I remember an old joke about a man catching his wife...

.. in bed with a neighbor and as she stared at him over her paramour's shoulder she said, "Who are you gonna believe, me or your lying eyes?"

All of which brings me to this picture - an iconic photo from May 4, 1970, which provokes all manner of thoughts in folks. Student unrest and violence - anti-war protests - national guard massacre --- Nixon - all of these thoughts. The photographer, a journalism student, won a Pulitzer Prize for it, every paper in the world carried it. But the picture itself is a lie.

Mary Ann Vecchio was a troubled teen who had panhandled her way to Kent, Ohio, from Opa-Locka, Fla. The photographer was John Filo, the son of a steelworker, a senior ready to embark on a journalism career.

Photographed by Mr. Filo as she cried in horror over Jeffrey Miller's body, Mary Ann, 14, instantly became an icon symbolizing the cost of conviction in America. Mr. Filo earned a Pulitzer Prize for his efforts, sealing a future in mainstream media.

In spite of official findings, victims have never been properly cleared of posing a threat to the National Guard and to national security, Mr. Payne says. They're still "bums" -- as President Nixon branded those who opposed his decision to invade Cambodia four days before the shootings. It is a surreal footnote to the strange life of Ms. Vecchio, 39, who claims she has spent miserable decades under public scrutiny. After the shootings, she was eventually returned to her family, which capitalized on her new fame by manufacturing T-shirts featuring Mr. Filo's photograph. The words, "Now Will You Listen," and Mary Ann's autograph appeared beneath the image.

Returning to school, Mary Ann was expected to be a spokeswoman for campus unrest, but she had little understanding of the country's turbulent politics. She was condemned by Florida Gov. Claude Kirk as a communist and was reviled by schoolmates. She received thousands of pieces of hate mail.

Later Ms. Vecchio was arrested for petty crimes and prostitution. She told Geraldo Rivera about her unsavory career on "Goodnight, America."

The picture, she would contend, wrecked her life. Ms. Vecchio disappeared, only to be unearthed by the media on Kent State anniversaries.

She married Joe Gillum, a plumbing contractor, in 1979, and her life settled down. Not long before the Kent State memorial was dedicated, she told a newspaper, "Big deal. It has nothing to do with my life."

Ms Vecchio-Gillum is now a cashier in Las Vegas. By now you Pilgrims got to be askin' yourselves, "What in tarnation is Pecoz wound up about?" And I'm gonna tell you. Yesterday I had the high honor and privilege of visiting the Headquarters of the Air Force Command in which I served for an updated mission briefing (since my retirement a hunnert years ago) and recognition as a Pioneer, along with several others. We were also given a tour of their History Museum which included pictures and memorabilia of both the Air Force and the Country's times since 1949. This infamous picture was hung plumb in the middle of the wall depicting the Vietnam era.

It has always troubled me that folks take this picture at face value, the despondent Kent State Student wailing over her slain classmate. I am certain that the Museum curator thought he was demonstrating open minded, even handedness by displaying this photo there. But to my mind, it has no business there with meaningful pictures.

A fourteen year old pan handling runaway thought it would be 'great fun' to go join the on-campus protests. She sure called that wrong - but she also sure wasn't a despondent well intentioned student either. Oh well, she got more than her fifteen minutes of fame. Quick now! What was the name of the slain student? Ha! Gotcha - it's up there above -- and he's the one we should remember if we need to remember this sorry incident at all.... If there was a victim, it was young Jeffrey Miller and the young Guardsman that shot him, I reckon. Not Ms Vecchio-Gillum.

There!! I got it off my chest and I'm glad..... Thanks for listening....