After pouring a cup of coffee, I sat beside my mother and across from Glenda. They shared a bagel with cream cheese.
“I finally got the joke,” mom said.
“What joke?” Glenda asked.
“If we were victorious,” mom replied, referring to a comedy routine John and my father would recite.
“Oh that,” Glenda said
“The joke is that war has no victor, and that Vietnam is more than a war. It is a country and its history and people are like America – sad and beautiful,” Mom said, trying to explain the intricacies of humor that was funny only to Vietnam vets. Mom said, “I realized that men can only cry when they take their pain and make it into joke.”
“Do you think our men will ever get over Nam?”
“Not really. Going on a trip may give them some relief them
“I finally got the joke,” mom said.
“What joke?” Glenda asked.
“If we were victorious,” mom replied, referring to a comedy routine John and my father would recite.
“Oh that,” Glenda said
“The joke is that war has no victor, and that Vietnam is more than a war. It is a country and its history and people are like America – sad and beautiful,” Mom said, trying to explain the intricacies of humor that was funny only to Vietnam vets. Mom said, “I realized that men can only cry when they take their pain and make it into joke.”
“Do you think our men will ever get over Nam?”
“Not really. Going on a trip may give them some relief them