Twentyfive Years Ago Part XXVIII
On the drive back to Kamaksan I became better acquainted with Sergeant Cool. I sat in the back of the jeep squished between his gear. I learned that back in Arizona during those first times I encountered him, he had gone through a divorce. So he had a lot of other things on his mind. My impression of him being a stuck up dude with rank making him too good for lesser enlisted men becamed dashed quickly.
He had been working in Seoul recently. Now he had a yobo in the big city and they were filing marriage paperwork. Sergeant Cool had not picked some whore out of the ville either. Some how he met a college graduate and he even had the blessing of her parents. This elevated him in my eyes too. I kind of hoped she had a horny younger sister, but I never had that kind of luck.
Sergeant Cool had been in the shit too, a Viet Nam vet. But he never talked about the war. That in itself told me a lot. One thing you learned quick in the Army. The men that had seen the elephant, rarely talked about it. Them that did were crazy fucks and you did not want to be around them. They had a tendancy to go off on strange tangents, which were usually painful. I stayed away from them. Most folks that you find that do talk about the war are fucking liars. You learned to ignore their bullshit.
He did talk about the “war stories” in Bangkok and Pubic Bay. Pubic Bay is GI talk for Subic Bay in the Philippines which has a sizeable ville. He got to take R&R (Rest and Relaxation) at both places. The only “war story” I remember from him was about him banging a Filipina in a bathtup while she had her period. Honestly, I wish I could forget that story. Some GIs liked sex like that, referring to it as the Red Badge of Courage. Me. I just smiled and believed that was something I could live without.
As soon as we got back to the mountain Sergeant Cool introduced himself to Country Boy and DC. Me meeting the Sarge first became another reason for DC to get pissed at me. More ice on his raging snowball. Fortuanatley Sergeant Cool recognized this and kept us working on seperate sides of the room. That limited our confrontations to who was going to sweep their work area clean first. Really important issues to DC. I had no problem going last. Where was I going to go anyway?
We got into a routine. Wake up in the morning at six. Do the three Army essentials: shit, shower, and shave. While we took care of the essentials, Curly or one of the other permanent party would pick up Chun si. He was great, cooking eggs to order. Even ham and cheese omelettes. Then we worked til noon. Lunch was always yummy. Grilled Cheese sandwiches, hamburgers, sloppy joes. Men food. Back to work until supper time. Chun-si would cook dinner and then he would be returned home. The suppers were good too. Spagetti, steak and potato really good eatin’. When the driver returned we would watch a movie. If we liked it we might watch it two or three times.
After a week, Sergeant Cool got stir crazy. It was time for a beer. Curly said we could go to Tongduchon. The jeep had a pass that allowed it to be out after curfew. We could drink until closing time if we wanted. Curly said they had a place they normally parked the jeep. Even said they had brought girls back to the mountain in the past. That got my attention real quick.
My memories of that Wednesday night are quite clear. Seven days after Sergeant Cool arrived. As soon as he called an end to the work, we all ate supper, showered, and changed into nicer clothes. Even Country Boy joined us.
Of course DC came along. In his friendlier moments he had talked about marrying a Korean woman. DC was an older fellow (early 30s) and he wanted to have a little DC. The thought of him having a kid was scarey to me. But DC never threatened me when we visited the ville.
We parked the jeep in a civilian parking lot. An adashi took the parking fee and watched over all of the vehicles parked in the lot. We agreed to meet there at a certain time, though we stayed together intially.
Tongduchon had a huge ville. Restaurants, shops, and bars stretched along a series of wide alleys that ran for a mile luring in GI dollars. We ended up going into a bar that played country and western music. The bar girls wore green aprons and one took our order. Four beers and a coke for this round. DC left after the first beer. I suspect the music prompted him to go. He and I both preferred rock and roll.
Me. I plotted. They have to pick up Chun si in the morning. It is only five minutes from his house to Camp Casey. Why can’t they pick me up in the morning too?
“Yo, Sarge,” I said. “You mind if I stay in the ville tonight?”
Now Sergeant Cool was a cut up. He joked about every damn thing. And this silly grin appeared on his face.”Damn Blakemore. You fishing for the clap so soon? Hasn’t your dick already rotted off?”
I turned red, because he talked so damn loud. Fortunately, whatever red neck was singing on the speakers was louder and no one paid any attention.
Sarge continued. “Well hell I don’t wanna keep a good man down. Plus if you don’t get some pussy soon, you might try to fuck me and I’d have to kill you. But I’m not the driver. For the record, I don’t give a shit.”
So I looked at Curly, still red faced. “So can you get me in the morning?”
He nodded his assent. Great! Time to get laid. Since we entered the bar I had been scoping the girls out. All Korean of course. It appeared our waitress had no attachments. I could see other girls sitting at the different tables. I had never noticed this girl sit at any table yet.
