Thursday, March 20, 2025

The Closest I Ever Got To Viet Nam

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The closest I ever got 
To Viet Nam
was ten days ago
when I had 
a very painful need
to have
my toenails
clipped

They did a magnificent job
worth three times as much
as their $10 fee
to do the job
 
The entire staff
is Vietnamese
with the singular
exception
of the security guard


is located at 
510 Long Beach Boulevard
and the manager
on duty at that time
spoke very clear English
 
I am grateful she allowed
this first-time
customer
pay with
a credit card
 
However, 
My greater gratitude
is for any American
who has served
in any war zone
but most particularly
in Viet Nam
 
Had that war not existed,
I would have been 
a college dropout
who would not have 
survived 
the 20th Century
© Oliverio                     + MARE from Starbucks
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4 comments:

  1. What did MARE from Starbucks have to do with this photograph?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She helped me with the cropping

      -Oliverio

      Delete
  2. Do you really think you would have been a college dropout?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ABSOLUTELY ... but there were thousands of like-thinking
      college students during the Nineteen Sixties

      -Oliverio

      Delete