24. The Day I Met the Chinese General - 1999

Michelle became a good friend when we worked in Wuhan, China to the Guanghua Private School where I was to be the Principal. One evening she said she would help us get some medicine we needed. Her Grandfather who was a General in the Chinese Army had a car and his aide would help us find the medicine. After we got the medicine she asked me it I would like to meet her Grandfather.

I replied I would be very happy to meet him. His driver drove us to a very nice retirement home where senior officers can live and soon the Grandfather appeared. He seemed most happy to have some company and we had a wonderful time talking about our experiences in the war. Michelle translated for us. He held my hand and very warmly and graciously extended friendship to me. I won't tell you what exactly we talked about but it was wonderful for me to extend the hand of friendship to a former enemy I had learn to hate in an earlier year. Two old soldiers holding hands in friendship. He was 88 and I was 67.

One of the reasons for me going to China was to undo some of the hard feelings I had learned as a young soldier fighting a war. That was a wonderful evening for me and one I will never forget. I still communicate with Michelle. Michelle is now in the USA at the Utah State University at Logan. We still correspond.