Bad mistake. Bad-bad.

Hubby picked up the ringing phone a little while ago, to discover a live human claiming to be a NYC Fireman on the other end, urging him to vote for Kerry. NYC cops and firemen, the guy said, support Kerry.

Bad mistake. Bad-bad. You see, we know differently because we happen to have family who are NYPD and FDNY and to put it mildly, they hate Kerry's guts. When Hubby mentioned that and asked what station he was in, the guy then went into the spiel that Kerry was a thrice-wounded hero in Viet Nam.

Bad mistake. Bad-bad. Hubby was in Viet Nam for a lot longer than the five weeks Kerry spent on board the Gridley when it was stationed off its coast and the four additional months Kerry spent with the Swiftboats before he boogied out. And Hubby was Air Rescue so he knows wounds.

Abruptly, the guy changed the topic to an attack of Bush's National Guard Service saying that unlike Kerry, Bush had never really served.

Hubby disagreed strongly (to put it mildly) because of the number of ANG pilots who'd been in Viet Nam that had been stationed at the different bases he was.

By now, the guy had become very upset. Very, telling Hubby he didn't know what he was talking when it comes to Viet Nam because, "I WAS A MARINE!"

Hubby asked where he'd been stationed.

"Camp LeJuene!" [1]

The conversation went even further downhill after that, when Hubby asked him where in Viet Nam that was located.

So if you get a call tonight from someone claiming to be NYC Fireman telling you to vote for Kerry, it's bogus. Especially if he sounds shaken, hoarse, and seems to be trying to figure out a sudden loss of hearing.

[1] I'm sure I didn't spell that correctly. I know I should look it up, but I don't feel like it.