Trials and tribulations

My father it seemed had a story for every situation.

From time to time I would approach him with why do I have to ride an old bicycle when all of the kids are getting new ones, will you help me buy a new car all of my friends parents----

His stock answer would be a recounting of this experience. In the 1920's Dad's Uncle Max operated a second hand store on Main between Fourth and Fifth. His pot bellied stove was a welcome resting place for passers by.

Often as a group of idlers would accumulate in a circle around the red hot source of heat the topic would turn to their experiences in the late war (World War One).

Constant artillery barrages,
hand to hand bayonet charges,
poison gas,
trench foot from standing for hours in one position in ankle deep mud
Buddies wounded or dying on right and left.

If a lull in the conversation occurred, Uncle Max would make his contribution.

You fellows don't know what it was like when I served in the Russian army.

Supply was erratic. Some times we had sugar for our coffee and sometimes we had to drink our coffee without sugar!

End of conversation with Dad.