What If Fella Had Not Made It Back from Vietnam?

November 12, 1965, was the closest I came to being killed in Vietnam.

If I had been killed on November 12, 1965, most of my family members would never have been born and those who were born would have had their lives dramatically changed. 

Here are those who would not have been born (as of this point in time): a son, another son, a granddaughter, a grandson, another grandson, another granddaughter, another granddaughter, another granddaughter, another grandson, another grandson, another grandson, another granddaughter, another grandson, a great grandson and a great granddaughter.

Did the above paragraph confuse you? Well get ready, you ain’t seen nothing yet because Fella is about to really confuse you (and him).

My first daughter was already born but without me going to work for American Motors who sent me to live in Michigan, who knows where my wife and my first two children would have lived. Probably not in Michigan. My first daughter met her never-would-have-met-him-husband because one summer she went to work on Mackinac Island in Michigan because we had lived in Michigan because American Motors had sent me to live in Michigan and she had learned there was an island way up high in Michigan named Mackinac Island while we lived in Michigan. She met her future husband because she saw him working in the window of a Fudge Shop on Mackinac Island. Had she not been on Mackinac Island to meet him, my grandchildren from that marriage, a granddaughter, a grandson and another grandson would not have been born.

My second daughter  would have been born but would never have met her never-met-him-husband because she might have been in Arizona where she was born or in Florida where her grandparents moved after I was killed (my wife was living with her parents while I was in Vietnam), therefore, my daughter would never have met her never-met-him-husband who was living in Georgia watching football games while my daughter might have been living these or other places. This all means a granddaughter, another granddaughter, another granddaughter, a great grandson and a great granddaughter would never have been born (as of this point in time). 

My son who never-was-born never met and married his never-could-have-been-his-wife because he was never born. This means a grandson, another grandson and another grandson would never have been born.

My other son who never-was-born never met and married his never-could-have-been-his-wife because he was never born. This means a granddaughter and a grandson would never have been born.

I’m sure you can now see (or am I certain) this all means a never-could-have-been-my-son-in-law, a never-could-have-been-my-daughter-in-law and another never-could-have-been-my-daughter-in-law would all be wandering around looking for their never-could-have-met-them-mates. 

One of my never-was-born-grandsons married my never-could-have-met-her-daughter-in-law, but, since he was never born, that never-could-have-met-her-daughter-in-law would be wandering around looking for my never-was-born-grandson.

Repeat the above paragraph for another never-was-born-grandson.

One of my never-was-granddaughters is engaged to a never-going-to-be-my-grandson-in-law, so my never-going-to-be-my-grandson-in-law would be wandering around looking for my never-was-born-granddaughter. 

Repeat the above paragraph for another of my never-was-born-granddaughters who has a boyfriend who is never going to be my grand-boyfriend-in-law. 

I told you I was going to confuse you.

************

If Vietnam Veterans meet up, they are very likely to say, “Welcome home, brother”.

I’m different because I say, “I’m glad you made it back”.

This Blog Posting also has me very confused, however, I’m certainly not confused when I say I’m certain all of the people described in this Confusing Foolishness ought to say to me, “I’m glad you made it back”.

Would I kid u?

Smartfella

Lagniappe: This is the longest time between Blog Posting on record. The reason be apparent to you now that you have tried to read your way through this Blog Posting. I have been trying to figure out what I have been trying to say.