After a Veterans of Foreign War member talks to Paulie's class, the youngster reflects upon war being a reason to take one's final breath

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Paulie remained fixated with a concentrated stare listening to the Veteran of Foreign Wars spin a youthful tale recounting an event involving individuals only a few years older than they were at this precise moment. “As he laid in my lap uttering his final breath the adult child requested ‘tell my Mother I died a hero’,”

Not even a pin could be heard throughout the adolescent audience. Quickly raising his hand, Paulie had a question, “did you meet up with the boy's mother?”

Straightening his back the elderly gentlemen wearing uniform attire confessed, “I did see his mother later in the day and she was packing some heat, I had no choice but to shoot her,”

Becky Sue followed and raised her hand, “what did she say during her final breath?”

“She called me a dirty stereotypical slang word and went to the other side.”

Suddenly, the bell rang, releasing the kids to their next commitment.

Later in the evening Paulie sat quietly on the zebra’s tack box where the four-legged diplomat in between a family feud stored classified information.

“Zebra,” Paulie called and heard the striped one approach the stall door, “what makes someone hate so much that they kill?”

Reality, practicality, stated there was no answer, but Paulie understood the comment translated from the zebra’s eyes, “Poppa did nothing to start the fight.”

When the next day arrived Paulie found his seat and the teacher took over the instruction, “did you enjoy the speaker? Yesterday,”

Getting an affirmative response, the high school educator noticed Paulie needing attention, “my Zebra thinks there is no place for killing someone,”

“And did your zebra mention anything else,”

“Nah, he took his last breath then went to sleep,”

“I am so sorry, your zebra died,”

“Zebra not dead,” Paulie clarified, “he was awake this morning and I served him breakfast.”

“Such a wonderful,” the teacher paused, “son.”

“Yeah, I know” Paulie continued, “Momma and Poppa also think that, and that is why we have not breathed our last breaths.”

By Marc OBrien

From: United States

Website: https://www.austinmacauley.com/author/obrien-marc

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