Happy Veteran's Day

Today is Veterans Day, and like most of my fellow canines, I’m looking forward to having a day off.

I’ve always felt a bit guilty about having Veterans Day off; after all I didn’t do anything to deserve it. My mom and the Old Man don't even get the day off. Let’s face it, most people employed outside of banking, government, and education won’t have a day to enjoy the freedoms that our veterans help secure. I don’t have the power to persuade companies to give everyone the day off work, but I can do my part to honor those who have served. To that end, I’d like to dedicate this blog to the men and women in my family who have served.

My great, great, great, great uncle of mine, who was a Doberman by the way, landed on the beaches of Normandy. His responsibility on D-Day was to chase the German Shepherds from the hilltops on the often overlooked beach called Kennel Cough. Every dog historian I’ve read agrees it was the most dangerous of all the landing zones.

Although outnumbered, and out-positioned, the courage of my distant relative shone through. He jumped from his boat a dangerous 400 yards from shore. Weighted down with Purina One he barely managed to doggie paddle his way onto the beach. Once there, he had to navigate a booby trapped beach covered in poos.

No, not a bunch of Winnies laying in the sun, but rather the kind of poos that come out of the business end of a cat. Highly trained as he was, my uncle swallowed the turds as if they were delicate treats until he was within barking distance of his enemies. He climbed the cliffs and stormed the closest tower.

Vicious barking could be heard from inside until my uncle emerged back through the doorway. There, in his mouth, was Colonel Sauer Kraut, a german squirrel with ill intentions, begging to be let go.

My uncle, a creature who loved mother nature’s bounty, let Sauer Kraut free out of the kindness of his heart. It seemed the right thing to do then.

If only my uncle were still around. At least I have his memory. Long live our fighting heroes.

FLASH