On 7-7-08 we wrote a little post entitled "I Rode with Papa Joe". In which talked bout this little button he gave me saying, go figure, "I rode with Papa Joe." And how I didn't put that little button on my vest until that old fart bout rode my skinny little ass into the ground. I now wear the damn button. Because it has meaning to me. Which got me to thinking. Which always gets me in trouble. Which if it didn't, there would be no fun in thinking at all.
See there is a local outfit selling "In memory of patches" of a friend of mine. Now this friend was nobody famous. In fact he kept a low profile and unless you "really" knew him you would have no idea just how special he was. He touched and helped a lot of people locally. But more often than not he did it anonymously. He lived a lifestyle that mandated you do things that way. He was a good guy and "if" you "really" knew him you might want to wear patch for him.
But here's the gig. A number of people selling, buying and wearing these patches never knew my friend. And the kicker is some of them selling the patches and wearing them who did know him
never went by to see him in his last days. This despite the fact they had the time and he lived close enough to visit.
Now I would wear a "Quiq" patch although I have never met him. But I know what he has done, what he represented and stood for. To me that would be the equivalent of wearing an American flag patch because he personified Individual rights. There are reasons for wearing patches other than "coolness" factor.
I suspect I could go up to some of these people wearing my friends patch and ask them who my friend was, what made him special and why are you wearin this patch. My suspicion is it would be because others of their ilk are wearin them, some of whom knew him but did not bother to go by to see him when he needed them most.
A person could get killed in some circles for such an outward sign of disrespect. But in other circles ignorance is bliss. In those circles they do not understand my friend would find no honor
in their actions.
So to my friend I say, I do not wear my vest as much as I use to. Because I know in these times you would have taken yours off too.Add to Technorati Favorites
0 comments:
Post a Comment