Man: Anyone home?
Me:   Can I help you?
Man: What do you do around here?
Me:   We do plays, you know, performances. We’re setting up for a puppet show...
Man: You politically aligned?
Me:   Huh??
Man: You politically aligned?
Me:   ...uhhh... no, not really
Man: Whatdya mean ‘Not really’?
Me:   Well, we’ve hosted a few liberal performances...
Man: I’m a @#$!^% Democrat @#$!^% Liberal @#$!^% and I’ve got about a thousand vets ready to burn this @#$!^% place to the ground tonight!
Me:   (silence)

Someone could be explaining the most beautiful sunset ever witnessed, then tell you your cat died, and all you would remember is exactly what they said about your cat. I would love to share the rapid-fire labels he used for himself, but all I can remember is the part about the vets ready to burn the Nightingale.

He got a bit worked up, got way too close to my face, and started jabbing at me wildly with his fingers as he explained how he’d received an anonymous telephone call that said there was a building at 1416 East Fourth Street that was “anti-vet” and that he had a tent city in Claremore with over 1,000 vets ready to “march on this place and burn it to the @#$!^% ground.” I’m guessing the vets in Claremore must be stockpiling torches.

I explained that I had no idea what he was talking about, yes, that was our address, and no, we are not “anti-vet.” He said someone was setting us up and we’d better find out who, because he’s got 1,000 vets... you know the line. He then added that it was probably a gay activist that had framed us. I didn’t think it could get any more surreal.

He rattled off the names of 5-10 folks; I didn’t recognize any of them. He said it was probably (female name I don’t remember) and that we needed to watch out for her, then began walking to his truck. A red late-model full-size extended cab truck with a dent behind the drivers’ side rear wheel well, if anyone cares. I ran after him, not sure he understood we weren’t against veterans, and not sure he understood exactly how much I didn’t want any pissed off vets picking on us. I repeated that I had no idea what he was talking about, we try to remain somewhat neutral, we were getting ready for a puppet show (I was unaware of any puppet-veteran war), and that I was one of the owners of the theater.

He told me his name was Rusty Goodman and he’d call and tell his boys to stand-down; that he and his friends were Nam vets with PTSD; that we need to take a stand, not be neutral. And we need to find out who is setting us up, because he has 1,000 vets... As he turned the engine in his his truck, he told me to tell "them" we talked to Rusty, everyone knows him. So, for what it’s worth, I’m telling you I talked to Rusty.

The whole thing rattled me. I don’t know if it was what he said or the aggressive manner in which he said it. Not that I actually believed there was a tent city ready to take down the Nightingale; more that I’d rather not meet a pissed off Vietnam veteran with PTSD, a torch, and a perceived war with us. Whether it’s one vet or one-thousand. After all, I was at the theater with a group of puppeteers. No offense, but they were puppeteers.

The night ended, everyone had a great time at the show, and no one arrived bearing torches. And it looks like ol’ Rusty actually is some sort of veteran’s activist. In fact, he’s all over the ‘net. Most folks have strong opinions about him one way or the other. If you’re curious, Google him yourself or check out the links below - you can make up your own mind...

OKDemocrat (Rusty’s home)

“Rusty attacks Henry - OKPNS takes bait”
from Democrats of Oklahoma Community Forum

“Gov. Henry Doesn't like Homeless Veterans?”
from Oklahoma Political News Service (check out the comments)

“Istook Campaign Delivers T-Shirts To Homeless Veterans”
from Oklahoma Political News Service (check the comments, too)