“We Can, We Will”

Back in 2021, we found ourselves checking into a motel in Poesta, Iowa. It was built in the shape of a U, with the driveway leading up to the center of the second floor. As I was walking toward the lobby, I looked over and saw a little stuffed dog rolling and spinning in circles. It was due to the shape of the building creating a vortex of wind.

I thought to myself, If I see him in the morning, I’m gonna grab it. Sure enough, that morning, the little stuffed toy was still rolling around the grass, just as he had been the day before. So I took the dogs out to go to the bathroom and headed toward it. I picked him up—he felt like he had been tumble-dried for days. We kept him and gave him the name Vortex.

As I was about to head for the car, I looked down and saw a grocery bag of different toiletries spread out on the grass. Just then, I noticed a brown coin with the name of the 9th Cavalry Regiment on it. I looked up the value and saw it was only worth $10. The 9th Cavalry Regiment was one of the original Buffalo Soldier regiments. Their motto was “We Can, We Will.”

At that moment, I thought of my mother, who loved carrying touchstones and could use a bit of symbolism for life, so I gave it to her. Then in 2023, after losing her and inheriting her car, I thought it would be perfect to keep the coin in there as a reminder of our adventures.

Three months went by, and some no-good people broke into the car and ransacked it. They took all of her paperwork and threw it everywhere, even smashing a giant apple snail shell we had found and she had been keeping. The coin was the only thing they stole, probably thinking it was valuable. What they didn’t know was that it was priceless to me.

Then, two years later, my twin sister surprised me with another one—an incredible, heartfelt gift.