The third eyelet

There was something more to the flag and flagpole that met the eye.  It was a part of moving into this neighborhood--everyone had one.  And everyone flew one--every holiday, without fail.
Don't think the old farts of the 'hood' didn't set me straight about that one.
OH yes.....both neighbors, to the left of us and across the street--the pole was in the garage--it came with the house, dontchaknow.  All I had to do...was make sure I put that sucker out--along with the rest of the neighborhood.    :-/

GOT it!  Sheeeeshhhh.

And I did, faithfully.  Every government holiday, no matter the weather, out I'd traipse.  Up went the flag...and down it went when the sunset.  And I wowed them with my knowledge of how to fold the flag, the ettiquite...what you can and cannot do with it.

And then there's the 'sentimental' value in the darn thing--three eyelets for hanging the flag.  One didn't exist until 9/11.  But Leroy made sure it was rigged for the tribute and honour--he even made the marble base, so I wouldn't have to hunt for the hole to place to pole in, year after year.
And every year on 9/11, it's been half mast. On Memorial Day, half mast until noon...  December 7th, Pearl Harbor day--half mast.....  I  know these things--it's what the neighborhood does.

So when it went missing one of the night's of the fair-- courtesy of some 'happy' intoxicated fella--yeah, I think it's fair to say they had no clue that it wasn't just a bit of metal with cloth attached to it.
They had no clue, and probably no concern about what it meant.

But I think it's fair to say my neighbor has some clue and a lot of concern about what it meant when he brought my flagpole AND flag--home this evening........almost a month after it went missing.....

It's back where it's suppose to be.
A bit dirty, but in tact.  With the eyelets exactly as Leroy had put them.
Amazing......  I've looked in yards.  I've looked on parkings where people put their trash or 'junk' they no longer want, awaiting for the trash collectors to do their thing.
But it wasn't there.

I'd pretty much stopped looking-- as had the neighbor to the left of me.........and then he spied it when a camper was moved that obscured him from seeing it before.  Of course he knew it was mine--Leroy had put that third eyelet in place for it.

It's home.  And I'm amazed.
A.M.A.Z.E.D.
Humbled, grateful and amazed.......