The last thing you expect to see when you wake up in the morning here in sleepy middle of nowhere Montesano, Washington State….is a car load of escaped frightened Afghan US Military Refugees. Well, there are other things but you know what I mean.
I post enough pictures of Rocky the “Wonder Dog” here that most of you know he is a big boy. Alright, a house cow.
It is summer farmer’s market here in Bulldog County and the wife and I decided to try out our new metal collar we got for him and walk around bit.
After waiting forever for Linda to appear at the door ready to go, (don’t get me started) Rocky wasn’t waiting any longer. He bolted.
Now I am pretty rural, sort of. It is rare for a strange car to be anywhere near me, let alone 6 mid twenty looking men standing around at the edge of my property.
Rocky wanted to meet them.
Great Danes can clock in at about 40mph, and Rocky was testing the record this morning. He closed the distance just as the last of the group of men were pulling in their feet diving through the windows. Literally diving.
The driver was a US citizen and had his arms out, he knew a dog was coming up to greet, waging his tail, and not aggressive.
I walked over and coaxed the men out of the car and learned they were just brought in from Canada and on their way to the airport to go to Detroit.
It was an eye opener for me. These were all well mannered clean cut young men who couldn’t have been more polite and excited to be here.
Turns out, they were brought in by a Canadian NGO rescuing interpreters that worked for the US military and were left behind. And I mean rescue. Welcome and thank you. I said it plenty.
I didn’t have to take the word of the driver that they were US Military helpers during the war, the men were very worried that I was some sort of “home guard”. They weren’t scared of Rocky anymore. They were frightened of me walking up to them.
Two of them were trying to show me papers.
I haven’t seen this since being in Asia myself in the Military. You tend to forget and take for granted how good we have it here.
Eventually, after the wife came over and we all started talking, they began to relax, a bit. Still on formal behavior.
You really have to wonder just how bad it has been for those we left behind in Afghanistan. It must have been hell for them when we left. I hope those guys do ok, I really do. Its one thing to read about what happened when we (Biden) broke our promise, it is quite another to see it in the eyes of someone.
I feel a little shame myself today. Our politicians act in our name.
They came over on the ferry from Canada and were making the scenic loop around the Olympic Peninsula and on up to Seattle. Apparently, according to the driver, Rocky was the first American they met. It was a friendly, although a little slobbery, welcome.
Montesano Today 