Light and hearty observations from a fat and ugly guy. Home of hackneyed drivel and ersatz-existentialist effluence. Choleric biliousness a specialty, since 1958.

Memorial Day, 2008

This morning, Memorial Day Monday, I was driving early. Early. No need to tell you what I'd been up to, but if I were to hint I'd say it involved handcuffs, strawberry syrup, with Deftones turned up really loud providing "atmosphere". Anyway, I'll leave it to your imagination. But I had fun. I think. Parts of the night, my memory is sorta...hazy. Well, in truth, it's not there at all.

Mais moi, je digresse. Je suis désolé à ce sujet. Mangez-moi si vous êtes fou à moi.

So, snaking through the empty freeway downtown about 5:30am, breaking the speed limit, driving with one eye closed, sucking on a Camel Red, I thought to myself: Nigel, you fat disgustimg fuck turd, you should be observing Memorial Day in a responsible and respectable way. You shouldn't be out and about, gadding around like a 22 year old trust fund baby awasting grand-dad's inheritance. No. You should be somewhere where they're taking things seriously.

So, my darling shlubbies, that's what I did. There's a War Memorial here and they were having a program beginning at 10am. I'd heard it was somber and serious and in no way involved silly shit like parades and BBQ. That's what I wanted.

I have a friend, a former work colleague and drinking buddy, who lost his only son in Iraq. So, I was thinking the whole time about him (the father--and the mother) and what his 26 year old son gave up for the rest of us. And of course, thinking about the son. So, the ceremony was exactly what I hoped for and I don't mind telling you that, despite my advanced physical decrepitness and plain-to-all-who-looked hangover, I was fully there.

And, you know, there was something in my eye the whole goddamm time. Couldn't get rid of it.

Lance Cpl. Ryan J. Sorensen, 26, of Boca Raton, Fla. 8/9/79--11/6/2005.

And if that's not enough for you: read this.

posted by Nigel St.John Regina Smegmatica Howle-Raines @ 2:48 PM