Dealing with the heat

We had a pretty hot weekend here in Jersey. I stopped on my way home from work on Friday to fill up my gas tank at WaWa. The attendant asked how I was doing and I said I was doing ok with the AC in my car. I asked how he was doing since he was the one working outside.

Well, what he said pretty much made me want to cry. He said it wasn't too bad because in a few months he'd be going back to Afghanistan for his third tour with the Army. He had wanted to go back sooner, but he was required to wait. And he said he couldn't wait to get back.

It really broke my heart that this young guy is going back there. That he'd rather be over there than home. That there's a need for our troops to be overseas. I wanted to get out of my car and give him a hug, but dumbfounded, I think I just stared at him with my jaw open and managed to say something like, "Good luck, man." 

I haven't stopped thinking about that all weekend. The temperatures were in the 90s and was outside for parties and to run errands. But I have to be thankful for guys like him and for little things like air conditioning. In a few months, I will get to enjoy the crisp cool air and I will try to remember those who won't.