Fall In!

Just a realization that as time marches on, some lessons are never forgotten...

I just happened to look at the calendar a few minutes ago and realized today was an anniversary of sorts for me. Thirty-seven years ago today, I was spending my first night as a US soldier at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

Not much of it really stands out in my memory anymore. We were policed up at the Columbia airport and shuttled to the reception station in a pale green military van.

Once there, we were each given a brown paper bag with two ham sandwiches, a bag of chips, several cookies, an apple in it and some juice to drink. We drew linen and were taken to a big dorm-like bay sleeping area, given about 10 minutes to get squared away and then the lights were out.

I remember lying there amid the soft buzz of everyone talking; too excited to go to sleep just yet. The room grew strangely quiet as off in the distance over loud speakers Taps began to play.

Somehow, it was at that moment that I first actually realized where I was and why. That bugle call's somber duel nature brought on the realization that not only was it used to put soldiers to rest at night, it was also used to usher them into eternal rest.

I don't think I was the only one to have those thoughts as the bay stayed quiet after it was done playing. Our country was still at war in Vietnam and the serious nature of the oath we swore that morning took on a whole new meaning.

It was in those few brief moments of time, initiated by a simple song, that I laid my boyhood aside and became a man.

Reviews

[Bubo]

This very much reminds me of my father when he was a boy flying out to Burma in the WW2, and how he must have had the same realisation that he was no longer a boy, and you capture that so well, the excitement of a boy mingled with the emerging man, and you did come back thank god, but that boy I am sure was gone forever.

[Zeek4]

I was saved by my lottery number, 235. I lost friends there and have a deep respect for the people that had to fight in a senseless war. Seems like our country continues to make the same mistakes. Thanks for taking me back to another time and place.

[An Ordinary Woman]

And here you are, thankfully. you made it back. I'm glad.