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A Walk Down Broadway

chance1

chance1

JUB 10k Club
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It is a walk I take every morning in NYC - from Penn Station to my place of work in the Times Square area. It's a ten block or so walk, one that allows me to clear my head and get ready for the work day.

This morning, on 43rd St and 7th Avenue there was a gentlemen on the corner - and beside him was a coffin draped with an American flag. Surrounding the coffin were pictures of two soldiers, good looking young men and placards stating that they died in Iraq - that they were his two sons. He was an ordinary looking man, was not saying a word, no bullhorn, no "down with Bush", etc. He looked sad. I had my IPOD on and as I approached him I turned off the music. I looked him in the eye and I wanted to say something to him. No one was talking to him - people were briskly walking by - it was a little before 830am. As I got closer to him I mouthed the words "I'm sorry" but I kept going. I felt really bad and for that moment and the next block or so I thought differently about the war, about us being there, about the deaths of young men. As I walked into my office building I thought to myself/promised myself, if he is there tomorrow I will talk to him - and i will.

As is usual in our busy lives, I forgot about him until just now.

Figured I would share
 
Just remember to talk to him....it's such a sad thing to lose any children to war,but two is heartbreaking.just let him know,whatever one thinks of the war,this terrible sacrifice will not go unnoticed and forgotten....they meant something and deserve our thanks and remembrance...and this grieving father could use the comfort and support of every American.
 
That's what Barbara Boxer was trying to convey to Condoleezza Rice.

There are people paying a personal price.
 
Chance, there is still hope for you. :=D: I wonder what Bush or Cheney would have done in your place.
 
not there today

missed him

wonder what became of him

I want to believe that he was earnest - he was not a prop or a political statement

His eyes suggested that he was truthful

Monday I will look for him again
 
Sad, very sad,
I grieve for the families who lost family members in that horrible war.
 
chance1 said:
It is a walk I take every morning in NYC - from Penn Station to my place of work in the Times Square area. It's a ten block or so walk, one that allows me to clear my head and get ready for the work day.

This morning, on 43rd St and 7th Avenue there was a gentlemen on the corner - and beside him was a coffin draped with an American flag. Surrounding the coffin were pictures of two soldiers, good looking young men and placards stating that they died in Iraq - that they were his two sons. He was an ordinary looking man, was not saying a word, no bullhorn, no "down with Bush", etc. He looked sad. I had my IPOD on and as I approached him I turned off the music. I looked him in the eye and I wanted to say something to him. No one was talking to him - people were briskly walking by - it was a little before 830am. As I got closer to him I mouthed the words "I'm sorry" but I kept going. I felt really bad and for that moment and the next block or so I thought differently about the war, about us being there, about the deaths of young men. As I walked into my office building I thought to myself/promised myself, if he is there tomorrow I will talk to him - and i will.

As is usual in our busy lives, I forgot about him until just now.

Figured I would share
Click to expand...

Chance, thank you for sharing this with us. I argue alot with you here on JUB, mostly because I didn't understand how you couldn't grasp the true pain behind the tragedies of this war and it's effects on the families of the soldiers.

Your post has opened my eyes alot about you. I tend to forget, and I am sorry about this, that not everyone has seen what death can do to a family, they haven't seen the pain in the eyes of family members of the lost. Having had my Uncle killed in Vietnam and never being able to meet him...seeing the pain in my Mom's eyes when she talks of him does have an effect on my thinking. My work as a full time Firefighter/Emt since I was 18 years old truly has made me very aware of the pain of tragic loss, not only of people I serve, but fellow brothers I work with. At 31 years old I have seen more than most will ever see in there lifetime. I take this attitude and I expect everyone around me to understand, but in general, alot of people don't...and again I appologise for that.

I respect you for posting this...it takes alot to confront something when it hits you square in the face. You did good. I hope that feeling never goes away from you as you get back into your busy life. Because quite honestly...just because you may forget it...that feeling you experienced...that man will live with that pain the rest of his life.
 
chance1 said:
not there today

missed him

wonder what became of him

I want to believe that he was earnest - he was not a prop or a political statement

His eyes suggested that he was truthful

Monday I will look for him again
Click to expand...
I saw him too. I bought him something to eat and drink. And I talked to him.

His son, a Marine, was killed a couple of years ago in Najif.

He lives in Boston and is traveling the country with that coffin filled with things that belonged to his son. There was a soccer ball in there and a teddy bear, shoes -- that kind of stuff.

He's earnest, he's genuine, he's truthful. He's kind.

His name is Carlos. His son's name was Alexander and he was 20 years old.
 
^Thanks Nick! It's good that you were able to connect with him. It reminds me of how sad I felt when my 19 year old cousin was killed in Vietnam. He was a great kid.
 
NickCole said:
I saw him too. I bought him something to eat and drink. And I talked to him.

His son, a Marine, was killed a couple of years ago in Najif.

He lives in Boston and is traveling the country with that coffin filled with things that belonged to his son. There was a soccer ball in there and a teddy bear, shoes -- that kind of stuff.

