Just got orders for tomorrow from Hawk, prior to which I talked with Chandra, babe, I love you. The boss is just running through the scheme of things with Riley and Dorner as they were on OP shift during the business. Looks like we'll be busy all day tomorrow, and thats all I can say about that... more to follow on another day. At any rate, went on patrol today with Rediger and as we were sitting in some compound it dawned on me that we hadn't patrolled together yet. We had to check out 3 places today, the third of which spawned about 10 Afghani kids and a couple of adults. The Americans that were with us wanted to talk for awhile with the elder. I gave the eldest kid a pack of gum and took two sticks for myself. He divvied the pieces out to them. Some chewed it down in a gulp, some stuck it on their little hats, a little girl was stringing it through her hands, and a couple just plain didn't like it. The youngest of em all was the only one who chewed it for the duration of our stay. He was by far the most enthusiastic of the crew. The kids ended up bringing us out all some tea from their little compound. We sat their against a wall while the yanks had their talk. The kids kept crowding around and checking out our kit. At one point one of the boys started pointing to us and from the interpretor said he was calling us lazy. He'd point to Costall, and say lazy, then he'd point to Rediger, and again "lazy" and then he pointed to me, and "lazy." Cheeky ;little bugger. Anyway after awhile I got tired of him calling me lazy and decided it was time to challenge him. I told the terp to tell him this and the kid thought I wanted to fight him. I ensured him that I didn't want that, and took a water bottle and set it up about 10 ft away. Well, if theres one thing these kids are good at its chucking rocks. I gave him 2 and me 2, and drew a line in the sand. Well, the kid had a pretty girly wind up, but I tell ya when that rock left his hand it was clippin. He missed the first time but by very little and the second one ne nailed it. Then it was my turn. I missed both. They all had a good laugh at that, and I told the terp to tell him he won. He then says to me, " well if I won, then wheres my prize?" I ended up giving him a brown Canadian flag we wear on our shoulders. He seemed satisfied. They then started making fun of our moustaches. I asked him where his was, and he replies that someone stole it from his face. Funny as hell. They liked checking out our lights and weapons, at one point the kid was looking through my scope from the wrong end. I had to cant my weapon down as he was looking into the barrel. We must have sat there for a good hour just hanging out with the kids. I showed them a picture of Chandra that I keep in my helmet, and they were transfixed on it as none of them had ever seen a white woman before, let alone another woman without a burka on her face. I want to acquire a polaroid camera so I can take a picture with some of htese kids and leave it with them, instead of us taking pics and leaving them with none. I try not to let them know I'm taking pics, just to capture them in candid moments. I find those ones turn out the best anyway. The whole time we were there, we could see the little girls tucked away behind tehir walls, and once in awhile poke their heads out. The smallest of them scamper around in their bare feet and are allowed outside. The older women stay hidden away. Theres stories of the women getting beat because they showed themselves to soldiers walking around in theire streets. A totally different world, and one that they'll only ever know I guess.
Got back from patrol just before night and the boys did a hell of a job while we were gone. We now have wooden shitters, instead of a plastic pail and tarps around it. It was Rileys design, and I gotta tell you its a magnificent shit house. Bergeron designed a gate, that hinges open on an old artillery round and has concertina wire wrapped around 2x4's. I'm pretty impressed with what they did with what we got.
I'm gonna be leaving here in a few days to fill a position elsewhere. Fortins going on leave so I have to take his spot over for a couple of weeks. I thought it'd be a month but its not the case.
Anyway, big day tomorrow, and quite the task. Should be a good go, and the section is pretty pumped about it. Everyone is doin good, and the small things are boosting our morale. Like a lantern in our room, and wooden outhouses. Anyway........ night
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