It was 5:00 p.m. Saturday, November 15, 2008. The "victory tour" rolled into Manassas, Virginia. Plans had been made to hold a huge rally at the Manassas Battlefield Park just off I-66. Jil was determined that this celebration would be much more sober and somber; afterall, this was hallowed ground containing the bodies of Civil War veterans who had valiantly given up their lives to hold this nation together. Virginia state police had been recruited to help with traffic - and to ensure that there would be a modicum of order. The AROB group (Adams, Ryan, Oetting and Baker) led the motorcade into the park. "Wow! I've never seen anything like this," exclaimed Jil as she disembarked from the bus. You could sense the stillness in the air, and realize this was, indeed, a sacred place. Bob Ryan belched. Ron Oetting sighed. Phil Baker farted. The bands were prepared to perform a medley of patriotic music, composed especially for this event. Escorted by Manassas local police cars, members of the local American Legion post arrived to greet the O.U.T.R.A.G.E. entourage.
Bob leaned over to Ron and whispered, "Where the hell's the beer?" While Jil and Legion representatives stood in front of a bank of microphones lauding praise upon all of America's fallen heroes, Ryan, Oetting and Baker were still in a bit of a 'fallen' state themselves. Leaning on each other, the trio appeared to be standing upright. Few realized that it was these three guys could do to keep from falling into a pile.
The crowd was much larger than anyone had anticipated - and much better behaved. To be sure, there was moderate drinking going on, but Jil saw to it that anything out-of-line was quickly covered up. Lynn and her commander were the first to be quietly escorted back to the rear of the bus in which they'd arrived. By some strange twisted coupling, the commander was wearing Lynn's bright cashmere sweater, and Lynn had donned his olive drab Army sweat shirt. "Sleep it off, you two," Jil ordered as she practically pushed them into the plush bus seats. In a profoundly professional manner, the commander issued a snappy salute as he mumbled, "Yes, sir!" Before Jil had reached the front of the bus, the couple had passed out in each other's arms, seemingly content to miss the festivities in favor of a long, comfortable nap.
Forty-one soldiers, just back from Iraq, were honored and awarded special medallions for their service to their country. Only one of the soldiers was female - the same one whose leg had been amputated after she accidentally entered a mine field and touched off an unexploded mine, literally inches from the safety of her Humvee and the rest of the demolition squad.
"We are proud of all of you," Jil proclaimed, "and we welcome you home to the comfort and safety of your friends and families. What you endured in an unconstitutional, illegal was is the height of bravery and patriotism. We honor you and thank you for your service." The crowd offered a salute to the soldiers. As Phil went to salute, he lost his balance and fell on Ron, who lost his balance and fell on Bob. The three tumbled to the ground like drunken dominos, into a pile closely resembling a humanoid version of the Egyptian pyramids. Jil quickly called for three husky O.U.T.R.A.G.E. volunteers who scooped up the trio and hustled them off to the back of the bus. They, too, would sleep it off, not four seats away from Lynn and her "Army buddy". Or was he a Marine? Or a sailor? Oh, what the hell....he was a man!
Bob leaned over to Ron and whispered, "Where the hell's the beer?" While Jil and Legion representatives stood in front of a bank of microphones lauding praise upon all of America's fallen heroes, Ryan, Oetting and Baker were still in a bit of a 'fallen' state themselves. Leaning on each other, the trio appeared to be standing upright. Few realized that it was these three guys could do to keep from falling into a pile.
The crowd was much larger than anyone had anticipated - and much better behaved. To be sure, there was moderate drinking going on, but Jil saw to it that anything out-of-line was quickly covered up. Lynn and her commander were the first to be quietly escorted back to the rear of the bus in which they'd arrived. By some strange twisted coupling, the commander was wearing Lynn's bright cashmere sweater, and Lynn had donned his olive drab Army sweat shirt. "Sleep it off, you two," Jil ordered as she practically pushed them into the plush bus seats. In a profoundly professional manner, the commander issued a snappy salute as he mumbled, "Yes, sir!" Before Jil had reached the front of the bus, the couple had passed out in each other's arms, seemingly content to miss the festivities in favor of a long, comfortable nap.
Forty-one soldiers, just back from Iraq, were honored and awarded special medallions for their service to their country. Only one of the soldiers was female - the same one whose leg had been amputated after she accidentally entered a mine field and touched off an unexploded mine, literally inches from the safety of her Humvee and the rest of the demolition squad.
"We are proud of all of you," Jil proclaimed, "and we welcome you home to the comfort and safety of your friends and families. What you endured in an unconstitutional, illegal was is the height of bravery and patriotism. We honor you and thank you for your service." The crowd offered a salute to the soldiers. As Phil went to salute, he lost his balance and fell on Ron, who lost his balance and fell on Bob. The three tumbled to the ground like drunken dominos, into a pile closely resembling a humanoid version of the Egyptian pyramids. Jil quickly called for three husky O.U.T.R.A.G.E. volunteers who scooped up the trio and hustled them off to the back of the bus. They, too, would sleep it off, not four seats away from Lynn and her "Army buddy". Or was he a Marine? Or a sailor? Oh, what the hell....he was a man!
posted by Bushwacker! at 2:27 PM
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