Vespers is over and Mexican music fills the air as Eduardo, a good man, tends to several breeds of chickens, roosters and exotic ducks. Jesús, a house down from Eduardo, is running a welding rig and you can see its star bright light from the back deck of the Compound.
He's working on some kind of metal frame which is already a story high, and who knows what this will become. A garage, a small shop, a fortified strong point? Regardless, I'm all in favor, we build, they destroy. That in mind, must get off the hind... and learn Spanish.
Then the phone rang and a young soldier excitedly announced that he'd bought not one, not two, but three uniforms by way of being prepared for deployment. He'd also purchased a large KA-BAR which fast release clips onto his plate rig.
Such martial ebullience was, I learned, part owing to a promotion; he's acting NCO in charge of battalion maintenance prior to a board next month. To that end, he's drawn up a training program involving weekly runs with his team in full gear, plates, helmets and all. Get fit to fight is his message.
Impressed by this I offered a congratulatory well done, and a promise to defray uniform expense. I did not share the story of a Para RSM, veteran of Arnhem and beyond who told this story, "When we were in Malaya we lost more men through self-inflicted knife wounds than anything else."
He was a model of his type and an inspiration to this day. I remember him taking his 1911 pistol out of an armoury safe and showing it to me, he loved that pistol, a keen marksman even retirement.
Then UKGOV made it illegal for law-abiding citizens to own pistols and stole his 1911. What utter, tyrannical, lying, thieving Illuminati shill scoundrels. You see, free men can defend themselves, slaves can't.
That aside, well done boy on the military upvote and plans for combat readiness, let's hope the last part isn't needed and I mean that seriously.
Your Old Pal,
LSP
