America the beautiful

A couple weeks ago I had the occasion to be in Las Vegas to speak at a conference.

During the cab ride form the airport to my hotel I had a long discussion with the cabbie.

Turns out he was from Croatia although I didn't catch where.

He had been in the U.S. for about 6 years now basically as a war refugee.

His mother, father, 2 brothers and 2 sisters were all murdered during the war.

His home was destroyed and he had no money and no assets after that.

He arrived in America with one set of clothes and $100 in his pocket somehow gotten from his church in Croatia.

Before working as a cabbie he helped build homes in Vermont. At the end of this year he planned on going back to Vermont as he was not fond of Vegas.

Too dangerous he said. He then detailed the story of how he had been held at gun point for drug money by one of his fares.

He said it was a lucky chance that he was not killed.

They caught the assailant 30 minutes later with the $80 still in his pocket.

He had not yet had a chance to buy the drugs. The cabbie's son went to a school that he considered "dangerous".

The cops were outside every day at schools in and school out.

I had to ask him after all this what he thought of America.

He replied, "America is a beautiful country. Compared to my old home my family is safe and I have a future. There I had nothing".

Then he laughed and said, "When I go back to Vermont it will be really beautiful and safe!"

America the beautiful.

In spite of its problems there is no place I'd rather be.

Every time I travel abroad I enjoy it. Every time I come home I enjoy it more.

Love this land

Dr Dave