AWOL... or as the Navy and Marines say U.A.

I'd first like to apologize to my friends and readers for flying below the radar for the last week or so. I've been commenting on different blogs, and doing some background work on Gawfer, but haven't posted anything of late, so here we go.

This morning on the way to the office, I stopped at Ralph’s Grocery store in Lake Forest, CA to pick up a couple of items for breakfast. I usually drive a few extra minutes to patronize the local Stator Brothers, but I was a little pinched for time.

As I was walking out of the store, I noticed an employee of foreign descent preparing to raise the United States Flag. Now if you haven't noticed, I like our flag... A lot! It means more to me than simply some identifying symbol of another country on this planet.

So when I saw the flag she was getting ready to fly, resting on the ground and some near by bushes, I got just a little upset... and did the only thing I knew to do. I walked over, picked up the flag and told her "The Flag Does Not Touch The Ground". Not quite understanding what I said, she just smiled at me. So I said, just a little louder (volume helps with understanding you see), "THIS IS MY FLAG, AND IT DOES NOT TOUCH THE GROUND", and held it up until she raised it high enough to fly. I then turned, walked politely to my car, and drove off.

I find that in this day in age, most young people, and certainly people of foreign descent do not have any idea what the accepted flag protocol is, and it bothers the heck outa me! The store Manager IMHO, should have sent someone who knew the proper procedures to do that task, or do it himself.

Shame on you Ralph’s!