"Like many of us in Vietnam, Dobbins felt the pull of superstition, and he believed firmly and absolutely in the protective power of the stockings." pg. 112
This made me reflect on how people, whether it be God or an item like pantyhose, turn to a higher power, in fact need a higher power, in times of great trouble. In Vietnam, not known for it's Christian roots, it's no surprise that the soldiers turned to superstitious things like lucky stockings. Also, reading this into the early morning hours is not suggested because the whole chapter I was reminded of the Scooby-Doo movie where he and the gang solve a mystery at a haunted theme-park where, get this, the monsters were real! I think voodoo and stuff were in it, which mirrors some of the superstitious things of Vietnam.
In the next chapter, "Church," I was actually quite surprised at some of the soldier's behavior. As I said, Vietnam ain't so Christian, so when Kiowa, described as a devout Baptist respects the monks' "church," I was pleasantly amused. With all the disrespect toward the Vietnamese, I was sure some violence would follow, however I feel Mr. American sums it up nicely with
"'You're right,' he said. 'All you can do is be nice. Treat them decent, you know?'" pg. 117
Here's the trailer for that movie. Let me tell you, it screams Nam.
