There I was, deep in a Southern state - Texas - a former Confederate operative too boot. As well, our work assignment had taken us deep into the black neighborhoods of Dallas. A large old cemetery had been abandoned by its handlers. In Dallas, Texas, that meant the property became a ward of The City. This particular cemetery was adjacent to Lincoln High School. Urban legend had it that Mean Joe Green, the Texas native and local favorite son, that played for the pro football team Pittsburgh Steelers, went to that school.
This particular cemetery was huge. Needless to say, it was hard to maintain. The grass still had to be cut even though the property was not used any more. Some brain surgeon at City Hall determined it would be easier, quicker, and more efficient to mow the grass if the tomb stones were repositioned flat to the ground. In theory, this would facilitate an easier mowing environment. And, in theory, the driver of the mower could just drive right over the re-implanted and hopefully flat....tomb stones.
The task was assigned to the Park and Recreation crew I was part of. It was fate of course that this creepy and perhaps even gruesome project passed my way. The Park Department had upwards of 2000 employees. The City of Dallas often boasted a complement of 20,000 municipal workers. So lucky me - of all the actors and mooks that could have gotten the work order, I got the nod to dig around in an ancient grave yard.
One day during the project, a kid from the school wandered across the cemetery with a pistol. He paused and looked at us. Then he said, "Yah, that's what I want to do after high school - dig fuck'n ditches. You mother fuckers must be drop outs - you know what they say about drop outs...ditch digg'n fuckers.
Considering he had the weaponry, it was hard to argue with him. In the mean time Ol' Sonebitch was on the backhoe digging holes ad nauseam. He dug them like a crazy man. Chunks of tomb stones snapped off and crumbled as Sonebitch swung his backhoe arm around and struck anything in his way. Sonebitch's holes did not match the size of the tomb stones. I was on the team that would "respectfully" put the stones on their sides and into the holes.
The stones looked like they had suffered through an earthquake directly under the cemetery. To me, it seemed an abomination. Generations ago, someone had put heart and sole into facilitating a humble spot on earth for a loved one after they died. At this point we were tearing the shit out of said humble plots of the many dearly departed restful.
About midway through the project I plotted some lame excuse to be put on another project. I think it involved painting a park restroom across town in a Mexican barrio. But most important, something else dawned on me like an epiphany. It was at that point in my life, I would make every effort in my own case, to never be buried in a cemetery. I would be cremated and subsequently dispersed at the whims of the winds of the planet.
If I have anything to say about it, no future generation Sonebitch will be digging up my grave like a madman just to facilitate some perceived necessary project.
Note: This blog "Jobs of Bob" Category does not list the jobs chronologically - I write about the experiences as they pop up in my memory and I often revisit an older job. Go to the Cooldadiomedia Web site and the Jobs of Bob Page for an ordered chronology.
Wisconsin Military Service Person Special Mention of the Week
(each week Cooldadiomedia mentions a Wisconsin service person killed in Iraq or Afghanistan)
Army Specialist Robert Michael Rieckhoff, 26, of Kenosha, Wisconsin was killed on Thursday, March 18, 2010 in Baghdad, Iraq. His unit had been attacked by rocket-propelled grenades. He was assigned to Battery Bravo, 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), out of Fort Drum, New York. The Kenosha News via their Website related that Specialist Rieckhoff was at guard duty in a watchtower when attacked. Rieckhoff was on his second tour of duty in Iraq. He had also served in Kuwait. The paper went on to note Rieckhoff had just re-enlisted for five more years in the Army. Specialist Rieckhoff also had been promoted to sergeant which was just about to take affect. The family was quoted as saying Robert had helped train the Iraqi Army. He was due to come home in June of 2010 around the time of his 27th birthday.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel mentioned that Robert was nicknamed "Bubba" as a kid. Rieckhoff had joined the military when he was 18 years old. Robert was remembered as a practical joker and someone who could make people laugh; and, Robert also frequently reminded everyone he had sidestepped trouble by joining the military. Rieckhoff had joined the Army Reserves in 2002 after graduating from Tremper High School in Kenosha. At a later date he went on to join the Regular Army. The Journal Sentinel also said that while in the Reserves, Robert worked at a Pizza Hut in Kenosha. While in Iraq, he constantly communicated with his family by telephone and e-mail.
At the time of his death Robert Rieckhoff was survived by his children Tyler, and Katrina, of Tennessee; sisters Sheila Sartorius, Kaszaray Rieckhoff , Jolene Garwood, and Cathy Garwood; brothers Roland Garwood III and Bobby Garwood; mother Barbara Garwood; stepfather Roland Garwood; grandmother Judith Nelsen; uncle Bruce Anderson; and nieces, Alexis and Jasmine Sartorius. Specialist Robert M. Rieckhoff was the 92nd Wisconsin military service person to die in Iraq since the spring of 2003.
As of this blog entry's posting date:
0 American and Coalition casualties in Libyan "Operation Odyssey Dawn" since March 2011
100,293 Iraqi civilians have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
9,903 Iraqi Security Forces have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
4,449 Americans have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
1530 Americans have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
318 Coalition soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
869 Coalition soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
32,058 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
10,855 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
107 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
29 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
148 journalists (several nationalities) have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
21 journalists (various nationalities) have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
2 journalists (regional agencies) have been killed in Libya since March of 2011.
Wisconsin military service person special mention of the week, military casualty, and journalist casualty information sources: Committee to Protect Journalists; cnn.com; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; washingtonpost.com; thehighground.org; Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs; iraqbodycount.org; www.defense.gov/news/casualty.pdf; and, icasualties.org.
