Captain America Stops In For A Beer

Captain America came into the bar last nite, looking haggard. But, then again, the last time I saw him-- he was looking worse.

He took a stool at the far end, away from the few early-crowd drinkers; so we let him have his space. Hard not to stare, tho.

I wondered how he was adjusting to life in Bush's America. But then I realized he did just-fine adjusting to new times; back in '64-- when he was thawed-out after 10 years frozen in that iceberg.

Still, he's got so many imposters these days; and all of them pollute his image: Kerik, Ridge, Lyndie, Gannon, steriod-addled Yankees, not to mention the Flightsuit In Chief.

And then there's all the disgusting things you hear Coulter, O'Reilly & Limbaugh say about Cap. Not to mention the lies broadcast against him by the so-called D-Day Vets For Truth. They all went ballistic-- calling him a 'traitor'-- over the time he told a corrupt general "I am loyal to nothing, except the Dream."

Then those doctored photos hit the internet, depicting him side-by-side with Jane Fonda; back when starred in Easy Rider with Dennis Hopper.

Given all that, it's impressive that he recently went-public with his secret identity. Turns out he lives in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

This isn't the first time he's struggled with the jingoistic implications of his image. After Watergate & Vietnam; he briefly shed the Red, White & Blue-- calling himself 'Nomad'. And then in the '80s he dropped the "America", wearing black as just 'The Captain'.

He didn't linger around the bar like a mope. He just finished his beer; strapped the shield across his back & kick-started his Harley away. (Not the chopper. His WW2 H-D military-special.)

The barmaid said he tipped her a silver dollar.

03/12/05