Do They Know What It's Like to have a Graveyard as a Friend?*

I am responsible for the design of the "I Love Brainy Boro" logo, the message being; use your brain, does it make sense to raise the taxes/rents on small business owners in downtown Metuchen to fill the vacant storefronts? In opposition to the Metuchen Downtown Alliance, I paid for "I Love Brainy Boro" signs and they were place on lawns and in windows of like-minded citizens and business owners. The signs were a communication's vehicle whereby people exercised their democratic right and spoken out regarding their opposition. That's me holding a sign in the photograph speaking at the public hearing, however unfortunately, the Metuchen Borough Council unanimously approved the ordinance. One day during the opposition campaign, I noticed a post on Facebook by an irate homeowner who arrived home from work to find a sign on her front lawn. I posted that I always received permission before placing a sign. The next day I found out signs had been placed in Hillside Cemetery. I assumed that the signs had been placed along the single-lane asphalt road that meanders through the cemetery, similar to the way I had placed signs on Main Street. I went to the cemetery to remove them, but when I drove into the cemetery there were no signs along the road, so I assumed someone beat me to it. Then I looked in the newest section of the cemetery and noticed a sign. I parked my car and walked over to the gravesite. To the left of the headstone was an American flag displayed in a US military veteran, Korean War grave marker. In front of the headstone, beautiful flowering plants had been lovingly planted. To the right of the headstone was an "I Love Brainy Boro" sign. To say that I was blown away doesn't even begin to describe the effect this obvious outpouring of love and understanding had on me. Then I noticed two other "I Love Brainy Boro" signs and walked over to those gravesites. Again there were American flags on display for the Korean War veterans along with the "I Love Brainy Boro" signs. My father served in the US Navy during World War II and the Korean War. I know Korean War veterans did not return home to the same feeling of victory that the World War II veterans enjoyed. The Korean War veterans had done their duty and just went on with their lives. This experience made me think of my father's father, Martin Jessen, who is also buried in Hillside Cemetery. He served as a drill sergeant in the US Army at Fort Ontario, Oswego, New York, during World War I and then went to France serving with the Base Hospital #70 Regiment. As a young girl, whenever I would ask my grandfather what he did during World War I, he would only say, "I was a pill pusher." I then thought about my two ancestors buried in Pennsylvania from my mother's side of the family. My great-great-great grandfather, Frederick Brunner, served as a 4th Class Private, 3rd Company, Worcester Township, Bucks County in the local militia and fought at the Battle of Germantown. My great-great-great-great grandfather, Jacob Reed, was a colonel who served under George Washington at the Battle of Brandywine. According to a book I found in the library at the Daughters of the American Revolution in Washington, D.C., Colonel Reed was dragged from his home and tarred and feathered by the Tories! The American Revolution was started by the people because of taxation. The display of the "I Love Brainy Boro" signs is also the people voicing their opposition to taxation. The relatives of the veterans who placed the "I Love Brainy Boro" signs next to the graves got it! They know what ALL veterans fought for. I know what it's like to have a graveyard as a friend. Nancy E Jessen - I Love Brainy Boro * "Talking Old Soldiers" song lyrics from the album Tumbleweed Connection, song by Elton John, lyrics by Bernie Taupin, 1970.