Time heals all wounds and forgets all enemies. Even official Navy news releases these day don’t mention the bad guys. On Monday, we remembered Pearl Harbor and honored those lost in the attacks, but often didn’t mention the attacks were launched by the Japanese. There are several possible reasons for this: The Japanese are long-time allies, vital trading partners and important in helping us contain North Korea and China. Also, a lot of patriotic Americans are driving around in Hondas and Nissans and we don’t want to embarrass them or undermine free trade.
Such delicacy wasn’t always so prevalent, especially on top of Rubber Neck hill which is near where I lived as a kid. Melvin was one of those friends who you would go visit when all other options fell through. It was along, hard pump up Rubber Neck, and it always prompted terrible memories of winter and barreling down Rubber Neck on a sled because others dared you to do it. If you didn’t make the corner at the bottom you’d run right into the barbed wire fence. A lot of kids were brought home to their grieving mothers in slices, like packaged bacon.
Upon arriving at Melvin’s, he’d make you turn out your pockets to reveal any cheap jackknives, compasses or sheriff’s badges. The ones made in Japan you’d have to hide in the woods, because Melvin’s dad would stomp on anything made in Japan. His yard was littered with flattened wagons, trucks, scooters and any variety of lesser toys made from cheap metals or plastic. Melvin’s dad wore big shoes and anything Japanese was doomed. He didn’t talk about the war, but his feeling were known through his disdain for Japanese products. Of course, this was before the Japanese started sending motorcycles and cars to this country. As a teenager, I used to ride up Rubber Neck on my Honda Trail 50, half expecting Melvin’s dad to jump out and stomp on it. But it never happened, and I’ve never heard a report of anyone jumping angrily on a Lexus, so I guess Melvin’s dad got over it.
It probably took 50 years for the Japanese to be deleted from various official references to the attack on Pearl Harbor. It’s surprising how quickly the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers and Pentagon were forgotten. We still remember 9/11, but we’re already hazy about who did it. Muslims? Saudis? Al Qaeda? Dick Cheney?
It’s so confusing that we simply say “attacks,” and let it go at that. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, the times were much simpler and blame was an easier game to play. One of these days I’m going back to the top of Rubber Neck. Melvin’s dad is probably gone now, but perhaps Melvin is still there, following in his dad’s footsteps, stomping on puddles of oil.
