RICHinNC
Contributor
Well it is Christmas day here in Korea. The day before for you. Arent times zones wonderful ??
Try to imagine this scene that took place last night.
Here it is Christmas night and there are about 7 Americans sitting in a small Korean restaurant. On the TV is the goofy wrestling smack down .but the sound is turned down because on the stereo is Bob Marley singing about oppression.
(If you dont know who Bob Marley is he is or was as he is dead now the king of Reggae music from Jamaica).
Anyway, here is Marley cranking out the sounds and off in the corner one of the young GIs starts singing a Christmas song. Another joins in and then another. Pretty soon every American is grouped up singing the song together.
Out of the kitchen comes the Korean lady that owns the restaurant and her two helpers. They come over and start singing the song, but in Korean. No one is watching the TV now and Marley is being drowned out by the voices singing the Christmas song. You can tell a couple of the young soldiers are pretty home sick and you can see a tear or two. The others lay a hand on a shoulder here and there to buck up their buddies. No one knows the second verse so everyone just sings the first verse again.
The song finally ends. There is a feeling of companionship and brotherhood among the small group. As I said, all are soldiers and a couple of old retired ones over here working with the young ones. The moment kind of hangs for a second and then Marley can again be heard singing Jammin . There is a toast to the holiday...and a toast to each other... then some leave .some stay.
I know this scene is being played out all over the world. Troops in Afghanistan, Germany, Iraq, Italy and so many other places have only their buddies to share the holiday with....I know, because I have been there...done that. For most, their families are thousands of miles away at home. But, many realize that they really are with their other family. And, that does make being away from home a little easier.
One of the civilian contractors (another retired vet) got hold of a Santa Claus outfit. He went and got a huge sack of peppermint suckers. Then he just walked up and down the strip here and handed out candy. The little kids loved it naturally. Taxi cabs actually stopped in the middle of the road and people got out to get a piece of candy. As each person took a piece of candy they would thank him and bow. After all, it is the orient. He looked like a festive Pied Piper with all the kids following him. A lot of big kids too !!
Everyone have a great holiday...be safe....enjoy.
Rich
Try to imagine this scene that took place last night.
Here it is Christmas night and there are about 7 Americans sitting in a small Korean restaurant. On the TV is the goofy wrestling smack down .but the sound is turned down because on the stereo is Bob Marley singing about oppression.
(If you dont know who Bob Marley is he is or was as he is dead now the king of Reggae music from Jamaica).
Anyway, here is Marley cranking out the sounds and off in the corner one of the young GIs starts singing a Christmas song. Another joins in and then another. Pretty soon every American is grouped up singing the song together.
Out of the kitchen comes the Korean lady that owns the restaurant and her two helpers. They come over and start singing the song, but in Korean. No one is watching the TV now and Marley is being drowned out by the voices singing the Christmas song. You can tell a couple of the young soldiers are pretty home sick and you can see a tear or two. The others lay a hand on a shoulder here and there to buck up their buddies. No one knows the second verse so everyone just sings the first verse again.
The song finally ends. There is a feeling of companionship and brotherhood among the small group. As I said, all are soldiers and a couple of old retired ones over here working with the young ones. The moment kind of hangs for a second and then Marley can again be heard singing Jammin . There is a toast to the holiday...and a toast to each other... then some leave .some stay.
I know this scene is being played out all over the world. Troops in Afghanistan, Germany, Iraq, Italy and so many other places have only their buddies to share the holiday with....I know, because I have been there...done that. For most, their families are thousands of miles away at home. But, many realize that they really are with their other family. And, that does make being away from home a little easier.
One of the civilian contractors (another retired vet) got hold of a Santa Claus outfit. He went and got a huge sack of peppermint suckers. Then he just walked up and down the strip here and handed out candy. The little kids loved it naturally. Taxi cabs actually stopped in the middle of the road and people got out to get a piece of candy. As each person took a piece of candy they would thank him and bow. After all, it is the orient. He looked like a festive Pied Piper with all the kids following him. A lot of big kids too !!
Everyone have a great holiday...be safe....enjoy.
Rich
