back roads of mississippi

my first trying encounter for this trip! as i was standing in line, waiting to pay for gas at a dirty little wayside gas station that reeked of smoke & deep fried unidentifiable objects of varying shapes and sizes, a early 30's white male approached & casually mentioned 'you don't like war, do ya'. i tried to control my whithering look as i asked him if he like d war but he was turning his back on me & ordering something greasy from under the cracked lucite counter top that had dirty gray duct tape curling along the split.
i tapped him on the shoulder and said, 'excuse me, i thought you asked me a question. i'm used to folks waiting for a response when they ask me a question.'
that got his attention. i told him it is not that i do not like war, but that war is probably the greatest human failing ever - i can't think of any other single thing men chose to do that is close to this abhorent failing of solving problems (and stealing other people's resources) by going to war (not withstanding rape, enslaving people, murder, etc.etc.etc. but i was not gong there). he and his companion, a spindly younger silent white male w/a crew cut and buggy eyes that never blinked as they never left my face, did look a little embarassed then but the one that was talking blurted out with a kinda helpless little boy shrug & voice: "but what can we do besides go to war?"
i should have taken that moment to congratulate him on asking such an insiteful, thought-provoking question. i should have asked him how many minutes or seconds or hours or days of his life has he devoted to answering that question. i should have asked him how much energy did he think men put into figuring out the many answers to that question. not to mention asking him how much time & energy did he think our prez put into figuring that out after 9/11.
instead, i pulled the christ trick out of the bag, bore my eyes into his as i stepped forward to close the too short gap he'd left between us & told him "what can we do? do what jesus told us to do, son: love your enemy; do good to those who would harm you."
'but, but, but...' he began to stutter. the other one finally blinks and takes a step backwards allowing me to head to the door without running him over.
i turn to face them, my back to the door, and once again catch his eye as i allow my rage & despair to flood the room - "over 100,000 iraqi's have been killed by our bombs and weapons - over half of the murdered are wimmin & children. over 1330 u.s. soldiers have lost their lives. this war is so wrong, everyone should be against it, not just christians." and then i left to their utter silence.