This is Seymour.

I met Seymour while walking in the parking lot of our local grocery.  I noticed his WWII hat and stopped to thank him for his service.  He had been shopping and was putting his groceries in the trunk of his car.  He told me that he was 97 years old and served in Germany during the war.  He said that he had been in the U.S. Horse Calvary and pulled an wrinkled old photo from his pocket to show me.

Seymour told me that the horse I saw pictured had tried to kill him three times.  When I asked if it was a 'bad' horse he said, "Oh no,  can you imagine what it is for a horse to have to put up with young boys who have never ridden before?"  

Seymour learned to shoot from the back of a horse and earned a silver medal for being a sharpshooter, and survived three battle campaigns including the Battle Of The Bulge.

He said that most everyone he knew is dead now.  

Then he thanked me for stopping to talk with him.

I was reminded of the song by John Prine, "Hello In There"

So if you're walking down the street sometime

And spot some hollow ancient eyes,

Please don't just pass 'em by and stare

As if you didn't care, say, "Hello in there, hello."