Our waittress came back to check on us. She was short, even by Korean standards. I suspect she might be 5 foot tall (152 cm). She was very thin. Her hair had been cut short with no bangs, combed evenly around her head. It framed her face, which was plain and covered with acne. She had a cute smile and I liked her bright brown eyes. They gleamed with life and enthusiasm.
She stopped and looked at me. I smiled at her.
“So what you doing tonight,” she asked? I suspect she only expected small talk. She smiled a very pleasant smile.
“I’m sleeping with you tonight,” I replied.
My words were like a shock and you could see her jump a bit from my words. Her eyes widened a bit. But she was Korean and these people are good at hiding feelings. In a second she returned to her previous posture and facial expression.
“You are,” she asked?
“Do you have a yobo?”
“No, I got no yobo.”
“Then I’m staying with you tonight.”
She smiled. “You wantey more beer now.”
I responded, “Get us another round. Get yourself something too.”
She walked away with out order.
“Goddamn Blakemore,” Sergeant Cool spoke. “You don’t mess around.”
I looked back at him and said, “Life’s too short to wait.”
Everybody laughed. She returned and set our beers down. She put the tray down and set down next to me. I put my arm around her shoulder and life felt good for the moment.
June 8th, 2006 at 3:06 pm
Let the Gud Times Lock and Load!!! ChuP!
June 8th, 2006 at 3:07 pm
Blue Ribbon Lock and Loaded Boy.
June 8th, 2006 at 5:51 pm
zzZZZZzzz sleepwalking zzZZZZZzzzz
June 8th, 2006 at 5:55 pm
Hurry May May. You should be able to get some more winkies. *tucks in with red ribbon*
June 8th, 2006 at 6:22 pm
awwkkkaayyyy… as long as you were havin’ a good time! LOL!
I’ll have to practice sleepwalking in the middle of the night for a blue ribbon next…
June 8th, 2006 at 7:43 pm
Me or LB?
June 8th, 2006 at 8:23 pm
Ha! Ha! I like that one - Red Badge of Courage, eh? That’s a real messy affair!
June 8th, 2006 at 9:04 pm
I wouldn’t know. I get grossed out that time of the month.
June 8th, 2006 at 9:11 pm
Yea! More Korea!
And, I’ve just taken a browse, and read so many cool posts…I’ve been a bad blog friend, I’ve missed so much coolness.
But I’m back more now.
June 8th, 2006 at 9:11 pm
pray elaborate on ‘pubic bay’. else i join May in her sleepwalk.
June 8th, 2006 at 9:18 pm
LMAO!! sleepwalking May!!!
boy, these ribbons come hard-earned!!
June 8th, 2006 at 9:20 pm
and does LB have a gadget attached to his arms each time you post? or has he turned into THE robot himself? :O
June 8th, 2006 at 9:31 pm
I’m glad your back Kimananda. Does this mean you finished for this semester?
Pubic Bay is the GI slang for Subic Bay in the Philippines. It is a major US Naval base. And they have a sizeable ville for the squids when they get off their boats.
I don’t know how L B does it. And there was a long time before the red and white ribbon were claimed.
June 8th, 2006 at 10:13 pm
Yes, life is too short to wait!
But why rush through life, when the final destination for all life is death.
June 8th, 2006 at 10:34 pm
I look at things like this now. I little different than 25 Years Ago.
Everyday is a gift and I thank the Lord for it. I also thank him that the day brings me one day closer to death and meeting him as well. For me death is just a new beginning. No more pain, no more sorrow, the old things will pass away.
June 8th, 2006 at 11:24 pm
u know khor….must feel nice to walk down memory lane again.
i’m amaze at the details u remember - truly fantastic! 
anyway, here’s ted’s site : http://rpg-rant.blogspot.com/ have fun. 
June 8th, 2006 at 11:42 pm
Thanks Mui. There are some holes. But I just pass them and go with the story. If I forgot they must not be important. Though I wish I could remember more of Sergeant Cool’s funny stories. He had us rolling on the floor.
June 9th, 2006 at 2:08 am
damn, army life, what fun!
I’m still wondering why I decided to bring my army gear over here with me, the kevlar helmut might come in useful against a squirrel I suppose…
June 9th, 2006 at 3:37 am
LOL@The.Red.Badge
And the direct approach too. Sergeant Cool got it right, didn’t he?
June 9th, 2006 at 5:02 am
What a pick up line.. Guys here can learn a bit.
But if you use that nowadays, you may get a kick in the bollacks!
June 9th, 2006 at 6:22 am
You still have your gear FF? I had to give back the helmut and such. Still have my uniforms, but no way I could fit them now.
Sergeant Cool was smart. But always with a cheeky way of coming across Plinksan.
