Thinking.

I've been thinkin' and that can lead to all sorts of places, and today it led me down a nostalgic path.  I was thinking about times past.  Waaay past.  Would you like to hear some things that happened a very long time before I was "Sweet Tea"?  High School days. I told you you it was a very long time ago.

I once dated a very handsome young football player who was an "older man" - he was a Senior while I was a Junior.  He was quite the handsome guy.  Oh, I think I mentioned the handsome part before.  *wink*   We went out a couple of times.  I was nervous and giggly.  He was cool and far more "street wise" than me.  I found him fascinating and a little mysterious.  There were really never any sparks between us, rather, just a couple of fun dates.  Still, it's fun to reminisce.

There was another young guy, yet again, a year older than me.  He had reddish hair and blue eyes.  He blushed easily and was soft spoken.  He had a car and drove me home from school several times.  I thought we were just friends, until some friends told he he "liked me".  I was clueless until then.  I stopped accepting his offers for rides home from school at that point.  I figured it was easier to avoid him that it would be to say no if he asked me out.

I always replay these scenarios in my mind on Memorial Day.  How could I have known I was in the presence of a true hero when I was with each of these young guys. You see each of them was drafted into the military and sent to Vietnam upon graduating from high school.  Neither of them came home to see another Oklahoma sunrise or to reconnect with old high school friends.  Gone to soon.

Robert Tuell and Gary Dasher.

"Thank you for your sacrifice."