Before the Easter Offensive

We had never heard of Gay Pride. We knew the Yankees were fighting the Commies in this place called Viet Nam or something but mostly we cared for my new red Monark 1972 bicycle for a couple of weeks right after hot as Hell Christmas 1971 below the Equator. Then one day we were out on the street after Lunch and people were just doing the siesta it was so damn hot only crazy restless kids like the two of us were out if the Commies or the Apache should make a surprise strike there would only be the two of us sheriffs to hold them back until the 7th of Cavalry would save us all from being burned at the stake or something we were in such a daze and it was so hot we considered doing something about our shorts maybe take them off and go around naked no that would mean big trouble if somebody's mother or sister saw us from a window we just rolled up the back of our shorts into some sort of primitive G string bikini thing we felt really brave like we were the sheriffs so we could look like sissies because everybody knew we were the good and brave protectors of the law and the good people and maybe even the sissies if they were not robbing banks or horses they were good people and as long as good people stayed together there would be no way the Commies or the Indians or the Bad Guys could win and every good person would get to do his or her job and get their fair money so everybody would be happy forever.