Sailors and dogs keep off the grass?? I mean, %^&#$@ you too! And have a nice day while you're at it!! If it wasn't for the giant military machine down in that region, it would dry up and be a ghost town. Yes, this is an actual sign that I saw down in Norfolk, Virginia while I was serving this great country. Did it hurt my feelings? No, it didn't, I knew that I had a job to do and I wasn't going to let a sign like that bother me. Still though, it's sad that a few bad apples spoil everything for everyone else. We all know how it goes.
While I was stationed in beautiful Scotland, I had anger and hatred directed towards me, did I let it bother me? No, I had a job to do and I kept reminding myself of that. I worked hard and I played hard with my shipmates. When we got off duty we would hit "the beach" and start out at the E.M. club with a few beers and then catch a taxi into the local town and hit the various nightclubs lining the streets of Dunoon looking for some....ahem... female companionship. There was one rule, don't mention the Queen while having a conversation with the local lassies, because most likely you would have a pint glass busted over your head! More on that subject later.
My second ship took me all over Europe and I got to see some beautiful historical sights where great men once stood and maybe even a few famous ladies. Had fun in Spain, ate a lot of food in Italy and drank some fine French wine. Met a lot of nice local people who treated us kind and were willing to barter and trade which was fun to do. I came back with some nice treasures and now most of them have been lost from moving or maybe they broke and I threw them away or sold them at a yard sale. We ran into some locals who hated the Americans, but we still had a job to do.
Hawaii! I was sent to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Actually, I was stationed with a detachment on the Big Island of Hawaii and I again ran into some hatred and anger from some of the locals. Did I let it bother me? A little, I remembered that I had a job to do and that I was going to enjoy the scenery and take in some of the local culture. I met up with a local family who "adopted" me and vice versa. They introduced me to more of their family and they accepted me for who I was and I for them. They would apologize to me whenever they mentioned the word "Haole" and then they would explain what it meant. No offense. I had a job to do and I did it well.
Now that I'm a father it's my job to teach my children to be kind to people and try to get along, because you never know when you might need some one's help no matter where they come from. I was brought up that way and I'm passing it on to my children.
As for that sign..well..I'm a rebel of some sort and I did put a foot on the grass.....Have a nice day!! ;}
