myself from my cousins, the bear I had to learn to be tough and strong because lifting those eight hundred pound bear is a chore. I figure that had to be it. You can’t believe how hard it is to carry a couple of bear a mile.” He looked at the gloomy expressions on Gomez’s face, he held his breath as long as he could then burst out laughing, not wanting to show frivolity but to no avail.
“Alright, get out of here.” Gomez ordered.
He reached the Bunk as his friends were getting dressed.
“Great job Butch.” Rick said. Grins all around but there was a get even expressions on their faces. As one they all tackled Braydon, hauled him into the latrine and threatened to drown him in one of the toilets. “This is what happens when you get us all in trouble.” They let him fall hard to the floor and then they all collapsed around him unable to control laughter. With sides splitting they carried Braydon to his bunk with the emphasis on laying him gently on the bed. But to his surprise the wood floor greeted him instead of the soft bed. He would have a head ache for a few days but it was even funny to him.
The volcano erupted and they rolled on the ground, unable to control the laughter. Then Gomez walked through the door, “A problem here?” he asked.
“No Sargent, it was just a hazing of our new recruit. He did great today.” Fred said holding his sides.
“That’s right; he did but let’s keep the noise down. The Captain will hear you and you’ll all be worse than hazed.”
“Thank you Sargent.” They said in unison.
“Butch, you have had an eventful day. Pissed off a Staff Sargent, who none of us wants to wake up on the wrong side of the bed with, although sharing the bed might be alright, caught the attention of everyone with your antics. But I must admit, other than being on one person’s shit list you had a great day on the obstacle course, probably setting the best time we have had in years. Then when you got back, you faked being completely done in. You need to remember, your nemesis has been at this for fifteen years, gone through hundreds of recruits. She knows the baby bottle from the wine bottle. So here is some advice. Shut up, go hard and fast, don’t question her and don’t say a thing to her. Oh, you should also know she has the highest reject ratio in the service. You either cut it or you go. No middle of the road. Do you understand?” Gomez emphases.
“Yes Sargent. Shut up, put up; I mean as far as getting the job done. I should also be sweet, lovable and charming. Will that do it Sergent.”
“I think you can leave that part out. Remember, she’ll chew you up and spit you out then stomp on you with her cleated boots. Don’t play around, and don’t be a smart ass. Now hit the shower.”
There was no hesitation. He showered and ran for chow. That’s all he had on his mind right now. It felt like years since he had eaten.
Boot camp was now thirty days old. Braydon had survived this long even with the angel of death looming over him all day every day. She didn’t leave room for Gomez to do much. He had put on five lbs. of pure muscle. Now, and at a Mr. America l75 lbs. he was starting to feel the extra strength. Running was a pleasure, though he told no one, he was over the barricade in record time and no more jumping when he crawled through the netting with the bullets rocketing overhead. One close call was enough and besides that, his mom had raised any dummy.
Braydon actually felt that Sergeant Angel was beginning to like him although she would never admit it and he wasn’t going to push his luck. Once in a while she would come to their table and even talk to them, be it short and to the point, but never the less there were a few kind words. He even felt she smiled at him once. Then again, it was probably a snarl.
Evenings were passed playing cards or telling stories, there were not many things to do. Braydon could only listen to the others when it came to jokes and girls. Beaver Dam was not what you would call girl heaven. For every one girl there were five guys so his chance of getting a date were slim to none and none being the prevalent answer. You could always take a goat to the dance, however. He learned a lot from the stories and jokes but he was ready for the real thing, he wanted romance. At least he thought he did but since he had never experienced, how would he know.
Next weekend was two night leave. There were no exercises, running, getting shot at, just fun and frivolity. San Diego offered all kinds of night life ripe for those ready to go after it.
The bus left at 0:800 and there was no way the team was going to miss it. They were there a half hour early and so got the best seats. Who would have thought that a 48 hour pass would bring so much happiness, at least to his mind it would.
The bus let them off next to Denny’s where they had breakfast and a total bill was $95.00 for the nine of them and that included several extra meals, including the tip to the semi cute waitress. They were not overly stuffed and would make it until lunch.
A walk along the water front would work off a good portion of the breakfast. There was very little open at this time so Balboa Park here they come. It was a little walk but nothing to their daily drudgery. The old shops, museums, and displays were all new to them. It wasn’t like they could buy anything, just look. The excitement didn’t last long, no money no fun. It was lunch time anyway!
They took a longer route back to the wharf but didn’t get there. They couldn’t afford sea food and drink all night. “Ok guys, we don’t have enough dough to eat sea food and drink. So what will it be?”
Braydon went for food the others, without hesitation, went for the drinks. Braydon had never drank before and wasn’t sure what he was in for but he wasn’t going to look like sniveling wimp. There has to be a first time for everything.
You can get a lot at MacDonald’s for $40.00 value meals. That blooded their stomachs to breaking. They got their fill so they took up five tables and sat there. It was only 14:00, now the tough decision, when and where to start the night life.
Zeto was not a slow thinker, “I vote we start on 5th Ave. There are four or five nice bars there and we could let them have the benefit of our worldly knowledge and our charm.”
“Who cares about knowledge? Volumes what counts.” Trevor was right on, at least as far as the others were concerned.
“It’s decided, we crash 5th Ave. We should be able to put most of the bars out of business by 0100 and then we can maybe, make it to the park and pass out.” All but one burst out laughing, all but Braydon. “Come on sad sack, it will be fun.” Braydon just nodded nervously.
“Butch, why are you so gloomy? You look like you’ve seen a troll or something. No, wait a minute, that’s what we ate at McDonald’s,” Fred’s grin creased his face from ear to ear.
Braydon was so embarrassed he turned seven shades of red and maybe more. “Guy’s, I’ve never had a drink, only Coke.” Albert responded.
The sunset dissolved into hysteria. “You’ve had nothing to drink but Coke, and how old are you? Did you know that’s un-American?”
Albert and Teddy had to sit on the curb and hold their sides while the others just split a gut leaning again the nearest building.
Finally the frivolity slips to snickers. “Ok big boy, we’ll take good care of you and not let you go past your legal consumption limit for someone the age of twelve. “ Jenkins offered. The silence didn’t last and they all began to laugh again.