October 16, 2003

Gardner! Front and Center!
entry,

In response to Monday's entry, several of you have purchased T-shirts from the rapidly-dwindling stockpile in my basement. Two shirts went to a local woman who asked if she could pick them up to save on shipping costs.

Hey, we aim to please. From the email exchange, it SOUNDED like she and her husband would be coming by for a quick "meet the cartoonist, buy stuff" thing on Wednesday evening. It turned out her husband couldn't come, however, because he's in Iraq.

This gave me pause.

Let's think about this for a moment. Back in January, at about the time I was worrying about hiring a new colorist, Staff Sergeant Vaughn Gardner was worrying about serving his country in a full-time capacity, rather than part-timing it in the Army National Guard. His wife and three kids had worries too, I'm sure, which I doubt my ability to properly express.

Maybe it's trite, but Ms. Gardner is one of my new heroes. She's expecting their fourth child in month or so, and is cheerfully holding down the fort while praying nightly that her husband returns with his shield rather than on it. It's people like her who make the defense of my freedom of speech possible. I can't NOT use that freedom to praise her.

This isn't the first contact I've had with families or friends directly involved in or impacted by current military actions, but it was a very unexpected reminder that others are working on my behalf in very dangerous places.

Sergeant Gardner! Your wife tells me you still get to read Schlock. Well, I saw her this evening, and she looks great -- healthy, smiling, and happy (or at least faking it pretty convincingly). She bought you a shirt, which I'll take a lot more pride in you wearing than I think you ever could. She also got a sketch out of the deal. It's my prayer that you'll be able to come home soon and take delivery... of the shirt, the sketch, and the baby.

Thanks for all you do.