Slim Randles' Home Country
Goodbye to a hero
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[March
29, 2013]
We buried Marshall Sprack last Saturday, and we will miss him.
Ol' Marsh was the cheerful old-timer who could be seen each day
walking his two tiny dogs around the neighborhood. He always had a
smile and wave for everyone. |
He was a very private guy, however. We all knew him, but didn't
really know him, if you get my drift.
He'd been retired for more years than some young married folks
here had been alive. And he wasn't the kind of guy who needed to
come down to the Mule Barn coffee shop and settle the world's
troubles like the rest of us do. He stayed home and he walked the
dogs.
We didn't know Marshall Sprack until Saturday, really. On
Saturday, as we gathered to say goodbye to him, the military honor
guard showed up. He was buried in his dress uniform from a war most
of us can't remember. His medals were on display next to the casket.
The honor guard carried his flag-draped coffin to the gravesite, and
other honor guards fired a three-volley salute to Marsh. Then the
flag was folded carefully into a tight triangle and presented to
Marshall's daughter.
When the chaplain rose to speak to us, it was about Master Sgt.
Sprack. It turned out that Marsh did things in combat that none of
us could imagine him, or anyone else, doing.
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column] |
Later, we said the miracle of Marsh's life was that he made it
home. Now, at last, we understood the reason for his slight limp.
And we can also understand a bit more why he didn't go in for the
shallow, flippant conversation we practice daily. He had things he
could have said, but he didn't have to because he knew them.
Well, we started out on Saturday thinking we were burying our old
pal Marsh, the morning dog walker. But by the time the bugler played
taps, we realized that we didn't bury him at all. His country showed
up to bury him and say goodbye.
Marsh... thank you.
[Text from file received from Slim Randles]
Brought to you by "Home Country" (the book). See it at
http://nmsantos.com/Books/Home/Home.html. |