Airborne all the way

I can't remember anymore if I picked up my Airborne t-shirt at a thrift store or from a friend but it's gray and soft and fits just right so it's always been a favorite. I learned early on, however, that it's a shirt that sparks conversation so in order to avoid the awkward "I don't know any Airborne" with strangers who are really gung-ho, I learned to just respond "All the way," to any inquiries and just keep walking.

But since the war started, my Airborne tee has spent a lot of time in the bottom of my drawer. These days, it seems like a political statement that I might not want to make, and lead to conversations that I might not want to have with a random stranger... people who will likely assume that I support the war because I'm wearing a military tee.

Today is laundry day, however, and though there were other bottom-of-the-drawer shirts I could have chosen, I decided I was up for any conversation that might be sparked so opted to wear my old fave. Sure enough, at the clerk at the post office, a really sweet guy with whom I often chat however briefly, asked who is Airborne.

"Just my way of showing support," I said, "though I am an anti-war activist."

He said nothing... which added a note of enigma to his usual friendly smile. I'm probably reading into the interaction but I do have a hard time believing there is a thinking person, as this clerk always seems to be, who doesn't have an opinion on the war.

I'll still have to keep mulling over whether wearing this shirt is passive-aggressive politics or one more way to show support of the troops even as I oppose the war...