This I Will Defend

When I was 12 I joined the Boy Scouts. My experiences in Scouting were all preparation for when I would be old enough to enlist in the Marine Corps. This would happen in February of 1969. By the grace of GOD and reasons unknown to me I spent my enlistment in the United States. I never went to Viet Nam though I volunteered for that duty on a number of occasions. When I returned to River City following my Honorable Discharge I could not find work with decent wages. In April of 1975 I enlisted in the Army. My reasons at this time were all economic. I really thought of myself a somewhat of a mercenary. In other words, decent employment was not easy to come by. Four years later I returned to River City to find that if things had changed at all they'd gotten worse. I wanted to remain here. This is my home. The bones of my ancestors going back to my grandfather's grandfather are here. My forefathers settled this state.
So I had to improvise. I worked at whatever I could find days and played music weekends. Usually made as much or more playing bass Fri. & Sat night as I could in 40 hours M-F. I do not care to see things returned to that state. Not for me, not for my kids, not for their kids, not ever. Have commitments this evening. That's why I get the big bucks. First I must make my security checks. Make sure the alarms are armed, the deadfalls set, the hounds loosed.