In the time it took for Benny the Brickie to lay 28 feet of 4" block, I learned that in the 1940s all the adult men in Yugoslavia were conscripted to work for Hitler's regime. When the war ended, those men were given the opportunity to emigrate to the US with their families.
He was drafted for the Vietnam War. When he appeared for his induction, they excused him because he could neither read nor speak English. In another 5 years when he was 26, he was called up again and did serve 6 months in Vietnam. He claims that it did not bother him because he was older and could handle it. He told of the younger soldiers crying when the pilot pointed out that they were flying over Vietnam.
He took three years to get his GED because he kept falling asleep in class since he had labored all day. When he returned from Vietnam, he was going to use the GI Bill until he realized that he could make more money as a bricklayer than he could teaching.
His able assistant Dan graduated from college in May and cannot find a job. He majored in both finance and business administration with a minor in economic. Dan said that he will just keep working with Benny until he gets a job in his field.
A man educated by life and a college graduate built our wall.
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