Encounter in a bar

[professorpan]

After my hideous encounter with a "bomb 'em all" racist at a party this past weekend, I had a different sort of encounter today.<br><br>I ate lunch with a friend at a sushi bar. I was wearing my "Bring the Troops Home!" button. The last time I wore it at that restaurant, one of the waiters said, "Do you ever get shit for wearing that?"<br><br>"Not really. Especially not these days."<br><br>"I'm surprised," he said. He snickered and walked away.<br><br>Today was different.<br><br>The bartender said, "I like your button." He was an Asian guy, probably in his mid-to-late 20s. <br><br>"Thanks," I said.<br><br>"My brother's over there. I have three relatives in Iraq."<br><br>"I hope they all make it home okay," I said. <br><br>"My brother was supposed to be done, but they sent him back."<br><br>I shook my head. "That sucks."<br><br>"And you know, the one thing no one talks about is the suicides. My brother had a friend who killed himself. And another guy came home and shot himself."<br><br>I just shook my head. I didn't know what to say to that.<br><br><br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[bvonahsen]

And heaven forbid that they ask for mental health services, or anyone for that matter. <br><br>What a messed up way to run a country. <p></p><i></i>

[StarmanSkye]

"What a messed up way to run a country."<br><br>!!!!!<br><br>... AND the World.<br>(Shaking head);<br><br>Starman <p></p><i></i>

[4911]

"Thought you was gonna ask me about the pig!"<br><br>-Der Bush at a recent press conference in germany when asked about his thoughts on the current situation in the middle-east. A roasted pig was on the lunchmenu. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p216.ezboard.com/brigorousintuition.showUserPublicProfile?gid=4911>4911</A> at: 7/21/06 9:24 am<br></i>

[Et in Arcadia ego]

We had a kid come back from Iraq after a 'successful' deployment that we had done some tattoo work on before his departure. When he came back in, his family and friends was with him, everyone was ecstatic the kids were home, etc. The guy got himself a great big tattoo on his arm to celebrate returning home.<br><br>And shot himself deader than dead in the barracks that same night.<br><br>I put in my notice at the shop not long after that. <p>____________________<br>Oderint, dum metuant</p><i></i>

[sunny]

<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>"Thought you was gonna ask me about the pig!"<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br><br>They did you bastard! No answer the question. <p></p><i></i>

[dugoboy]

i actually have a cousin whos going to iraq now. its more than likely. shes 21 and she was only going into the army for college money but guess what happened?<br><br>i tell you i did not think i'd have a personal connection to that fucking bullshit in iraq but now its happening. and if she dies? <br><br>its over. <p>___________________________________________<br>"BUSHCO aren't incompetent...they are COMPLICIT." -Me<br><br>"Speaking the Truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act" -George Orwell</p><i></i>