Nightmares, Food Stamps And The Idiots Among Us.

I've had a boat load of professionals tell me that they are quite pleased with the progress I've made since the brain surgery. That was July 9th, 2009, and to say that brain surgery, chemo and radiation is a "game changer", is an understatement. I am very much aware that time changes a lot of things but must add: "So does brain surgery".

Some where between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. this morning, I had one hell of a nightmare. It was a shocker to me as I almost never have nightmares. Maybe a hand full over the years and that's it. This one had to do with Cambodia. Many years ago, I had a similar one but it's been so long ago, I can't even remember when it came. Maybe in the 80's.

I don't understand why Cambodia seems to be the focus for so many of the guys I served with but it seems to be the common denominator.

I've written about the great guys that I flew Nighthawks with when I was flying with the 199th and even though I had the shock of a life time during a day light mission on July 4, 1970, the lion's share of near death experiences that occurred when I was flying with Fireball Aviation, came at night. I never flew a single night time mission in Cambodia and from that, it seems a bit unusual that the nightmare that remains is all about Cambodia and the battles fought in the Chup Rubber Plantation.

With this in mind, I wonder why the mass media considers us as "dangerous" or suffering from some kind of "disorder". To me, recalling these things is "order", not disorder. I still believe that forgetting things like that is more dangerous than anything.

When I was a kid, we held the World War II Veterans in the highest regard. I've often wondered why the Vietnam Veteran was not viewed with that same vision. The only difference I can see has to do with "WHO" is holding us in a bad light.

We were raised by depression era men and women who not only saw tough times in the economy but also saw a life of uncertainty that comes with a World War. As I consider the reality of that statement, I can't help but view today's population as one that didn't have to suffer the kinds of things that our parents did and therefore, don't have the same perspective that they had.

It may seem odd to some of you but I think we would be much better off if we returned to some of the things that happened during the depression. How does "Soup Kitchens" sound? If you compare it to today's nightmare of "Food Stamps", I think it's safe to say that the soup kitchens worked a hell of a lot better than today's situation where there's so much fraud in the system that's designed to provide food for those who don't have any, or don't want to earn the money to buy some.

Remember the lady I wrote about from the grocery store? She presented dog food to the check out lady at the store and was told that she couldn't use food stamps for pet food. Hearing that, she told one of her kids to go to the meat market and buy a huge package of ground beef. Do the math on that one. If she can drive to the grocery store, she can drive to the soup kitchen.

As I outline this post and think through all of these things I wonder if THEY are suffering from "Scrambled Brains" instead of me. I also wonder if the reporters from World War II are turning over in their grave because today's reporters simply don't report the realities but instead, they present their opinions about things.

I guess I will have to be satisfied in knowing that I did my duty and have to pay the price. Even though the price of recollection is pretty much the same as the price our World War II Veterans paid, I guess I'll have to be satisfied with the knowledge that today's news media gurus are simply full of shit. Ahhh, I feel better now.











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