Now if you are wondering about the little red car. Family friends, you know those that go back to when you first remember. Well Pam and Stan were two of those kids.. Sadly Stan, who just past 67 died. He was an Idaho guy, you know, the folks that are of a gentle spirit. Pam his sister and Stan’s son got a hold of me and asked me if I was interested in buying Stan’s car. It was a 2000 BMW M Roadster with less then 26,000 miles on it. I flew to Idaho and picked up the car in Pokey (Pocatello, Idaho) in January. The following photo is of me, Pam, Stan and my sister Mary. I was back in college (by 1970) and it was between my time between the Corps and the Army… The photo is at Washoe Park, Anaconda, Montana, maybe early summer 1971. (Ah! So if anyone ever thought about Montana, which is unlikely, you thought we were behind the times or were roping cows!)

On my way to Southern California, I first a stop, an had an appointment with my Oncologist at the VA hospital in Tucson. It was a good visit because for the first time in years, my white blood cell count went down. I know we all hear about the terrible VA. I think the VA has two different systems, the bureaucracy and the health Care. The first one is the difficult one to maneuver. Once that is achieved, the health care is terrific. The Tucson VA Hospital is a very nice place. Between it at the Tucson Medical Center, they are the best hospitals I have ever gone to. (Most of the Saigon Kids have been to many hospitals. We did not have a say about keeping the same doctor, let alone keeping the same hospital. The military hospital system served us pretty well, however. Don’t you think?) Anyway… the Tucson VA Hospital was built in the 1920’s with a very Southwestern flare. (For WW I Vets of course, then for WW II etc..) They have so many types of clinics, but they do lack in rooms. I wish they could expand in this area, but it takes money and land. “If a fool such as I” (That sounds like a song) stops in the hospital hallway looking confused (wish I often do) someone is always there to ask, “can I help you sir”. I do not mind my 70-mile drive to this hospital. This may seem funny, but I look forward to going there. Hey, I will take attention any where I can.

Note the selfie!

After leaving the hospital, I drove over to Gilbert, Arizona and stayed three days with my friend Carlos and his wife. Carlos and I took teenagers on European tours twelve summers in a row when we were teachers. Carlos lost his older brother Frank to a sniper in 1967 in South Vietnam. I think I was about 20 miles from him at that time. It seems so simple and not meaningful, but I still must say, “Semper Fi”. Both Carlos and I are retired military and retired high school teachers. Yea! We have a few things in common…Like we are really close, really! During my visit with Carlos, while enjoying some great beer and Scotch, Carlos and I planned our trip to Europe next year. We will first fly to London, go by train to Portsmouth and then take the Ferry from Portsmouth to Caen. Carlos and I plan to be in Normandy for the 75th anniversary (he and I went to the 65th one) of D-Day. We will visit the American cemetery and actually shed a tear. We really do fell very sad! We will talk about the bravery that those young guys had to charge up those steep sloops into the machine gun fire. We will visit and read names on many graves. We will then drive to Saint-Mere-Eglise. This is the where the Paratrooper landed on the church steeple during the battle. There will be a celebration going on. French will not only be flying their flag but they will also put the U.S. flag up. I wish that other Americans could experience what this day means to the French. They are a very close and cherished allied of ours ever since this day in 1944.

After Normandy, Carlos and I, via rent a car will go to The Somme (WW I), Bastogne (WW II), Verdon (WW I) and Metz (for food and drink). Being both Carlos and I are military guys, this will be looked at as a very interesting but reflective trip.. We understand our limitations, but also will try to understand how so many men went beyond what we as humans are suppose to.

We will end our trip in Stuttgart where I plan to meet up with my kids and grand kids. Carlos will head back to London to meet up with his wife. Now Germany, I think is the best kept secret of Europe. Their food and drink is so good and still relatively inexpensive. Me and my family spent six years there with the U.S. Army.

