A Proud Soldier

This is getting totally away from fishing or pack trips or Montana living in general, but I feel compelled to relate this story.

A young man which we will call Mike who is in the Army recently returned from a year in Iraq. His relatives and friends planned a welcome home party which included his Uncle from San Francisco and some of his friends. As it happens some of these friends of his Uncle were some long haired, dope smokin friends of Jesus who I thought were extinct by now, but they must have had offspring. While they were enjoying themselves at an upscale Helena resturant, one of the long hairs asked Mike about some details about the situation over there. Mike explained to him that he thought he was doing the right thing, especially when it came to the children and how they would go out of their way to help them. At this point the guy pretended to wipe tears from his eyes as if to mock him. Mike simply stood up and dumped his beer over his head and politely told him to go away. His Uncle, who was supposedly his friend and who had invited him to Montana, smacked him upside the head and told him to go back to C.A. and smoke another joint.

It doesn’t matter what opinion you have about the situation in Iraq, but when these young guys and gals come home, they should be treated with the utmost respect and dignity.

This guy was obviously whacked out and or drunk. Mike, being the gentleman he is actually drove him and his wife home that night.

Since then this guy has been calling Mike and his Uncle and said he is going to file a law suit against them for assault—go figure.

It’s probably a good thing I was not there, as a veteran myself I don’t think I would have composed myself as well as Mike did.

The reason I’m telling this story is that Mike is a great guy and he is also my stepson.