Like being free? Thank a veteran

I make my living processing payrolls. It can be rather depressing...bonus checks for $25,000, seeing people meet their FICA limit by May (that means they've already made close to $90K)... the list never ends. The only thing I can take comfort in is that a lot of these people are dumb as a stump. Maybe I'm crazy (maybe??), but as nice as that money would be, I'd rather have my IQ and common sense.

So today is Veteran's Day and that means the banks are closed and there is no mail delivery. At the end of last week, we figured we'd save ourselves some headaches and call the clients that have Friday as a payday and warn them that they may want to send in the payroll early and date it for Thursday. I can't even guess at how many said "Friday's a holiday?? WHAT holiday?!" It disgusted me, really.

Everybody seems to know when Columbus Day is coming. Clueless about Veteran's Day. Is there something wrong with that or is it just me?? Now, I won't deny that Columbus has an important place in history. But HOW can people be more aware of Columbus Day than Veteran's Day?? The guy stole land, sold the people that tried to befriend him into slavery and anyone that thinks he wasn't raping native women is living in a dreamworld. As far as I'm concerned, the creep shouldn't even have his own holiday.

And yet, people remember Columbus Day and not Veteran's Day. Well, why should they, really? We're only talking about remembering people that have been there to defend our country and our way of life. You know what I mean - think back to American History class and a little scrap of paper called the US Constitution. (Is the sarcasm oozing out of your monitor yet??)

"We the people of the United States

in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility,

provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare

and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity

do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

What a beautiful bunch of words. You can keep Shakespeare. I'll take the Preamble.

My Uncle Bill was a B-17 pilot in World War II. He was shot down and spent 23 months in a german POW camp. (My mother was german and served in the Luftwaffe, btw - THAT made for some interesting family get-togethers.) 23 months. Almost 2 years of his life was spent in a flea and louse infested hell-hole to preserve the ideals of our forefathers. Many have paid the ultimate price for the same reason. For me. For you.

So the next time you see a veteran...do yourself a favor. Say thanks. It'll make you feel good, trust me.