Hi folks,
Boy, do i ever suck at promotion!!!
I wanted to help my friend sell his book, but i (m)ucked that one up...Casia, I envy your drive!
I'm doomed to die a poor artisan...
My friend, Dwight, is off on a photo junket of the Roswell Site and (more importantly) the surrounding area. No word from him. He wants lots of pictures for his web-site.
I can't wait to see them myself!
Together, we serve on the school board in our tiny community. He has often told me bits and pieces of this, beautiful, fascinating story...But, to read it...
As i told Billy, "Even if you don't believe his text", it is simply a beautiful, amazing tale to imagine...
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Willy Hardcastle, in 1945, was just another eager young man ready to serve his country. He became a proud, fighting U.S. Marine, and was ordered to the front lines in our war against the Japanese Empire...
In 1946, Sergeant, Willy Hardcastle, (and many, more like him), would find themselves, being cut to shreds, and running for their lives on a "nowhere strip of Hell", called, "Iwo Jima"...
Before he ever fired a shot, there was a terrific flash of light. He remembered nothing after that till he awoke in a hospital in, San Diego, CA, and thought he must be in heaven...
Willy's face had been burned off, and on his chart was typed the new name, "Billy Bumgarden", Willy never said a word, and when he had sufficiently healed, he simply walked away from the facility as "Billy" and never looked back.
Willy was dead, and "Billy" was free! Roaming free was easy for a wounded service man in, 1946-47. His injuries were obvious and severe. Everyone turned their pitiful eye away, and their merciful hand toward that poor "Billy" fellow!
On that hot, July 4th, in 1947, Billy was slowly rambling southward, to his mother's home in, Clovis, NM. When an afternoon storm suddenly whipped up the mountain-side road he was walking, Billy sought shelter between some giant boulders, "where exhausted", he fell asleep...
He awoke, to see the stars above him turning black. Blacker than black, "like looking down a well", and his body unable to function till the enormous "black blimp" passed over him. Ahead of him, the thing seemed to stop and hover. A shaft of light appeared upon the blackness, and small men, wearing aviator helmets, poured out...
"Japs!" Billy's mind was racing...
He had never been able to figure out why God had spared his wretched life, while so many others died, but now it was clear..."The damn Japs were invading the country", using a new kind of secret blimp. He was spared, so he could be here...at this moment in history...to foil their plans, and sound the alarm!
Billy reached into his belongings and pulled out the 30.30. he had rescued from an abandoned cabin. He loaded the ammunition into the chamber...
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I won't say any more, (prob'ly said too much), but it's a wonderful read and as soon as it's made available...I'll post it...
I apologise for not being around much...I write a little verse while i work and i mostly keep up with MCS by way of cell phone....Typing on that thing is an exercise in frustration!
Thank you for listening,
Billy is a tremendous talent and i consider it a privilege and an honor...Cheers!