He's earnest, he's genuine, he's truthful. He's kind.

His name is Carlos. His son's name was Alexander and he was 20 years old.
Click to expand...

I'm glad you were able to hook up with Carlos. I hope you were able to ease his pain that I'm sure he feels. Did he share what he hopes to do or get out of this trip.
 
jackoroe said:
I'm glad you were able to hook up with Carlos. I hope you were able to ease his pain that I'm sure he feels.
Click to expand...
He and I are about the same age and I've suffered very painful loss as well. Although it wasn't the loss of a son, which is unique, it nearly broke me and I was afraid I'd never recover. When we're in pain, people who've felt something similar to what we're feeling can be a tiny moment of comfort. I'm not saying that as if you don't know, I'm sure you do, only trying to explain how our encounter went.

But I didn't ease his pain, not beyond a moment anyway. The only person who could do that is dead.

Did he share what he hopes to do or get out of this trip.
Click to expand...
He says he wants to share his mourning with his fellow Americans. He thinks people don't understand the personal toll Iraq is taking and he wants to show us. His is not a political statement, it's a personal statement.

I think his son's death has consumed his emotions, his thoughts, and he's trying to find a way to not be destroyed by it, to have something useful come from it. He had a kind and generous spirit.
 
chance1 said:
It is a walk I take every morning in NYC - from Penn Station to my place of work in the Times Square area. It's a ten block or so walk, one that allows me to clear my head and get ready for the work day.

This morning, on 43rd St and 7th Avenue there was a gentlemen on the corner - and beside him was a coffin draped with an American flag. Surrounding the coffin were pictures of two soldiers, good looking young men and placards stating that they died in Iraq - that they were his two sons. He was an ordinary looking man, was not saying a word, no bullhorn, no "down with Bush", etc. He looked sad. I had my IPOD on and as I approached him I turned off the music. I looked him in the eye and I wanted to say something to him. No one was talking to him - people were briskly walking by - it was a little before 830am. As I got closer to him I mouthed the words "I'm sorry" but I kept going. I felt really bad and for that moment and the next block or so I thought differently about the war, about us being there, about the deaths of young men. As I walked into my office building I thought to myself/promised myself, if he is there tomorrow I will talk to him - and i will.

As is usual in our busy lives, I forgot about him until just now.

Figured I would share
Click to expand...

I'm sorry you didn't get a chance to talk to him. I am proud of you. And Nick thank you for your story. It's so sad.
(*8*)
 
NickCole, I'm glad that you were able to talk with Carlos. I think you did what many here would do, because I believe that despite our differences, that we are all good people. I'll keep Carlos in my prayers and hope that he may find some degree of peace. And I'll hope the same for you, as well. Too much pain and suffering in this world.
 
NickCole said:
He and I are about the same age and I've suffered very painful loss as well. Although it wasn't the loss of a son, which is unique, it nearly broke me and I was afraid I'd never recover. When we're in pain, people who've felt something similar to what we're feeling can be a tiny moment of comfort. I'm not saying that as if you don't know, I'm sure you do, only trying to explain how our encounter went.

But I didn't ease his pain, not beyond a moment anyway. The only person who could do that is dead.


He says he wants to share his mourning with his fellow Americans. He thinks people don't understand the personal toll Iraq is taking and he wants to show us. His is not a political statement, it's a personal statement.

I think his son's death has consumed his emotions, his thoughts, and he's trying to find a way to not be destroyed by it, to have something useful come from it. He had a kind and generous spirit.
Click to expand...
Carlos is taking a very terrible thing and doing something positive and healing out of it....his son's memory,and all those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in this War will live on in his dedication to personally bringing to Americans his touching memorial to the pain and loss and unfulfilled promise and humanity of those courageous and honorable men and women.They are all someone's brother,sister,son or daughter...wife,husband,parent and friend.They deserve to be remembered and appreciated by all Americans to whom they have sacrificed their lives to protect,serve and defend.

What really has been asked of us during this war,to sacrifice ourselves...we go on with our lives,have our own existences to occupy our concerns and attention...maybe we don't face thinking about the consequences of war because it is a difficult and painful thing to ponder.It's not something we are comfortable with.Yet Carlos in his spare but poignant and powerful memorial for his beloved son demands in his dignified and solemn manner that we do face the painful and devastating casualties of war here on the home front.
 
Hey,Chance, just wanted to say thanks for the post. It's easy to talk about war in the abstract, but it really hits home when we see how it wrecks the lives of ordinary people like ourselves. I'm glad you are thinking about it...| (*8*)
 
Someone should create a website where a picture of soldiers who die in this war can be posted by their family members. Then updates each day should be sent to the President and his advisers. A face needs to be put with the casualty numbers.
 
I split a few posts off into a new thread, and deleted a couple others because this is an on-topic thread. Let's keep on topic; this is a great thread, and one in which I would give the Outstanding Post Award ...


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