At the age of 49, I joined the US Marines on Okinawa, not as a cobatant, but as a college professor, teaching graduates of Annapolis and West Point as well as our fine young enlisted sailors and marines.
Within five months of my arrival, the island was hit with a typhoon so serious that anyone on base leaving their post or shelter could be arrested. When the all clear signal released us, I found a young Marine captain in the mist trying to pry a large tree branch from an emergency response truck. Trying to help, I sprained my ankle, wrenched my knee and back. The native MDs tried all kinds of opiates and pain killers, including traction and injections, but I found more relief from the throbbing pain, comfort and sleep from the La-Z-Boy that I brought overseas in the 1980's.
Not only was I able to toss out the narcotic pain killers, I was able to hang up my knee braces because of the healing power of my La-Z-Boy recliner.
My chair took care of me, and the La-Z-Boy company took care of it. Over the years, twice repairmen have come to my home in the States and installed a new frame in it.
I shall never forget the gentle rehab from my La-Z-Boy, nor will I forget my fellow typhoon relief volunteer who came by with a new pair of shoes for me to replace the ones destroyed. He said,