We are the Dead

I decided to go to the Cenotaph for this Rememberance Day, but first I had to find out where it was. I searched online couldn't find an address or order of ceremony, but there was a map that pointed to its general location, so I used that as a start. After cruising around the area I decided that the map could have been wrong and started looking in another part of town. Giving up on that, I decided to pull into a coffee shop and look at one of their newspapers. Surely a local newspaper from the day before would provide information on where and when events would be held. 

Nope. So I decided to ask the Barista if she knew where the cenotaph was.

"The...?"

"The cenotaph"

This is awkward and she looks confused, she probably thinks the Cenotaph is some pagan temple or something... Let's try again,

"The memorial? The place where they have rememberance day stuff?"

"um... Kyla probably knows, I'll ask her..."

I wait while she gets her co-worker's attention

"This guy is looking for the..."

"The cenotaph"

"The ceno... ?"

"The place where they have the Rememberance day festivities. Well not festivities, more like a events or assembly or whatever, you know?"

"Rememberance day...?"

This is going no-where

Then a lady who looked like she was over 25, overhearing gave me directions. I thanked her (for the fact that she knew what I was talking about as well as for that she was able to help me be on my way). 

Half way there I pulled in behind the distinctive ford scored with firefighting logos that I knew belonged to the biggest war buff in school and the one person I would trust to be heading one place 10:30am on Nov 11.  I followed him the rest of the way and found He was glad that I came. He was there with his wife, brother and sister-in-law, so I wasn't suddenly so alone in my venture. 

Did you know that today was the 90th anniversary of the end of WWI? 90 years! A lifetime, that's it. Much less time spans us and WWII. The local roll call of those fallen was perhaps a dozen for WWI and some 30 or 40 for WWII. How many people lived in this cow town at the time? Not many... of which a dozen during WWI, 30 or 40 during WWII would have been a considerable percentage! There was also one fallen in Afghanistan, a silent reminder that war is far from extinction. 

The turn out wasn't much bigger than my home town which is a much smaller town, but that might be accountable to the fact that my home town has a far older populace. 

The cadets marched into the square. Usually I'm not a big fan of cadets, but today they looked in good form. The Mounties came next followed by the military. Mounties, as ridiculous as any non-Canadian may say they look are sure to always convey a sense of true Canadianism in me. These, with the military appear disciplined to a tee. They can't afford to fake it. The veterans walk in, amongst respectful clapping, bearing Flags that represent Canada, British Columbia, the United Nations, and some others I'd be slower to name: probably The RCAF and divisions like that. 

There's the anthem, the silence, the gun salute and the long recognitions as family members show their respects at the wreaths. 

"Why is it that i feel a need to go?" I asked myself as I was on my way there. It wasn't likely that many if any of my school associates would be attending.  I guess its because I've been raised to believe that it is important. And I do. I think its very important, and the day when I forget the 11th of November will be a bitter bitter irony indeed. 

LEST

WE 

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