

Postby beaky » Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:46 pm

That's some brilliant prose, there... did you write that? ;) ;D

The trenches certainly can form strong bonds, but being reminded about friends... there's an old saying that "you can't choose your family, but you choose your friends". ;D

Not all kin are keepers, and many friends are closer than kin.
Image
User avatar
beaky
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
 
Posts: 12877
Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2004 8:00 am
Location: Shenandoah, PA USA

Re: Keepers

Postby BFMF » Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:58 pm

As per the norm, he was promoted up and out.... ::)


I never understood why the military does that. One of our supply sergeants we had was terrible. He hoarded gear, supplies, equipment, and even weapons! Very few people in the company liked him. He was given some awards, promoted, and was transferred to battalion S1 ::)
Last edited by BFMF on Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
BFMF
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 16266
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2002 6:06 pm
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: Keepers

Postby BigTruck » Tue Sep 09, 2008 11:20 pm

well put. Does this mean then that we are al keepers?


That's up to you and how you view those around you. This is generally meant in the family context. Then your close friends and so on.

You gotta admit, in certain situations (IE a war zone) it's difficult to get that warm fuzzy feeling, especially when someone's trying to kill you. ;)


But you gotta admit, you find out who the people around you REALLY are.
Alienware X51_R2 (thank you wife) Windows 8.1, 6GB Ram, Intel Core i3-4150 CPU @3.50GHz
FSX Acceleration settings on max, no twitches or glitches.
Saitek X52 Stick and Throttle
User avatar
BigTruck
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
 
Posts: 7048
Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 2:35 pm
Location: Tuscaloosa, AL

Re: Keepers

Postby Ravang » Wed Sep 10, 2008 3:53 pm

The 1st SGT really drives us crazy, but we figured out long ago its just better to laugh then get upset, we really don't take getting yelled at seriously. ;D ...Yes sir, give us a direct order, we wouldn't disobey that... :P
Last edited by Ravang on Wed Sep 10, 2008 3:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Ravang
Ground hog
Ground hog
 
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2009 11:40 pm
Location: South Carolina, USA

Re: Keepers

Postby Mushroom_Farmer » Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:20 pm

The 1st SGT really drives us crazy, but we figured out long ago its just better to laugh then get upset, we really don't take getting yelled at seriously. ;D ...Yes sir, give us a direct order, we wouldn't disobey that... :P


Think I talked to the 1st Sgt maybe twice and one of those was to get a new hat. ;D
Image

"We're just sitting here trying to put our PCjrs in a pile and burn them. And the damn things won't burn. That's the only thing IBM did right with it - they made i
User avatar
Mushroom_Farmer
Major
Major
 
Posts: 1633
Joined: Fri May 26, 2006 11:54 pm
Location: Indiana, USA

Re: Keepers

Postby H » Thu Sep 11, 2008 11:28 am

[quote]I met my best friend in Army JROTC, before we probably never would have said two words to each other... We do pick on each other a lot, me being from 'The North' and her from 'The South', you'd think the Civil War hadn't ended, or no one
H
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
 
Posts: 5525
Joined: Fri May 27, 2005 1:27 am
Location: NH, USA

Re: Keepers

Postby Ravang » Fri Sep 12, 2008 2:52 pm

I met my best friend in Army JROTC, before we probably never would have said two words to each other... We do pick on each other a lot, me being from 'The North' and her from 'The South', you'd think the Civil War hadn't ended, or no one  informed the south that they lost.
Reminds me of 5th grade. No gender difference and we didn't become best friends but he'd recruited classmates as Confederates and I was with the Union (our main weapons were snowballs); he'd tried to bribe me to help him by giving me a higher rank in his army -- I refused the commision/induction but helped him find one of his officers, anyway. Therafter we were always on good speaking terms. I also remember the homeroom teacher telling him, "A Confederate? The side that stood for slavery! I'm shocked -- after what you're people went through!" (his dad was a rabbi).


8-)

Theres a lot of Confederates around here, mostly teen redneck males though. She doesn't claim to be a Confederate or anything but sometimes she says stuff like "I done did it" I start laughing, but then she makes fun of my "Northern" accent too... :-[ :P ;D

There have been sometimes where I just have to stop, and go "What?!" because I have no idea what she said. ;D
User avatar
Ravang
Ground hog
Ground hog
 
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2009 11:40 pm
Location: South Carolina, USA

Next

Return to General Discussion

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 621 guests