I was walking into an old general store when I spotted a worn American flag on the wall...
It's ends were tattered and frayed...the stripes were faded. It had forty-eight stars on a whitened field of blue.
I went into the store and I continued shopping inside the store and made my choices, then...after I set my purchase down, I spoke to the old man.
"isn't it time to get a new flag, sir?" I asked
The old man stood there silently and there was no change in his expression...then finally-he spoke:
"Son..." he replied, "ME and my buddies PLAYED under THAT flag!
"Later," he continued, "...we JOINED the Army to FIGHT under that flag...some of us DIED for it!"
"Yes," he concluded, "We FAUGHT AND DIED for it so that an American child could play SAFELY while BELIEVING that ANYTHING can be done without being oppressed...The same rights YOUR youngsters enjoy today!"
"Son..." he finished, "I would not replace THAT flag for all the gold...IN THE WORLD!
As I turned to leave, I thought about his words and when I went outside, I SALUTED that old flag!

FOR ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVED FATHFULLY WITH ME...THANKS!! pjl