Luncheon And The Marine Corps

Picked up Leslie for the Women's Club Holiday Luncheon and we repaired to SeaOaks.  As we got out of the car, Leslie expressed surprise at the toy I had brought.  Why? I wondered and she said "because it's for the U.S. Marine's annual 'Toys for Tots' drive."  What?  I had no idea; I thought the toys were for some church or charity.  I promptly decided not to donate the toy and left it in the car--does that seem heartless?
I don't think so.  I've realized since its inception that "The Marine Corps' Toys for Tots" is nothing but an effort to portray it as a  benign entity, something like the Peace Corps, but with uniforms.  And, of course, it works for the brain dead, who just kind of overlook the actual purpose of this arm of the military, and all the others, for that matter.  I'm happy to donate to a charity for children via a church, synagogue, or a similar group, but I'll be damned if I'll even tacitly support the notion that a killing machine can somehow transform itself into mainly caring for the kiddies.
There were, of course, a large pile of donated toys in the upstairs room where the event was held.  The club president got on the microphone and "proudly" introduced a young woman "who has three children herself" and was--the heart swells with awe--both a marine veteran and a present member of the National Guard.  The woman, dressed sloppily in jeans and a pilly sweater, got on the mike and treated us to a talk on how wonderful it was that needy local children will get these gifts  That elicited applause and oddly, nobody asked, "Do you think the children in Iraq and Afghanistan are needy?"  (No, because they're dead.)
Other than that, it was somewhat boring, but okay.  Bessie insisted on buying me a glass of wine to thank me for helping her with the article.  Les and I sat with some women we knew, some not, and they were all cordial, of course.
But I've attended too many women's luncheons and chatted about nothing in the least bit significant too many times with too many women about whom I'm only faintly interested.  I'm ready to move on, sure enough.
Happily, Desi called in the evening to say he had met with Grey and it seems to be coming together.  He does want Grey to meet the rest of the cast and asked people to get together for a reading on Saturday, the 21st.  I won't be here, but that's okay; I already know Grey and I'm sure he'll be good.