Talked to a recent vet today...
First, this couple came by with their big, friendly bulldog. I miss dogs so much. Brent and I watched them as we sat on the curb. We were in the midst of a little festival on Abell Avenue. First, the dog jumped on this blond guy with a strong MD accent, who looked about 25 years old. "Hey, I just met you, c'mon. I just met you, and you're already slobbering all over me!" But you could tell he liked it. Then the owner nudged the dog away, but I made a motion to the dog to come to me, and he came. Haha. So he slobbered all over me, too, but I gave him lots of pats and scratches. So, the couple with the dog went on their way. Brent and I decided that we were going to get going, when the guy who had patted the dog before us told us something that I couldn't hear.
"Look at that guy in the green jacket," he said. The man was swaying with his arms out to the music, which was mostly Johnny Cash. "He gets like that when he's drunk, and he's pretty much always drunk, like me. We're both alcoholics. I want to be just like him."
"Well, you'd have to grow your really long, like him."
"Oh I used to have long hair, but I had to cut it off. I just got back from the desert."
Brent said "Really? You mean..."
"Iraq" he finished, when Brent was actually going to say "Burning Man." (Oh, Brent.)
"Oh. Well, thanks, man, for your service." Brent said. "How was it?"
"What, killing people?"
"Well..."
"Killing people messed me up. That's why I'm back here. I left as soon as I could get out." His eyes were red-rimmed.
"Wow."
"They had us killing families, civilians, everyone. I had to go into this house, and they were watching Sponge Bob. Sponge Bob! But in Afghan. And I had to take 'em all out. That messed me up in the head, man." He looked directly into Brent's eyes, and I started tearing up. "I was telling them, don't shoot! They're civilians! But the order was to take them all out, so we did."
"Oh my God."
"I once split a guy in half. Shot him right beneath the chin and out the head. Split his skull."
"..."
"It's messed up. Now they have me taking Xanax because I have PTSD, depression, whatever."
"Do you live around here?" I asked.
"Just down the street. I lived in the same house for 27 years, except when I was in Iraq. We used to play whiffle ball over in the park over there. Did you see me?"
"Actually, I've only been here for a year."
"You know Marlin down the street? He's still there."
"Oh," I said, but I didn't know Marlin.
"Hey, I know that lady over there. Hey! Do you know me?"
"Yes, I sure do," said the middle-aged woman with black hair.
"I just got back from Iraq!"
Brent and I headed back, and I couldn't really stop myself from crying all the way home. Jesus.
"Look at that guy in the green jacket," he said. The man was swaying with his arms out to the music, which was mostly Johnny Cash. "He gets like that when he's drunk, and he's pretty much always drunk, like me. We're both alcoholics. I want to be just like him."
"Well, you'd have to grow your really long, like him."
"Oh I used to have long hair, but I had to cut it off. I just got back from the desert."
Brent said "Really? You mean..."
"Iraq" he finished, when Brent was actually going to say "Burning Man." (Oh, Brent.)
"Oh. Well, thanks, man, for your service." Brent said. "How was it?"
"What, killing people?"
"Well..."
"Killing people messed me up. That's why I'm back here. I left as soon as I could get out." His eyes were red-rimmed.
"Wow."
"They had us killing families, civilians, everyone. I had to go into this house, and they were watching Sponge Bob. Sponge Bob! But in Afghan. And I had to take 'em all out. That messed me up in the head, man." He looked directly into Brent's eyes, and I started tearing up. "I was telling them, don't shoot! They're civilians! But the order was to take them all out, so we did."
"Oh my God."
"I once split a guy in half. Shot him right beneath the chin and out the head. Split his skull."
"..."
"It's messed up. Now they have me taking Xanax because I have PTSD, depression, whatever."
"Do you live around here?" I asked.
"Just down the street. I lived in the same house for 27 years, except when I was in Iraq. We used to play whiffle ball over in the park over there. Did you see me?"
"Actually, I've only been here for a year."
"You know Marlin down the street? He's still there."
"Oh," I said, but I didn't know Marlin.
"Hey, I know that lady over there. Hey! Do you know me?"
"Yes, I sure do," said the middle-aged woman with black hair.
"I just got back from Iraq!"
Brent and I headed back, and I couldn't really stop myself from crying all the way home. Jesus.