My Uncle

My grandson was being a moppy, know it all, teenager. "I come from nothing and never will be nothing," is what he said. "Let me tell you young man!" I cringe at the double negatives. "My family is something!"

These kids today have no sense of history, don't want to read and have little imagination.

My Uncle Chuck left home to join the Marines when he was only eighteen. We were a country at war and he was shipped off to Guam. He received a Purple Heart among other medals, for his bravery, for putting others safety first. He never talked about his years in the service or complained about the Malaria or the shrapnel he carried in his legs.

He was a quiet man, some may have thought henpecked by my aunt. He worked sometimes two jobs to support his family. He survived his wife and was struck with Alzheimer's landing him in a nursing home. My cousin came up from Florida to visit him a couple months ago. As we were visiting an aide told us what a gentleman "Charlie" was and how well liked he was. She told us the some Marines had come to honor the Vet's. After the ceremony my uncle went up to one of the Marines and said something to him. The aide couldn't hear what was said but the Marine shook my uncles hand and saluted. As the Marine was leaving, the aide notices a tear in the corner of his eye. "Semper Fidelis"