Don't Shove Those Ray-O-Vacs Out The Way
I don’t know if they are any good. I shove them aside. Maybe they have potential. Maybe they have lost their worth. Maybe they have a little power left in them. Maybe they are dead. I probably won’t find out. I won’t give them a chance. I’ll just shove them out of the way until I find what I am looking for.
I am searching for the cell phone charger. I am shoving batteries out of the way. Irony. Moving dead batteries to find a way to charge another battery. My phone battery is dying. I’ve got to find that cell phone charger. Can’t stop the constant flow of information. We find our freedom in the internet. We have the opportunity to share our thoughts and ideals with as many people as we can. Maybe we will go viral and become famous. Maybe my crying Jordan meme is the next virtual Mona Lisa. Don’t you just love social media? The freedom. The power. Freedom.
The damn Ray-O-Vac batteries are in the way. I should throw them away. They are only hastening my search for the charging cord. I should throw them away. I should just toss them in the trash. I can’t. I’ll leave them in the junk drawer. You know, just in case the TV remote dies. Can’t miss “SportsCenter” or reruns of “COPs”. Or even better...If a controller dies, the kids can’t lose a game of “Fortnight”. Got to to keep those old batteries just in case.
I had the opportunity to work on a home remodel for a gentleman named Orlando this week. He is a disabled veteran. His body is battle weary. He once powered the freedoms that we enjoy. He doesn’t fight for our country anymore. Up until this week he was living in a house that was the equivalent of my junk drawer. Broken. Forgotten.
We push our veterans aside like old Ray-O-Vac batteries. You're not working anymore. Your power is weak. Move aside. I need my charger. I need to fight a battle on social media. My opinions and my cell phone have the power I need. You’re like an old Ray-O-Vac battery. I’ll keep you around to just in case. Just in case I need protection. Just don’t get in my way. I’ll ignore you until my need arises. Then I’ll call upon you.
Have you ever been asked “If you could sit on a bench and have a one hour conversation with one person from history who would it be?” Wayne Knippers is my answer without hesitation. Wayne Knippers had his problems. Wayne Knippers was human. He was probably more human than you or me.
I only knew the Wayne Knippers that came back from Vietnam. I never knew the Wayne Knippers that went to Vietnam. I only knew the Wayne that was broken by the war. I, like many others, moved him out of my way and looked for what would make me happy. He was an old Ray-O-Vac battery that was in the way of my charger.
If I had that one hour, I would find the little bit of power left in him. I would put the old batteries into that remote and I would turn on the TV and watch his story. I would hug him. I would thank him for doing what others weren’t brave enough to do. I would hold his hand. I would let him know that his battery has charged me. It powered me this week as I worked alongside other volunteers that helped make Orlando’s living conditions better.
Wayne Knippers died a broken man. Wayne Knippers lives as the little weak Ray-O-Vac battery that fuels my passion to make sure that every veteran knows that the sacrifice they made is not forgotten.
I have never blogged about politics. I don't think that I ever will. I will blog about the rights that we Americans have. We have the right to argue politics. It’s a right that many in this world don’t have. I will blog about those that gave us those rights. Your right to salute the flag and your right kneel during the National Anthem. Who powered those rights?
With every swing of a hammer, with every stroke of a paint brush, with every new appliance install, I am on that bench with Wayne Knippers having that conversation. That is why I lead volunteers on those many veteran projects. Wayne Knippers, my uncle, is the reason. He is my Ray-O-Vac.
Share your political views. It’s your right. People will disagree with you. It’s their right. I only ask that you remember those that fought for that right.
Wayne Knippers is a hero. He’s in my heart. He is my hero. He will always be with me, whether I am sitting on this pee pad covered porch at this apartment or the new house being built Over Yonder.
I am searching for the cell phone charger. I am shoving batteries out of the way. Irony. Moving dead batteries to find a way to charge another battery. My phone battery is dying. I’ve got to find that cell phone charger. Can’t stop the constant flow of information. We find our freedom in the internet. We have the opportunity to share our thoughts and ideals with as many people as we can. Maybe we will go viral and become famous. Maybe my crying Jordan meme is the next virtual Mona Lisa. Don’t you just love social media? The freedom. The power. Freedom.
The damn Ray-O-Vac batteries are in the way. I should throw them away. They are only hastening my search for the charging cord. I should throw them away. I should just toss them in the trash. I can’t. I’ll leave them in the junk drawer. You know, just in case the TV remote dies. Can’t miss “SportsCenter” or reruns of “COPs”. Or even better...If a controller dies, the kids can’t lose a game of “Fortnight”. Got to to keep those old batteries just in case.
I had the opportunity to work on a home remodel for a gentleman named Orlando this week. He is a disabled veteran. His body is battle weary. He once powered the freedoms that we enjoy. He doesn’t fight for our country anymore. Up until this week he was living in a house that was the equivalent of my junk drawer. Broken. Forgotten.
We push our veterans aside like old Ray-O-Vac batteries. You're not working anymore. Your power is weak. Move aside. I need my charger. I need to fight a battle on social media. My opinions and my cell phone have the power I need. You’re like an old Ray-O-Vac battery. I’ll keep you around to just in case. Just in case I need protection. Just don’t get in my way. I’ll ignore you until my need arises. Then I’ll call upon you.
Have you ever been asked “If you could sit on a bench and have a one hour conversation with one person from history who would it be?” Wayne Knippers is my answer without hesitation. Wayne Knippers had his problems. Wayne Knippers was human. He was probably more human than you or me.
I only knew the Wayne Knippers that came back from Vietnam. I never knew the Wayne Knippers that went to Vietnam. I only knew the Wayne that was broken by the war. I, like many others, moved him out of my way and looked for what would make me happy. He was an old Ray-O-Vac battery that was in the way of my charger.
If I had that one hour, I would find the little bit of power left in him. I would put the old batteries into that remote and I would turn on the TV and watch his story. I would hug him. I would thank him for doing what others weren’t brave enough to do. I would hold his hand. I would let him know that his battery has charged me. It powered me this week as I worked alongside other volunteers that helped make Orlando’s living conditions better.
Wayne Knippers died a broken man. Wayne Knippers lives as the little weak Ray-O-Vac battery that fuels my passion to make sure that every veteran knows that the sacrifice they made is not forgotten.
I have never blogged about politics. I don't think that I ever will. I will blog about the rights that we Americans have. We have the right to argue politics. It’s a right that many in this world don’t have. I will blog about those that gave us those rights. Your right to salute the flag and your right kneel during the National Anthem. Who powered those rights?
With every swing of a hammer, with every stroke of a paint brush, with every new appliance install, I am on that bench with Wayne Knippers having that conversation. That is why I lead volunteers on those many veteran projects. Wayne Knippers, my uncle, is the reason. He is my Ray-O-Vac.
Share your political views. It’s your right. People will disagree with you. It’s their right. I only ask that you remember those that fought for that right.
Wayne Knippers is a hero. He’s in my heart. He is my hero. He will always be with me, whether I am sitting on this pee pad covered porch at this apartment or the new house being built Over Yonder.
Love this story!
ReplyDelete