Is there a better way to get something off your mind than writing about it?

So, I’m sure like the rest of the country, Afghanistan is on my mind.

That sounds like a song that needs writing (or rewriting), but maybe I’ll do that later.

Today’s headline in the local newspaper was “Last Troops exit Afghanistan.” Yes, Sven and I still subscribe to the daily newspaper, mainly for the crossword puzzle (me) and the sports section (Sven). I’ve only recently started reading articles again after determining that they aren’t just written to trash Trump anymore.

So this article states a sentence that I’ve seen written in several news sources, and spoken by Joe Biden also. Here it is, “Biden had vowed that all Americans who wanted to leave the country would be able to…” This article in today’s paper goes on to say “…but the White House said some might not choose to leave and couldn’t guarantee all Afghans would escape.”

Does this have any other reason than to eventually say that those Americans, who logical people know couldn’t get to the airport, decided to stay in Afghanistan because they wanted to?

I can see it now, op-ed piece in the New York Times, “Why I decided to stay in Afghanistan:”

“While my countrymen and women, soldiers, and Afghanis fled this little country, I decided to stay. Now that it’s in the hands of the Taliban, things will run a little smoother. They have been very gracious to those of us who wanted to stay in Afghanistan.

“Why, you ask, did we opt to stay? Besides the beautiful weather, my wife and I have been able to get healthier. Between us we have lost 63 lbs. (and counting) and now rank below what would be considered our optimal weight in the U.S. I like the way my robe hangs freely, and my wife enjoys the extra roominess under her burka. This is what happens when you get away from the salty snacks and rely on a diet of dates and falafel.

“Before the American withdrawal, our friends and relatives would ask how could we live in what they referred to as our little hovel. We love our little house, our little house of concrete. No, it is not a tent.

“And what about our children,” they would ask. My wife and I decided to stay in Afghanistan mainly for our children. We think it is the best place to raise our two daughters.”

That was just me trying to make light of what will most likely be a horrible situation for those who “wanted” to stay in Afghanistan. We will only hear about those people if they are used as hostages, or during their recorded beheadings. Maybe some will be escorted off of rooftops. I guess we’ll have to see.

Adios