John Fortier Peace Vigil, 10/11/13

Dear Reader, What follows in his own words is a summary of John Fortier's peace vigil from last Friday night in Redondo Beach, California. He has conducted this Friday evening peace vigil at a busy intersection of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and Knob Hill Avenue (KH) nearly every Friday since just before President Bush launched the invasion of Iraq in March, 2003.

Because so few people get involved on the streets in peace actions, John often is out there without any visible support appealing to drivers and pedestrians to help stop the wars. And his signs and peace flag attract numerous horn honks of support. In his summary of this peace vigil, he tells us two stories of events during the vigil that grabbed his attention.

John is a Korean War veteran, a peace activist, a retired school teacher and a husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

Hey, Dick ~

 

I told myself that if you did not come today, you would be the first person I would tell about a very special thing that happened on the corner today, starting at 4:18.

 

A slim fellow, well groomed, dressed like he might work at the counter of an auto parts store, maybe Hispanic about 25 - 30, crossed PCH toward my corner. He stepped up on the sidewalk, walked straight toward me, bent down, picked something up, stood up and handed it to me. 'It' was a little wad of dollar bills: 3 $1s and 1 $10.

 

To be continued, after dinner.

[John followed up]

As I saw the amount and that my peace stamp was not on any of them, plus I knew I brought no money with me - I offered it back in a second and said, "It's not mine." It took a repeat and tapping his hand with it until he took it. After a few seconds he walked off south toward the bus bench. The whole thing took less than a minute, but it'll stay pretty vividly in mind (mine for sure and probably his too) for a while. 

 

As if that's not enough action on the corner, there was more around 5:15. A Benz started turning up KH but stopped in the gutter where KH and PCH meet. At first I thought the driver was waiting for the car coming out the driveway of the parking area by the Penguin shop to pull out so she (the Benz driver) could pull in. A couple of cars going north on PCH honked at her, even though her tailend wasn't really interfering with that curb lane.

 

Some guy appeared and talked with the driver through the front right window. When anothe passing car blew their horn, the guy walked to the rear of the Benz and waved traffic by. Then he leaned on the back of the car and started pushing. I couldn't believe he was thinking he could move that car up KH a foot, but he leaned into it and moved it an inch or two. Then a guy from the picnic table by the Penguin joined him. And then the driver of a pick-up that was in the right hand turn lane of KH getting ready to turn onto PCH north, got out of his truck, leaving it in the street, and joined the other two guys. A fourth guy, a sweaty jogger, crossed PCH and KH and joined up. The four of them managed to push that thing UP KH into a parking place past the driveway of the parking area.

 

It was like watching the rescue of a puppy or something. It was a pleasure and a gift to witness. I never kept track of three of the guys, and I never saw the driver of the Benz, but I did see the white pick-up driver get back into his vehicle. When he crossed PCH and drove past me I yelled, "Good job, man ! Good job !" as loud as I could. He had his window down and gave me a vigorous V and fist pump, and that was that. I was so glad he hadn't turned right. I wish I had thought to yell while all four of them were still there, but  . . .

 

So, that's what happened to me today on the corner. 

 

Any time anything exceptional happens and you have not come by physically (I know you do in spirit), I will fill you in like this. OK ?

 

I doubt seriously I'll ever have another day quite like this. But you never know.

 

John

Yo, Dick ~

 

And about the car pushing story, I meant to add that if that first guy hadn't acted and done what he could, inadequate as it was physically, the other three would not have had him as motivation and might have not done what they did.

 

As you and I have talked about many times - one person can be an influence, a spark.

 

And about that guy and the $13. He was a real winner. He did the right thing in offering it to what he considered to be the rightful owner. It may have occurred to him for an instant that he could pick it up and walk away.  Chances are $13 was a meaningful amount of money to him. I suspect it had more significance to him than to me, but he did the right thing. And then he got the money too ! Win. Win. How nice is that!