How sad for a city-how painful for all

an action so low to cause many to fall.

A teenager's party like many have had,

but this one was different and turned out so bad.

Football is terrific and the players hold sway,

but when high school is over, it all fades away.

Team players are proud and well they should be,

and girls will be girls to popular be.

It's a powerful urge to be part of the "bunch",

but things go wrong when their heads are out to lunch.

The boys' shattered lives is one consequence

for a long night of drinking and no common sense.

Let’s go back 68-70 years. In WWII, people my age had only heard of wars. Our country was not a war-mongering nation. We were thinking of peace and prosperity. We were thinking of what we were going to do to make a living. Occasionally we would think of some special lady friend that we might share our thoughts together.

We went off to war to serve our country. We went to protect our freedom and to protect our ways of life. We went because we were patriotic and because our country needed us. And Uncle Sam  pointing his finger at us said I need you.

When I went into service, I acquired faith in my God and my country to believe that I would sustain any danger that might come my way.

I had my share of danger. We veterans went where we were told and did what they asked us to do. I think we did a good job of it.

Freedom is not free. It is costly. It is bought with blood, labor and sweat. While we veterans were paying with blood, our families were at home paying with sweat. Our families were growing Victory Gardens and making ammo for us veterans. And for us to mail a letter home from overseas, we would just writer where the stamp should be - “Free”.