We all went down to the Remembrance Day assembly. French was already there setting up chairs. I was sitting with Pancake and Sweaty. The ceremony was brutal: a couple of poems were read, the mic kept buzzing, the trumpet solo didn't work out, the Veteran that was coming to talk to us didn't show, and the students got bored and started talking. It got really rowdy really fast.
French came up and said, "let's go." Our lockers were right outside the door of the gym. We grabbed our coats and started walking, almost running to keep up with French. He didn't say where we were going. I realized after a while that we were going to the cenotaph. The town's ceremony was in full swing. It was freezing, windy and the snow started up during the last post.
The town's veterans all marched to the Legion. French followed them all the way inside. The four of us really stood out in this group, but they sat us down at a table. We talked to the vets of World War II, Korea, and some Peace Keepers too. They brought us coffee, hot chocolate and heaps of sandwiches and cookies. It was awesome, just awesome.
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Post Script:
We made it back to school for the last period. The principal was very angry and was going to suspend us. We explained it, and he even called the Legion. Let's just say our new vet buddies had our backs. When he got off the phone he just sent us back to class.
One time French was working at the old Imperial Tavern off Highway 15 near Franktown. I stumbled in midway through a Wednesday afternoon bender. French laughed, and slapped me in the face, and made me a coffee, sitting me down at the bar.
Directly after, as I received my coffee, in walks this city boy with a scarf, shiny watch and a pinstripe suit. He sits beside me and smiles. I can smell his Bank Street cologne miles away. He sees my coffee and yells to french, 'Can I get an espresso, pal?' French looks annoyed but brings him a normal coffee and places it down in front of dufus. Dufus looks puzzled and says with a shit-eating smile 'Where's the foam?'. French chewed on his toothpick for about 5 seconds staring straight at the guy and then grabs the beer he's been drinking from behind the bar, and scrapes the beer foam into dufus's coffee. Classic French.
I like this story. Seems like Remembrance Day became more real than some assembly. Olie you got some great pics on your Twitter - can I post one on the Paradox sometime?
nice...i think the remembering in talking with them both the veterans and the peace keepers was the greatest of remembering...
Now THAT was an assembly!
The veterans can teach so much. I my husband is a veteran. I work at a liberal arts college. I told my boss, Friday is a holiday. He sail, Oh, what holiday. No respect here in higher ed. I think he should be suspended. thanks for your story.
i love this. i think french would have been one of the first guys at Jesus' grave. i'm pretty sure he would have beat peter.
beautiful tribute to life -- to really getting in the midst of other's living.
sounds like opportunity taken--always a better choice.
i had to look up the word "cenotaph." that was new for me, and below it was noted, "cenotaph is always a great word to know." hmmm. wondering exactly what they mean by that. . . .
This sounds like it be one of those times when the best school was not school.
Cool.
-Bob
great idea! (my kid asked me tonight how much school grade 1 kids are allowed to miss. i promised him i'd pull him out sometime, as a surprise. maybe we'll make it to the cenotaph tomorrow.)
I bet you made the day for those vets...love this story.
I enjoyed this very much; it's a vivid recollection, and not the usual Remembrance Day story. In your post script, that sentence, "Let's just say our new vet buddies had our backs." That just says it all, doesn't it?
Kat
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