Memorial Day is upon us.
I am going to watch
my father march in a small town parade with the other Vets. He was career Navy. I am proud to watch the old timers from the curb.
In Loving the Unloved, we
contemplate some old war relics. Some Vets used these bits. I wonder who they were? No
matter. The relics are potent either way.
A battlefield relic
is a real piece of the action. It was there. These rusty bits are part of
history … they are not just old, but instrumental. Relics like this should be in the parade, not on the curb.
I cannot think of a pair of cents that are more evocative.
Relic coins wear
their scraggy patina with pride. Old timers. Each pit, each scratch, each
lamination – all earned and honest. These coins have authority.
Nowadays, too many collectors
worry about authenticity. Was the coin dipped? Is the toning right? Or left?
Yuk, Yuk. Silly stuff.
The power – the parade, if you will – is about authority. Loving the Unloved is not a rebel
thing; it is not meant to rile your fellows; it is not madness. It is reverence
for those who came before, who struggled, big hero or not.
