Home Sweet...Um Something...

One Blackhawk ride, four shuttle busses, two chartered busses, one ride hitched with a Security Contractor in an Armored F350, one blue Japanese Air Force C-130, one chartered 757, one commuter plane and a ride in the Reguvinatormobile with a whole lot of hurry up and wait and plain old hassle in between and I’m back in Buttholeville.

In Atlanta I was spoke to rudely along with my fellow service members because we were unsure of the procedure for reentering the Country that Politicians say we’re defending. Welcome Home, now empty you’re fucking pockets.

Forget that we had to completely empty our bags in front of Navy Customs in Kuwait.

I’ve got maybe four tooth brushes back in Taji, but, not a one here. After emptying my bags in Kuwait, I know I put my shaving kit back in my D-Bag. It wasn’t there last night.

Buttholeville, yes, I’ve had people “thank” me, which I don’t feel is necessary, but, I had a fancy convertible with Floridiot plates attempt to pull around me as I waited for someone to clear the turn I was going to make. I waived them around thinking they were going straight only to have them whip into the turn I was going to make as the other car cleared it. Welcome Home.

At the Phone Company I had to patiently wait while the nice young lady explained in Spanish to what was most likely an illegal alien about their phone not yet being hooked up. They were first and that’s fair enough. But, that’s modern irony in Eroding Appalachia. Welcome Home.

I sat in the Asheville Airport looking at an advertisement for Bear Lake. Bear Lake is a reservoir over in Jackson County that is surrounded by allot of wild land. It’s now being parceled up by a developer. Welcome Home.

Now relations with my family are strained. It’s 0420 Saturday morning. I’ve been up since 0300. My house is not the same place. I gave my Mother a key so she could look in on the place once and a while. Even though my trustworthy former Father In Law living right next to me has a key. My Brother who is my Power Of Attorney and the whole deal lives down near Birmingham Alabama. It’s not covenant for him. But, most of all I gave it to her to keep her from feeling left out. I told her to just look in on the place, change out the moisture bags, etc. I had pretty much boxed everything up. My Mother came up here and rearranged the house, brought in new furniture, took my stuff and put it all through the house. My reloading gear was left between two bed rooms, She took all of my uniforms and put them on the other side of the house. My Rucksack in one closet, my Cold Weather Bag which I left in a stuff sack was in my bed room closet taken apart. I can’t find the stuff sack. Nothing is in the same place in my kitchen. I open droors and find odd things. I felt something at the edge of my bed when I got up. It was a plastic container. I looked underneath, but, the one I had left was not there. There was a collector issue Playboy in it. Where’s my 13 Star American Flag? She came here, against my will and made the place the way she wanted it. What she didn’t understand she stuck off in some odd place. Heck, it almost looks like I have a wife again, the only thing I would ask of her is to leave my stuff intact. I love her and now I have to forgive her.

Bosco just looked at me and walked away in her dubious manner.

My Stepsons Girl Friend had miscarried this summer, now she’s two months pregnant.

One of the Waitress’s down at the diner paid my bill against my will. I argued with her. She argued back. She said since I wouldn’t let them send me stuff she was going to do it anyway. It’s funny, at one time I mistaked her for being single only to find out she’s married. She’s always treated me the same though.

When I left here back in April it was cloudy. The Mountains disappeared into the clouds. This time the Mountains appeared out of them. They were pretty from the air. They were prettier down in them. The seasons were changing again. It’s almost like a circle. I flew off to the north, flew in from the south.

Despite it all, it’s kind of nice to be here. I don’t like to talk about such things as family affairs. But, some of you come here because you want to know what the War is like. The truth is I can’t describe it to you. But, maybe this small part gives you an idea.

Today your love tomorrow the world…

The Appalachianist