True
Humility: The morning sun rose slowly above
the hilltop. Across from our perimeter, just outside the wire was the
dump. Smoke steamed up in white wisp's spiraling towards the sky. The
acidic smell of Seen through the smoke were the
Vietnamese scavengers. They came daily to forage through the dump for
food. The children came with mamma-san, Together they would dig through
the rubble for a meal. Their skin was charred with blackness and ash.
The children were always wide eyed and hungry looking, raggedly dressed
and continually clutching mamma-sans finds. A can of c-rations C-rations were brought around to our
holes. We paused and ate while we watched the hungry dig for their
breakfast. Guilt filled some of us and we would toss a portion of our I remember this well, as I have
never been completely able to forget what I saw. My own brothers stood
upon the tops of their bunkers throwing cans of C's at the women and
children. With a vengeance, aiming for them. Cans would bounce off the
head and face of these people. They would stagger and bend to pick up
the food while being jeered at by these Marines. The banter between them
was insane. They cheered with every direct hit. Inside my heart grieved
for the injured child or mamma-san. Blood trickled down the faces of the
unfortunate. It would mix with the ash and sweat forming clumps which
seemed to disfigure their faces even more. They never showed any pain.
Tears would stream down silently from their eyes, yet malice was not
evident. I saw one mamma-san who had been struck in the forehead with a
heavy can of c-rations. Her head was laid open and her hair was matted
with dried blood. I saw her stoop to pick up the can which had struck
her. As she straightened she held the can to her chest, she turned
slowly, and with the utmost humility she bowed and thanked the Marine
for her food. Tears streaming, blood flowing, yet filled with a dignity
these sorry bastards would never realize. A child grasped her mamma-sans
ragged shirt and cried, not understanding completely what had transpired
here. I grew into a man that day and learned what true humility was. It
was a lesson unwanted in a land of hardship. I still see the look in the
eyes of that precious woman, I still see the look of terror written upon
the face of the innocent child. I will never forget that moment in time
where the weakness, yet gentle humility of one lady silenced a Marine
perimeter. The next morning, no hostility was
shown... just respect. Food was given and not thrown. 23 |