One day near the Atomic Bar

[oneighty]

I come upon a grotesque creature. He is looking up at me from his position on his low cart where he sits. His hand is extended to me begging for help. His mouth obscenely open has his spittle running out onto his chin. Snot also drips from his nose and gathers in the sparse grey whiskers on his upper lip. His teeth are broken and yellow. His eyes are crying. The four wheels of his cart are sunk into the muddy street.

It is raining gently as it often does in Yokosuka, Japan. The rain has soaked through his Japanese Army cap. The rest of his uniform is wet too. The uniform is torn, tattered and filthy. The uniform ends just below his pelvis. His body ends there too.

His hand will forever be extended up to me begging for help. In my waking dreams he often visits me. And I am sad because I did not help a fellow veteran.

Excerpt from 'KAZUKO'

180

180

[BikeWriter]

1. I met a vet yesterday at the VA who'd been homeless...

until recently. It's so sad.

[oneighty]

2. About 25 years ago

in front of the VA Hosp. in Charleston there was a man duffel bag on shoulder hollering and screaming something terrible. He was wearing a fatigue uniform of some type. While I watched none of us dared approach him.

I left him standing there alone too. It is a scary thing that these people are not helped by those that have the knowhow, strength and ability.

Of course my gury in Japan was a WW2 Japanese soldier and I was an eighteen year old sailor devoid of understanding.

180

[BikeWriter]

4. Yep, I know where you're coming from on the Japanese soldier.

His government probably wasn't supporting them well. You were too young to understand they had been following orders the same as our troops.

[oneighty]

5. I was in the home

of a family that had a shrine set up to honor their lost Kamikaze son. In his picture he looked like a child.

Was it the child's fault?

180

[BikeWriter]

6. Not at all, nor his adult self...

We all have our own realities. He was patriotic to his country and volunteered to die for it.

[oneighty]

7. The drummer boys

of our own civil war come to mind. With their drums they lead the older boys-still children themselves to death or glory.

It is no different than our warrior children scattered about the world today.

180

[JitterbugPerfume]

3. how sad

such memories have the power to haunt one forever

[Dangerously Amused]

8. Perhaps you gave the Japanese soldier something after all.

You could have given him a coin so long ago and forgotten all about him. But he lives on in your memory, and now in mine.

Your story is touching. I expect anyone who reads it will think twice before turning away from a veteran in need again. Because you shared your gifts of writing and compassion, many will receive in his honor.

Honor. You gave him honor, Ed. It serves him to this day.

[Droopy]

9. That's a beautiful post

I wish I could find those kinds of words. 180's post is heart wrenching. I wish I could say something more eloquent.

[Dangerously Amused]

10. Thank you.

oneighty tugs on my heartstrings a lot like that, too. He is a gem.