FEATURE

An Independence Day Story

Yesterday, I told you that I would be shopping for a new American flag to fly this weekend.

When we moved, I realized that the old flag, pole and mount had all seen better days. I took down the flag and disposed of it properly, tossed the flagpole into the trash and left the mount there for the new owners. Taking it off would have meant wood putty and trim paint - not something I wanted to do. Especially when faced with the 10,432 other little things associated with moving.

Having been inspired by my buddy Jim Scoutten's exhortation to fly my flag -proudly- and all the time, I hopped up early yesterday morning to pick the location for my new flagpole. No, not one of those that has a Napoleon cannon at the bottom of it for the evening gun, a sensible sized one that would not be out of proportion with the building.

It's a good thing I got up early, because I had to do some serious shopping to find a flag that wasn't either made in another country, plastic, or included in the design of a cooler, beach chair, umbrella or ridiculous Dr. Seuss-style hat.

In other words, the flag of our country - and the symbol of Independence Day was hard to find. Stores that were once covered up with American Flags no longer had them, except in the "hippy, happy holiday" motifs that really don't do much to show respect for the flag or the people who defend it, past, present and (hopefully) future.

In two hours of searching, I found and rejected about a half dozen so-called flags made (if you want to call printing on cheap fabric manufacturing) in other countries, two that were the size of a small cocktail napkin, and one that looked large enough to serve as a canopy for a convention hall.

But I did find one - finally. When I walked up to the checkout line, the thoroughly bored looking young clerk looked at the flag, pole and mount and asked "why are you buying a flag?"

Before I could erupt, she continued. "We have a flag flying all the time at our house."

Embarrassed, I told her that I was buying one to replace the flagpole that had been at our old house.

"That's nice," she said, "my brother's in Afghanistan, and I send him emails all the time to tell him we've not forgotten about him. Sometimes, he sounds pretty down about where he is and everything."

At that point, I realized that it wasn't enough for me to fly a flag for some sort of symbolic gesture.

Today, my flag is flying in front of my house, and it will continue to fly there until it's disheveled enough looking that I need to replace it.

And I will. Not just because it symbolizes my thankfulness at being here. It will be flying because I want to thank young men and women for not being here on all our behalf.

Have a great holiday weekend. God bless our troops, and God bless America.

--Jim Shepherd

Jul 4	California Free Fishing Day Statewide
Jul 4	Independence Day
Jul 15-17	ICAST Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida
Jul 23-26	Ninth Annual QDMA National Convention and Whitetail Expo Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center, Louisville, Kentucky

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