preachy writings

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April 30, 2006

in the company of heroes

A very special weekend brought my parents to DC. It had been three years since they were here last. Since that time a new memorial was built downtown to honor the vets of WW2. It was finished and opened in 2004 but my stepfather had not seen it yet. Having been a pilot in WW2 this wouldn't be your typical day of sightseeing.

Mobility around all the monuments in DC can be an issue for someone in the best of shape so we opted for a scooter for George. By the end of the day I had wished we had all gotten one! He motored all over the place with ease while Bryan, Mom, and I tried to keep up.

Seeing this kind of monument with someone that is honored by that monument is a unique experience. It is like time folding in on itself. I found myself choking back tears more than once. George was wearing his 42 squadron cap and a few people came up to him to shake his hand and thank him for his service. We even ran into another vet and the men shared a few stories.

scooting through the national mall.