Two Wheeled Tales: C'Mon People, it's the Flag, Dammit!

Monday, October 5, 2009

C'Mon People, it's the Flag, Dammit!

I was leaving work last week and had just merged onto the highway when I spotted a small American flag lying off to the side in the breakdown lane. I pulled over, set the kickstand, and walked back to retrieve it from the pavement. As I was doing this, I couldn’t help but notice as car after car drove right on by, paying no attention to this symbol of our pride and freedom that was just laying in the dirt. Come on people, this is the US Flag!

I can’t count how many times I’ve been riding along and seen a mini American flag lying on the road as folks just cruise past, not giving it a second thought. Ok, I can count; it’s 6 times. How do I know it’s 6 times? Because that’s how many mini American flags I have sitting at my house that I’ve stopped and retrieved from the roadway.

They may have a bit of road dirt on them, or their poles may be broken, or have some scuff marks on them, but the flags still represent every bit of courage and sacrifice that our great country has been built upon. And that means that I will not ride on by them. If I see one, and it’s in my power to retrieve it, I’m going to do it.

Am I condemning those that lose the flags? Hell no. I go on the assumption that those who’ve lost them had been displaying them with pride, the way the flag should be treated. It’s going to happen that flags will come loose, or their posts may break, and the person won’t even know they’ve lost it until many miles down the road. I understand that this happens. My problem is with those that see them on the road and choose to ignore them.

Moving on; here are some pics of the flags I’ve retrieved so far.

Two of these little guys were retrieved after a July 4th parade, if you can believe it. I fail to understand the logic of standing by and waving flags at a celebration of our country’s heritage, only to then leave the flag on the ground when you leave.