"I've heard so much about it from Kyle and wanted to see it for myself." he added and reached over the front passenger seat to shake my hand. But the 30 mile per hour rush of 4 inch deep water racing under the curb, 3 feet into the street prevented me from shaking his hand. He understood and smiled broadly as he offered his support for the vigil.
Among vehicles turning right, 2 or 3 drove too fast and splashed a one foot wall of water on John Fortier and me, but everyone else was careful not to splash us, as we stood there in the twilight and 50 degree temperature.
In the 5 plus years this vigil has been held, never before did such heavy rains greet it. As John and I grasped our umbrellas and the vigil sign, rain exploded all around us. It pounded our umbrellas and the sidewalk and Pacific Coast Highway in front of us so hard, it sounded like pebbles being shot out of cannon.
We saw the heavy traffic through sheets of rain, as drivers often slowed to a crawl to navigate the flood of water in front of them, for the storm drains were overwhelmed. But what we also saw were numerous people swiveling their heads to see what would bring us out on such a night. Many people honked or waved, while others held up two fingered peace signs.
It would have been far easier for John and me to stay in the warmth of our homes, but the U.S. just thrust itself into a 3rd war in Libya and the need for a peace vigil seemed overwhelming. What I learned later is that John and his wife Michele were celebrating their 52nd wedding anniversary, a celebration they put on hold until after the vigil.
If as during the Vietnam War, huge numbers of Americans would conduct or participate in peace vigils and raise their voices for sanity, we could end this war madness and all of its killing, maiming and orphaning our nation has immersed itself in and bring our soldiers home safely to their families.
Dick
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