Vietnam, Dancing, and Boulders

**Roan Carter** · 8th September 07, 02:08 AM

I was kilted all night at a party tonight, in my WPG McKenzie. I'm 21, and my friend just got his first home out in the sticks where he can blast music as loud as he wants all night long. So naturally it's a good place to be kilted and do whatever.

There was a vietnam veteran at the party tonight. He was an elder folk, and we enjoyed his company for the most part. But as the night went on and the bubbly stuff started vanishing, our language went down to the Saxons and our behavior was just as crude.

I'm a bald guy in a kilt. So naturally I stand out, and he started calling me Cujack, Cojack, something, and Roudy Roddy Piper. Oh my lord it never stopped. We humored him at first but then it went all awry. He caught on to the fact that we were laughing at his eccentricities and he went utterly psycho. He picked up a boulder from the campfire and threatened to kill someone. We stared in silence at him. I said "Look, it's an Englishman!" and when everyone was confused, I ran off to my car. He said something but I didn't hear it.

On the positive side, I danced a lot throughout the evening, and several girls were tugging at the fabric of the kilt. This was definitely a night for a heavyweight kilt.

**g koch** · 8th September 07, 02:37 AM

Kojak: Shaved headed, lollypop sucking TV police detective of the 1970's played by Telly Savalas.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069599/

Snicker at drunken vets at your own risk.

**Jock Scot** · 8th September 07, 03:12 AM

There is no excuse for the type of behaviour you describe at any time or place.BUT please remember that any veteran from any army in the world may well have seen and probably been pesonally involved in some horrific events that many people would not even believe, could happen.They have earned the right to a wee bit of understanding, in my book.

**Jerry** · 8th September 07, 04:18 AM

I would say that you would have to have been there and lived in his time to understand.

**GMan** · 8th September 07, 04:48 AM

Any war can do strange things to people's minds. You have just encountered some of what happens. Just remember with a Kilt on you have the responsibility to be above board in your behavior. Glad that you were able to get away unhurt.

**Roan Carter** · 8th September 07, 05:18 AM

Yeah, I was only amused by the scenario after the fact, seeing as how I made a hasty escape. During much of the evening, I made an effort to talk to the guy and was fine with him.

I think the kilt might have gotten me a little bit of unwanted attention there once he was riled up. Big parties are impossible to control.

Having just looked at some Kojak pictures, I so see what he was talking about. Lord.

I have the shiny head, similar nose and mouth ... I'll make a mental note to avoid lolipops.

**Lorc** · 8th September 07, 05:30 AM

guys, having spent my time in the military (NAVY), I agree that war can warp a person. In this case though I think the nasty behavior exibited by this vet is more an effect of alchohol than any military service. I'm glad there was no violence but, being a vet DOES NOT excuse bad behavior, and if we offer excuses may lead to people like this becomming more bold in the future. Hope I aint brought a bummer to your saturday. Thanks Lork.

**Archangel** · 8th September 07, 11:26 PM

Originally Posted by GMan

Any war can do strange things to people's minds. You have just encountered some of what happens. Just remember with a Kilt on you have the responsibility to be above board in your behavior. Glad that you were able to get away unhurt.

I'll give you two out of the three. Any combat vet needs a bit of room and understanding (although by now a 'Nam vet should know his own limitations). And it's good that RC got away safely. I've been in that place and sometimes it is not easy (like in a car with a Congo mercenary vet, who has just decided I'm lying about not being in the jungle with him in some battle that few survived).
However, kilts are clothing. There's no responsibility to be above board. Just be yourself, in a kilt.

p.s. I made the above comment about a vet knowing his limitations more as an ideal. I know that a) the therapy/support is not always there, and b) sometimes the damage can never be undone. The UK people can help me here, it was fairly recent that UK publications had ads encouraging people to be understanding of WW2 vets. That was longer ago than 'Nam and those people, I believe, had more support.

**slohairt** · 9th September 07, 05:44 AM

Yes, war is hell, it is often said.

However, it doesn't give one the excuse to wield boulders in a threatening manner towards young people. I'm sure everyone here can think of countless veterans they know of (from any conflict) who do not exhibit this sort of behaviour. It is a reason but not an excuse.