Kiss My Knits!

For those who don’t know, I send stuff to troops overseas via “books for soldiers” to help keep our brave guys and gals from getting bored out of their gourds. It’s a secure message board/forum run by charitable organization “books for soldiers” (of course). Individual service members post requests for books, DVDs, games, snacks, etc. and civilians read through the posts and see what requests they might be able to fill. It’s a good non-political way to help, so that even if you don’t like the way the current administration may be handling things, you can still help the individual folks on the ground, who are doing their best under very trying circumstances. For a liberal like me, it’s the perfect fit.

In 2004, I saw a post from a fellow who was looking for a DVD of “Strange Brew.” I ask you – how could I refuse someone wanting Bob and Doug? This guy was in the Air Force, and I thought of my father, who had been stuck in Alaska in the Air Force in the 50’s, back when it was a territory and there wasn’t exactly a metropolitan nightlife. My dad also likes Bob and Doug. And he has everything he needs, but he’s a great big creampuff on the inside. So that was my Christmas present to my dad – to help this guy out.

I wrote the fellow, talking about my Dad and sending him the DVD and a couple of other nice things. (pic here.)

This guy was extremely thoughtful. He wrote me back, sending a nice letter along with some coins for my dad and myself and rules for a drinking game. My dad was thrilled, I was thrilled, it was really neat. I wrote him back and thanked him, and also sent along a DVD of Spinal Tap.

In the letter I mentioned that my daughter had been sick for Halloween and hadn’t been able to go out trick-or-treating. He and his buddies were apparently inundated with Halloween candy, so lo and behold. Instead of sending care packages to them, they sent one to us! I posted about it here, with links to pics of the HUGE box of candy they sent. A later post has a link to a video of the insane singing stuffed camel that was also in the box.

Why do I mention this now, a year after getting that box? He said he hoped he’d be going home last Spring, and the last e-mail I sent didn’t get a response, so I hoped that meant he was home okay.

Well, today I got a letter from him, with a return address here in the States. He’s home, safe and sound, and so are all the members of his squadron. He wrote to say thank you, and sent another two commemorative coins and a lapel pin with a Twin Towers/Pentagon design.

How extremely thoughtful of him to remember me, a year later, when I’m sure he had many other things to do and think about. This will have me smiling for a week, minimum.

I’m going to look at the boards again and see who might need a pick-me-up. I’ve got some manga, some comics, and a brand new copy of Serenity just waiting to go out to someone who could use a lift.