“Double Toke” And Memorial Day

It was the summer of 1971, school was out and the peaches were coming in. I was elated for I had just picked up the much coveted “Pearl album” by Janis Joplin from the music rack in downtown Greer. The weather was hot, but it was supposed to be, after all this is South Carolina and it was almost July. As I was leaving the store I bumped into a rather stocky young man about my age or perhaps a little older. When I started to tell him to watch where he was going, he gripped me in a bear hug and said

“Al my man, how’s it going dude”?

I must admit I was in a bit of a shock as I recognized the voice at once. It was Sammy “double toke” Smith and he was completely bald and I mean totally bald, like in no hair. I could not believe my eyes, for Sammy who was a few years older than I had the longest hair in school of either gender. Now…now it was gone, all gone. I soon discovered that Sammy who was the most anti Nixon, anti war guy I knew had enlisted in the Army and was due to ship out to “Nam” in a few weeks. I think that this was a greater shock than seeing Sammy with no hair at all. I was in a bit of a hurry to get home and put on my new album so I promised Sammy that I would drop by and see him before he shipped out. That was 35 years ago, and I never was to see Sammy alive again. Ten weeks into his first tour he and one third of his platoon never saw the incoming and fell victim to the lost. I guess what I wanted to say to the end of this memory as Janis belts out the last notes of “Me and Bobby McGee” is though this day for honor is almost past, don’t wait another year to a Vet say…”Thank You For All That you have done to help keep America Free”.

So here is to you…”double toke”…thank you and God Bless.

J. Allen Wilson © Five 2006