Читать книгу Adventures In Navyland - Joe Psy.D. Callihan - Страница 12

Finally, we were down to just two days of Boot Camp left. My incident on the parade ground had happened only a day earlier. On that second to last day, we had just finished having lunch. Upon returning to the barracks, as usual, many were engaged in various activities. Some were having conversations, others were reading a book, while still others were writing a letter home. No one was sitting on their bunk, as that was not allowed. All were either standing around or sitting down at the small tables in the center isle of the barracks. I was in the process of attempting to hang my P coat when suddenly it happened.

The three guys from Brooklyn, Dumbo, Dumb, & Dumber, had gathered around Jim, who was sitting at one of the tables. All of a sudden, they let out with a vicious attack. Immediately Jim’s nose began to bleed. Customarily, Jim began to laugh saying his usual, “Hit me again – hit me here!”

All at once one of the guys who was sitting at a table about four feet away from the Dummies, jumped to his feet. “ALRIGHT, THAT’S ENOUGH! THIS POOR KID IS MENTALLY SICK, AND I’M TIRED OF WATCHING YOU TORMENT HIM. IT WILL STOP – AND STOP NOW!” To this, the chief Dummy, Dumbo replied, “Whose going to stop us?” “I AM!” the good guy answered. “You, and who else?”

I can’t tell you how much I appreciated that question. In fact, I missed the hook, dropping my coat as I rushed to stand beside the good guy who had demanded they stop. What happened next looked like a scene from a movie. It was almost as if it was choreographed, but this was real life.

One by one, the guys put down their books or letters. They stopped their conversations. It got really still, as one by one they either came to stand beside me and my brave friend, or beside the Dummies. Sadly, of the 79 people there, it was like a 50 – 50 split. Half of them liked being sadistic, enjoying the torture of a fellow human being, while the other half by now knew Jim was mentally gone. He did not deserve receiving such treatment. It had to come to an end, and if it took a fight, so be it!

As we were picking out who we wanted to fight, I turned to my friend – the instigator, and I asked him a favor. “Bill, you can have the other two, but I want the one with the mouth. I have some unfinished business with him.” “I know, I heard what happened yesterday on the parade ground. O. K., as much as I’d like to have him, he’s yours.” I pointed to Dumbo, and grinned with a big smile on my face. To his credit, he pointed back at me, but I just knew I was going to enjoy this fight.

Once everyone was in position, we started slowly moving toward our intended target, pointing to them all the way. Then suddenly, there it was again, the mystery voice came from behind saying, “Wait! If we fight over this kid, we will be here for six months. We only have one more day to go through, then it’s home. Think about it, this kid is not worth it!” The Dummies agreed saying, “O.K., the kid’s not worth it!” My instigator friend then said, “O.K. But if any of you try to hurt this kid again, NO ONE will stop me from hurting you!”

I REALLY LIKED THAT GUY – KIND OF REMINDS ME OF ME – I WISH I COULD REMEMBER HIS NAME!