In memoriam

You're driving along and it's a good day but then you spot a pickup ahead with a message on the back windshield and on the tailgate.

Michael "Eyre" is written along the top of the windshield, above the image of a soldier's helmet resting atop a rifle butt, the rifle's bayonet buried in the ground. At the bottom:   "My son, my hero" 

On the tailgate is a black ribbon set against a red, white and blue background.

At the top of the black ribbon it says "Tallil Iraq" and "Cpl. Michael E. Thompson" and "He Gave All" and "9-18-08"

The pickup moves on and you move on thinking, Jesus, what a waste.

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The story in the newspapers