"If you want to call earth, theres a six minute delay"
Time is moving along with my counterparts from the 104th. Soon enough it will be theirs and I will be preparing to leave Taji…Leave Iraq. Kuwait, Wisconsin…Then to home. Home, a place I know exists, know the realities of, yet seems so far…So uncertain. When I went home on my two week R&R, the only thing I anticipated was that Bosco, that fickle dog, would be happy to see me. She wasn’t. Wouldn’t have a thing to do with me for days. My Ex, finally explained it to me, Bosco was mad that I left…I left her. She warmed back up to me after a week or so, and then I was gone again.
Those two weeks, all twenty minutes of them, I was a stranger in some ways. A non stranger in a strange land more like it. I often had the uncomfort of having to listen to someone’s opinions about the war, both pro and con. For the most part I was the happiest Hunting. There I was treated as another one of the boy’s. I was home for a couple of weeks from Iraq, so? I didn’t mind a few questions, but I was sometimes prodded. I didn’t like that.
This time, I’m expecting Bosco to come up to me gnashing her teeth, growling and biting me…Tearing my leg off. Well, no. I know she ain’t going to be warm to me though. Not for a while. Can you imagine having to fight with your face like an animal? Well, we humans do it verbally, often with words coming out of our mouth we wish we hadn’t had said and our ears hearing words we wish we hadn’t had heard with effects we wish we hadn’t had felt. It’s as cruel as our animal brethren, and we are all guilty.
My time here is almost done and all I want to do when I go home is be myself, just as much as I’ve tried to here…Give things my best shot as I’ve tried to here. “Ride hard, shoot straight, and speak the truth”. In some way’s I will be reinventing myself when I go home, but, it’s more of a chance to refine myself.
Aut Pax Aut Bellum
The Appalachianist
Those two weeks, all twenty minutes of them, I was a stranger in some ways. A non stranger in a strange land more like it. I often had the uncomfort of having to listen to someone’s opinions about the war, both pro and con. For the most part I was the happiest Hunting. There I was treated as another one of the boy’s. I was home for a couple of weeks from Iraq, so? I didn’t mind a few questions, but I was sometimes prodded. I didn’t like that.
This time, I’m expecting Bosco to come up to me gnashing her teeth, growling and biting me…Tearing my leg off. Well, no. I know she ain’t going to be warm to me though. Not for a while. Can you imagine having to fight with your face like an animal? Well, we humans do it verbally, often with words coming out of our mouth we wish we hadn’t had said and our ears hearing words we wish we hadn’t had heard with effects we wish we hadn’t had felt. It’s as cruel as our animal brethren, and we are all guilty.
My time here is almost done and all I want to do when I go home is be myself, just as much as I’ve tried to here…Give things my best shot as I’ve tried to here. “Ride hard, shoot straight, and speak the truth”. In some way’s I will be reinventing myself when I go home, but, it’s more of a chance to refine myself.
Aut Pax Aut Bellum
The Appalachianist
posted by Hill Billy Rave | Saturday, May 19, 2007
10 Comments:
Interesting thoughts about what it means to return home-redefining yourself.
Pax in bello,
Sage
Thanks, Sage.
I didn't mention, that when I was home,my Ex's Cat that lived with me, Pixie, was happy to see me. I know,her cat living with me...There's a story to that.
Let's hope Mom hasn't been in to rearrange and redecorate again.
Ride hard, shoot straight, and speak the truth. I'll take the liberty to add "and watch their hands"
:-)
Well, that was another thing. I didn't recognize my own house, couldn't find a thing. I grew on me after a while, all nice and neat, it was like living with a woman again.
They just got through playing Hinder on the radio again. They suck! I've about got a mind to tell you'll why.
Gunner, can you rememeber who said that?
A.I., you'll learn to appreciate Hinder once you've heard the country version of 'Lips of an Angel'. Thankfully, that should be off of radio's playlist by the time you get home. If for nothing else, be thankful that you missed that. :-)
Whatever anyone with their opinion on the war said and as they say everyone's got one, an opinion, I have admired you and your regular posse because you both have tried to keep a part of you free from the war and the posse as I call them have always focused on you- win, lose, or draw and coming home is a big, big win big time for all of us. The dog will get used to you again, and don't be too hard on the dumbies like me who weren't there. I remember years ago seeing a young soldier walking forward as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulers and saw his jump badge and knew that he was carrying the weight of the world on those shoulders. Needless to say it was you. Thanks and CYA always and come home to the real war and that's not to say yours is any less real. Take care soldier. Bill
I am glad you got the chance to visit home. I can only imagine how fast your visit went.
Stay safe cutie!
~xo
Well you'll thanks for your words. I hope I don't have to endure a equally wimpy Country version of "Lips of an Angel".
Thanks Bill, I'm about ready to be back.
Lee Ann, well, yeah, that was a long time back. Seven months ago. Thanks.
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