Leaving Carlo’s house, I stopped in Phoenix and picked up my #two granddaughter, Tavia. She had to go to the Spanish Consulate in LA for an interview and paperwork. She did not get to pick the music, so old Rock was the norm. I don’t think she minded. I guess she thought that I drove fast! Oh well, less time on the road the safer we all are. Tavia plans to study next year in Madrid. She is very good in knowing Spanish and World Marketing. She and I had a nice ride to Westminster, although it was windy and very dusty, and the traffic became huge as we got closer to LA. (Where I live, if there are five cars in front of me, I figure I am caught in rush hour). Well, Tavia navigated the old guy in the right direction and we made is safely. We checked into our motel and then went out (via uber) and had a wonderful German meal at this very nice place. (I lived in Germany for six years, so I have a strong love for the people, food and drink). They (at the restaurant) were even singing and playing oomph music including “Ein Prosting”.. It was also so nice just to spent cherished time with a grand daughter.

The next morning, we first went to the Vietnam war memorial in “Little Saigon”. It was very pleasant and nicely done. I wondered if there were any other place in the World that the South Vietnamese flag is flown! My Gosh, so many lives were lost and changed because of the war.

We visited the Vietnam Mall with all their jewelry stores. It certainly reminded me of ole Saigon with all the gold chains hanging in their windows.

That afternoon Tavia and I drove over to Seal Beach and had Mexican food for lunch.

That evening we finally met Phi-Yen and Theo. They were two people that were on Father Crawford’s “children Airlift out of Saigon in April 1975. They both, now, live in the LA area. Theo is a successful businessman and Phi-Yen works for the L.A. (California) Department of Education. It was a very wonderful and interesting time talking to them over dinner. Their journey to this point in their life is so interesting. One growing up in Oregon and one in California. Much of the conversation was about how they came in contact with Father Crawford and about their thoughts about what took place about their departure from South Vietnam. I even still want to know more.

Theo picked out the restaurant in “Little Saigon”. It is called Brodard. That should “ring a bell” for some of you ole Saigon Kids. Just the name alone can maybe flood your mind with memories. We has a varity of food and drink that evening. I guess, BaMouiBa is no longer available, but Vietnam produces another beer called “Saigon” that is very similar. It was a good beer, and I, also, find them using that name interesting. It shows that the name “Saigon” is still alive.

The next day I met up with them again for Pho. It was a place called Pho 54. The name was chosen because 1954 is when Vietnam was divided. The Pho was so good and the company was even better. Now as a sideline…Theo (even though I told him I would get the tab) paid for our evening dinner. At Pho 54, a friend of Theo’s, a Vietnamese-American Doctor, came buy and said hello and paid for our lunch. I told Theo that I would be back because the food in “Little Saigon” was free.

The next day, Tavia flew back to Phoenix and I headed off to Temecula. I would then have a wonderful two day visit with Saigon Kid Mary Ann (Matteson) and her husband Joe Smith. They took me to many, many wineries and to old town. One of the winery’s was started by an Iranian, where we ended up eating one evening. The food and drink were spectacular, but again the company was even better. Mary Ann, Joe and I talked a lot about so many things. We looked through the old Gecko Yearbooks and especially got a kick out of some of the write ups. Some would certainly be looked at as sexist today. If any of you had your nose itch, now you know why. We were probably talking about you and all the great times we had. Do you remember all those dance parties at different kid’s houses? It was a good time! The Saigon period was very important to so many of us.

After the short stay in Temecula, having a beer/wine or two with Joe and Mary Ann,I headed back to Phoenix. I stayed one night with daughter Jodie, her husband Mark and their two kids Kaze and Ami (Kaze is the older and starts Kindergarten this year). Both Grand kids know how to swim. Mark was born and raised in Hawaii, but he is adjusting to the Arizona’s hot (and dry) climate. We all went out to a Thai restaurant (one we had not gone to before) where we met up with my daughter Tanya and our # 0ne granddaughter, Paije (Tavia’s older sister). The next morning I drove home to Hereford, America!

Yea, at my age… I Love Life…”Fast Cars, Ole Rock-N-Roll Music, Smooth Whiskey and very Slow Women!”

My next trip will be soon. Silas and I are off for two weeks to Scotland, in August. We decided on August because that is the month that the Tattoo (Military marching and bag-pipes) takes place in Edinburg (also the fringe). We already have our tickets for the event. We will also drive and stay three days on Islay (this is where the smoky Scotch is from), then for the rest of our trip, we will go wherever the wind takes us! The first thing we will do in Scotland is purchase kilts. This will allow us to cut down on laundry. LOL “Smooth Sailing, Everyone”!