Two nights ago, Joan and I took Ron to the local American Legion post for a beer (his favorite thing to do).
Ron and I were playing setback when a legion member came up to the table and asked if we wanted to play cribbage.
For years, I had been looking for anyone who could play cribbage.
We invited the man to sit down with us.
He grabbed the cribbage board from behind the bar and sat down.
Greg was a Marine gunnery sergeant who had been to many hot spots all over the world.
He had on a cap which was issued to very few people, a Native American member of the US military.
Greg was a full Lakota Sioux, born on the reservation in South Dakota.
He still visits his mother there.
The cribbage board had three lanes colored red, white, and blue (we were in an American Legion post after all).
I pulled the pegs from the back and asked Greg what color he wanted.
He replied, "since I'm the 'Red Man", I'll take red."
I took his challenge and said, "Okay, I'm the European, so, I'll take white."
Then the game and the smack talk began.
As Greg pulled ahead, Ron commented, "It looks like you're going to take Rick's scalp."
Greg looked at me, then replied to Ron, "There's really not a lot up there to take!"
Joan jumped in, "It's all on his face now, you'll have to take the beard."
Greg replied, "Let me get my knife."
He fumbled a bit looking for his, so I opened mine and handed it to him.
We laughed, got back to the game, and the smack talk continued.
As the night ended, Greg asked if he could say a blessing over our car to get us home safely.
We said, "Yes."
Greg then began to sing in Lakota Sioux and blessed the car.

New home, new friends.

Welcome to The West.