A Tribute to Patriot Day
Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, Private, Marlene, Julian, Maurice, and Mort are gathered together at Ground Zero on the evening of 11 September 2009. They have gathered to remember. None of them have dry eyes.
"Men, this is why we are at war. This is why we fight. We fight to avenge those who lost their lives at the hands of faceless cowards. Be it eight days ago or eight years ago, we must never forget," Skipper explained.
There is a long, eerie silence, and then Private begins to speak, first in a whisper, but then louder: "Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
At this point, everyone joins in: "Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen."
After a short pause, Marlene turns to the others and says in a quiet, somber voice, "Let's roll." The group turns to leave. But as they walk down the streets toward the Central Park Zoo, a voice repeats a profound phrase over and over in everyone's mind: "Never forget. Never forget. Never forget…"
God Bless America
