"That is great energy," said a 35 ish man with black hair and a black beard from his green bike as he finished reading the sign. He then firmly shook my hand and John Fortier's, as he was visibly moved by the vigil. He commented about Americans being in debt to their soldiers who put their lives at risk to fight these wars and we thanked him for caring for them and their families.
"Did either of you serve in the military," asked a 50 ish man on a bike as the first man rode off. "John is a Korean War veteran," I replied. The man on the bike smiled and said, "I served in Iraq and Afghanistan. I was in the Air Force for 24 years." He and John spoke of military planes they had flown in and then the man on the bike thanked us and waved as he rode off.
This was a very busy vigil, held under bright blue sunny skies, a 73 degree temperature and often bumper to bumper traffic along the four lanes of Pacific Coast Highway approaching the vigil. There were many horn honks and waves of support, including one woman in a white compact car alongside the vigil, honking her horn so loudly, it was like blasting an air horn and it startled us. There were also many people on bikes and others walking in groups, some pushing baby strollers, a few of whom offered kind words of support.
"You're still out here!" called out a 29 year old muscular man on a bike, who has occasionally joined the vigil but has not come by for several months. Upon being invited to join last night, he joined for about 10 minutes. He takes an active interest in the news, regularly watching it on TV, listening to talk radio and reading about the news on the Internet. "The public doesn't care (about these wars)," he remarked in a soft voice. "They're ignorant," he added as his voice rose. It sucks! The average guy is like me. I don't see it (the wars)."
Just before he rode off, a muscular 49 year old man walked up and shook my hand. This man lives in Phoenix, Arizona and as a 13 year pilot for U.S. Air was on a layover in Los Angeles. Over the years, he has joined the vigil four or five times. He was in the Marines for 12 years and cares very much about these wars. He joined for the last 20 minutes of the vigil, a vigil we extended 10 minutes to accommodate him, as he shared stories and recommended a book to us that he found deeply touching, "Lone Survivor," written by a Navy Seal, Marcus Luttrell.
But the most touching part of the vigil for me was before it began and after it was over. As John and I were walking out to set up the vigil, and no sign was yet on display, a man in a light yellow Mercedes honked his horn and waved to us. And after the vigil was over and we were walking back to our cars, a woman in a gray compact station wagon honked her horn and waved to us. This is touching because it reminds us that many people are so familiar with the vigil, the don't need to see the sign or a candle to know what it is about. And they support it. Thank you as well for your support dear reader.
Dick
"Did either of you serve in the military," asked a 50 ish man on a bike as the first man rode off. "John is a Korean War veteran," I replied. The man on the bike smiled and said, "I served in Iraq and Afghanistan. I was in the Air Force for 24 years." He and John spoke of military planes they had flown in and then the man on the bike thanked us and waved as he rode off.
This was a very busy vigil, held under bright blue sunny skies, a 73 degree temperature and often bumper to bumper traffic along the four lanes of Pacific Coast Highway approaching the vigil. There were many horn honks and waves of support, including one woman in a white compact car alongside the vigil, honking her horn so loudly, it was like blasting an air horn and it startled us. There were also many people on bikes and others walking in groups, some pushing baby strollers, a few of whom offered kind words of support.
"You're still out here!" called out a 29 year old muscular man on a bike, who has occasionally joined the vigil but has not come by for several months. Upon being invited to join last night, he joined for about 10 minutes. He takes an active interest in the news, regularly watching it on TV, listening to talk radio and reading about the news on the Internet. "The public doesn't care (about these wars)," he remarked in a soft voice. "They're ignorant," he added as his voice rose. It sucks! The average guy is like me. I don't see it (the wars)."
Just before he rode off, a muscular 49 year old man walked up and shook my hand. This man lives in Phoenix, Arizona and as a 13 year pilot for U.S. Air was on a layover in Los Angeles. Over the years, he has joined the vigil four or five times. He was in the Marines for 12 years and cares very much about these wars. He joined for the last 20 minutes of the vigil, a vigil we extended 10 minutes to accommodate him, as he shared stories and recommended a book to us that he found deeply touching, "Lone Survivor," written by a Navy Seal, Marcus Luttrell.
But the most touching part of the vigil for me was before it began and after it was over. As John and I were walking out to set up the vigil, and no sign was yet on display, a man in a light yellow Mercedes honked his horn and waved to us. And after the vigil was over and we were walking back to our cars, a woman in a gray compact station wagon honked her horn and waved to us. This is touching because it reminds us that many people are so familiar with the vigil, the don't need to see the sign or a candle to know what it is about. And they support it. Thank you as well for your support dear reader.
Dick
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