No Dogs Allowed no exception, not even Service Dogs.
This happened last Fall and we have been thinking and thinking about should we or not post this post.
.
We knew this was going to be a sad day. We were going with a group of special reader kids to see The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall. A 3/5 scale of the Vietnam Memorial Wall, 300 feet long and 6 feet tall.
It was setup in the next county over at a park where you always see dogs being walked.
When we got there I, Sweet William The Scot, with my vest and patch was not allowed on the field.
There were no signs set up saying NO DOGS ALLOWED.
Then we saw two incidents that made my Lee cry.
A Vietnam veteran was on the field to leave this for his friend.
The note on the beer bottle flowers says Eternal Friend.
The Veteran had on a vest with all his medals. The vest had pockets. And out of a pocket he pulled his teacup Chihuahua. He had the Chihuahua up to his face and the little dog was licking his tears away.
(out of respect Lee will not show the picture, but it could win The Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography).
A woman with BI Productions ran out and proclaimed loudly how disrespectful he was with the dog on the field and to get off the field.
This note was taped to the Wall.
The slogan was follow the leader, odd! They said our platoon leader, the LT, was in charge and he was in the middle of the formation, we usually followed the point man or our NCO's in the nam, it seemed the leaders were high above in a chopper, or far away in a command bunker with a radio.
The last line reads "The real leaders were each of us watching out for one another".
Then there was a veteran of the recent battle in Iraq, he was in full uniform. He was missing multiple limbs which were obvious. He had a short haired Lab Service Dog. He was here to see the tags of service men and women who have given their lives to the War on Terror. The BI Production lady stopped him at the entrance, where we were waiting for our group.
The BI Productions lady told him and I quote "no dogs allowed not even service dogs.
Vietnam veterans do not like dogs".
He was offered a golf cart ride around if he left his dog behind in the parking lot. He would not leave his dog behind, so he left.
I, Sweet William The Scot, really enjoyed the Bagpiper.
When Lee questioned the woman's blank statement of veterans not liking dogs the woman put her hands on my Lee's back and pushed her toward the parking lot.
Lee told the woman that dogs have done a lot in helping soldiers. We were told to leave.
With that our group left with sad hearts.
Lee took a chance and grabbed one shot of me in front of all the tags of service people who have lost their lives in the War Against Terror.
(I was nowhere close to the Vietnam Wall)
Well I, Sweet William The Scot, hope as the note that was left at the Wall says ~
Look Out For One Another, we will all be the better for following the veterans words.
Thanks for being a friend
Traveling down the road and back again
Your heart is true and your a friend of mine.
Signing Off
Sweet William The Scot
