Mood: loud
Topic: "Marvelous Mac"(8)
During their very first year of operation, Marv Throneberry was the regular first baseman for the New York Mets of MLB. As only the NYC Press can do, Throneberry, who was prone to an error-filled performance throughout his career, became a crowd favorite because of his miscues. As the anti-hero, who never stopped trying to be good, he became famous as "Marvelous Marv." He also had a brother in MLB, Faye, Throneberry, of course.
In June of 1944, a young American fighter pilot was shot down and killed near the small town of Las Ventes, in France. His widow, in Oklahoma, received the obligatory letter from the appropriate sources, informing her of his death, and the promise of additional information. That promise, unfortunately, was not kept.
As late as 2005, the widow, who never re-married, communicated with her Congressperson, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), seeking any additional information about the demise of her husband. The obviously distraught Congressperson communicated by letter and informed the widow that there was no new data regarding the status of her MIA. A relative of the widow found that hard to believe, and picked up the telephone.
It took merely a few days to learn that the young pilot lies buried in the American Cemetery in Normandy, and that he has been there for years, after his body was transferred from its original burial site in Las Ventes. It was also learned that the town square in Las Ventes is named for the young hero, who died to help save the town of Las Ventes, France, and the whole damn world for that matter. In Las Ventes, there is a wreath-laying ceremony, every year, going back to the very end of the War, for this young man, the husband of our heroine. She has, at the invitation of the village, visited, and was escorted to both his present burial site as well as the very spot where her late husband crashed.
Congressperson Thornberry has written a letter of apology. He and his office have refused to make any public statement, and there has been no further communication with the widow. Congressperson Thornberry, Frodo adds, chairs the House ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE. The widow has stated that she has forgiven Congressperson Thornberry.
Frodo has taken great libertyin the past with his disapproval of all things Texan. It should go without saying that there is a sense of outrage which Frodo truly hopes becomes evident to Congressperson Thornberry. It is the incompetence in acts such as this which unite Americans in their dismay toward the Congress of the United States. Frodo, admittedly, is not nearly as gracious as the heroine herein, but he would be satisfied if there is at least one Texan who votes in the upcoming election against "Marvelous Mac" for the single reason that he didn't even try to do a good job.