Breakfast was made simple with my tray hosting only a glass of water. I found an empty chair at a table where at least one of the men present appeared to be a veteran. There I introduced myself and listened. I concentrated on one man who was the most interesting, because his attire is what caught my eye to the table.
This man wore a safety vest and a hard hat, and on the hard hat the left side was covered with site safety stickers, the other with Disabled American Veteran Stickers, all of them were worn. At the table, he discussed his job and the construction work he was to be performing after eating. He voiced concerns about what to do for lunch as was hopeful to be off work before dinner was no longer being served.
This at first glance was almost heartwarming; a man who can’t afford to pay for it all, but is still trying his best. Then the reality of the story hit, while this man is trying his best, there is an issue.
He kept telling his story and not for my benefit, but he was catching up with an older woman at the table. The man explained that he can’t afford to fix his car because he was trying to support, his now ex-wife’s addiction. He stated that they were sharing an apartment uncomfortably and that is wasn’t looking good. The woman explained that he needed to get out of there, not because it was unhealthy but because, “she don’t need to be smoking your money.”
Their conversation carried on throughout breakfast and it stayed with me because the man involved was trying to keep it all together no matter the cost.
It was not apparent if he was a veteran, so as his conversation tapered off I asked about the stickers on his hard hat, and he replied,
“Oh yeah, these. It’s all I got left to remember my time.”
I followed up, “May I ask what your time was?”
He shook his head and smiled, then said,
When I was young and stupid. I ran off and joined the Navy, and I wish I had stayed. I ain’t never seen as many things as I saw then, done so much, been so many places. Man, I had it made. But the whole time I was there all I could think about was rushing home, for six years. Damn.
On that, he wished everyone at the table a good day and excused himself for work.
Airborne, Ranger, SEAL, Green Beret
In that moment, I forgot about being ill and I took a moment to let his words and situation sink in. I took out my notepad to get it all down. As I was writing, another man sat down in front of me and introduced himself as Chris. I continued to write as we spoke and this is our conversation,
Chris: Are you asking about veterans? You know he was a SEAL right, but he don’t tell no one.
Buck: Who, the man I was just speaking with, and how do you know he was a SEAL?
Chris: Yeah, yeah, yeah – that’s my man James. You see, we were SEALs together, yes sir.
Buck: Is that right?
Chris: Mmmhmm. That’s right, yes sir, yes sir. Me and James, back in ’96. We joined the Marines together, as Airborne, Ranger, SEALs, we put our Green Berets on that year too. Yeah, we were good boy. Ain’t nobody could fuck with a couple of badasses like we is. Oh, oh, sorry about the language.
Buck: Why are you telling me this?
Chris: Oh, well, uh, ain’t you with that teacher from that school? I heard, ya’lls is coming this weekend. I figure ya’ll need help, you know, security and all. Keep you folks safe out here. But, uh, you know, uh, James if gonna have to work. But I gots ya. I keep all you folks safe.
Buck: I’m not with the school. I am here just like you.
Chris: Nah, you ain’t fool us. We saw you yesterday. You were here before with that teacher.
Buck: OK, I was. But, let’s do this. I was also in the military and everything you just said was a lie.
Chris: Oh, well, uh. You see, what had happened was that, uh. Well, you too young to know about this stuff, uh, it’s classified, highly top secret. You don’t know nothing about our level, boy.
Buck: Alright, well I have to get going.
Chris: Hold up alright. Damn, be cool. Hey, what you gonna tell that teacher?
Buck: Nothing, I’m not with him.
Chris: Look, uh, look. I’m having some hard times. Can you help me out, look I’m trying to get over to the VA, I just need some bus fare. They think I got that PTSD. Man, please though. Don’t say nothing to that teacher, though. I can’t get kicked out of here.
Buck: OK. (I gave him a ball of singles from my pocket.)
Chris: Oh my man, alright. Hey, I’m going to be protection you. You’re, uh, under my protection. I got you, and all your little friends from the school. You go an’ tell your teach that all ya’s is safe down here from here on out.
I was physically ill prior to this exchange with Chris, but now my brain was also in pain. If I had felt better, I would have been more confrontational. Regardless, I just wanted to get to use someone’s phone and get a ride home.
Breakfast was the highlight of my week.
This narrative has been a snapshot of a few people, from one city, in America. If there was one success in the field during the experience, it was to accommodate and better the understanding of the homeless veteran community; even it was a small fraction. In the end, they’re people like everyone else, but they have made decisions which are now impacting their lives in negative ways.
This is where this narrative will end, for now.
As for my illness, I had earned a case of dysentery for my efforts. It wasn’t my first round with that mini-plague. I was off and on sick with it and the after effects of it through this past weekend, good times. Whenever I’m in the dirt and get this bug, I always reflect on my very first case of dysentery, the day I vomited on my First Sergeant’s boots. But that’s a story for another time.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
COMMENTS