I spent my whole time on medical profile thinking that line up ZM. It’ll only work in the ville. And I really should have been kicked in the bollacks back then.
June 9th, 2006 at 6:54 am
haha, Misti… it’s a tracking device implanted on SA.. activated by that PUBLISH button.
June 9th, 2006 at 6:56 am
L B the Italian Mayaysian spy. 0.0
June 9th, 2006 at 9:24 am
*strikes up the medley themes from Get Smart/The Man from M.A.L.A.Y.S.I.A/Mission: ImPlinkable/MataHari/Le Bond/Plink Planther/The Spy Who Came In From The Pizza..
June 9th, 2006 at 11:11 am
Just last nite my hubby and I were talking about Subic Bay. YOU shock me with your Pubic Bay….but as I read on I laughed. My hubby told me it is a huge Navy camp. He grew up there.
June 9th, 2006 at 11:41 am
Where’s all that music coming from. Hi there L B.
Hi Mag. Where the US military goes there have always been bars and shops to cater to them on their free time. The girls of Filipinas have a certain notiriety and I have hears a lot about them. As I write this tale I use GI slang and some of it is pretty ugly. The sad part is I still tone down some things because GIs can get pretty vulgar. Especially when is just guys yakking or with the bar girls that have become immune to the insults.
June 9th, 2006 at 12:58 pm
*gosh* i dunno how many of your korean episodes i have not read.. i am soooo far behind!! i have to catch up after my exams.. Sorry?! i am so lost reading this post!
June 9th, 2006 at 1:43 pm
Thats okay JJ. I’ll make sure these posts are all nicely linked for when you are ready.
Now hit those books. I may need a lawyer in Malaysia someday. OK?
June 9th, 2006 at 5:35 pm
chup chup chup…
oh… nothing to chup ah? ah ya, cannot chup May’s style… zzzZZZ
wah, LB got muzik coming outta him ah? so implessive.
June 9th, 2006 at 5:35 pm
ah ya, i turned into spam again, SA. boohooo
June 9th, 2006 at 5:37 pm
ah yooooo your box got life of its own. now i am clutter. sori.
June 9th, 2006 at 6:18 pm
L B had digital music coming out of him.
Misti you never make clutter here. HUGS.
June 9th, 2006 at 11:56 pm
Hugs…. life is too short to wait! I like that!!!
June 10th, 2006 at 12:06 am
Hugs to you Jane. Life gets shorter every single day.
June 10th, 2006 at 10:25 am
you need to explain about towels to oceanskies. *grins*
June 10th, 2006 at 10:28 am
i noticed something. if i typed twice, i won’t turn into spam. *shazam abracadabra!!!*
June 10th, 2006 at 2:20 pm
HEY!!!!! no chatbox liao??
can i join the sleepwalking too?? jajjaa!!
SA! hugs!!! :-*
June 10th, 2006 at 9:52 pm
I do misti? *blushes*
I think the spam thingie now recognizes you are okay.
No CC. The chatbox was eating too much spam. So I had to say goodbye to it. Hugs to you chica!
June 10th, 2006 at 10:51 pm
it turned me into, the last time, SA. up there it did. that’s why i did another. lemme try again. (any reason to clutter i grab, lol)
and…. yes, our chicken little stashed away her precious feather. *wink wink*
June 10th, 2006 at 10:55 pm
yep. 3 or 4 minutes passed. i’m spam alright. let’s shazam again. and i might appear. unless it’s too late for that magic. it has to be sooner. lol.
June 10th, 2006 at 10:59 pm
LOL!!!!! i have to post twice, i am right!!!!!
perhaps your box here is lonely for company. hey box, i love you too. we all do. you won’t be alone, not when we’re all sleeping different hours round the clock, okay? love you, box. xxx
June 10th, 2006 at 11:14 pm
Stashed where might I ask? hmmm…
Phbbt!!! I dun understand?
June 11th, 2006 at 12:29 am
well, if i post once, i won’t appear. twice does the trick. and thereafter, it’ll be alright.
anyway, you have an invite to jane’s! partay time!
June 11th, 2006 at 1:32 am
Really? Partay. Woo Hoo!
June 11th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
that was explicit, ya.
*wipes brow off..
June 11th, 2006 at 9:40 pm
You need another towel? LOL
June 12th, 2006 at 7:48 am
ehm. not one that’s been used by you..
June 12th, 2006 at 8:49 am
Clean towel? So demanding hor? kekeke
June 16th, 2006 at 12:59 am
Damn! If that is how it happened u were pretty bold. I thought I was the stuff when I asked my wifey to sleep with me the first night I met her (aparently she never left the next day), but you didn’t ask, you told! :O
June 16th, 2006 at 6:22 am
I just got ubercocky. It’s not too difficult with a bar girl. They want the money ya know.