Oh-oh....My time is up here, time to go. My buddy's at the last base told the powers that be that they wanted me to stay there. I knew it! They would immediately re-assign me and they did. I was out the next morning!
I was with a patient and heard someone looking for me. I am truly blessed that I went and asked about it, (after I had finished with the patient- damn why didn't I play ignorance?). No one said a word. I asked a some guy that was just passing thru for the day...".Was someone looking for me?" He looked back with a blank stare and then the flashbulb popped over his head. Yes! There was someone- (Let's name her), Tinker Bell ,(originally named Pinocchio girl but, I got my trunk that she sent right away), was looking for me! So off I went in a search and find mission...and she said that I will be leaving in one hour! WTH? I rush to pack...forget finishing my patient paperwork. And I did not have time to say a proper good- bye to the greatest team in history... and for what? To go to sit at the military airport for 4 hrs waiting for a flight. Thank God for Larry who I met right away and we whittled the time away talking and watching CNN and occasionally reading.
So off we went to the plane...and we rode and we drove...We pull up to meet the plane to find out that it too will be late. The soldiers then take us to lunch- nice guys!
The plane finally comes and I'm looking at all of the stuff that will be transported: our stuff, tires, whole blood on ice that has melted- I hope that was not meant for our guys. The transport was very comfy and I slept. I felt the plane move and it glided. I recall thinking as I fell asleep that it was the smoothest plane ride that I ever had. As I was gently snoring away, (honest!), the plane took an upward climb- rudely awakening me, I slid to the next seat- belted and all. The Army guys were having a good laugh and me being a good sport..I smiled back.
As were landing at who knows where... that had no protective wall... I thought, this is interesting. The soldiers fixed their weapons, staring out the windows as we landed. I asked Larry over the tremendous plane noise, "should I be afraid". He said, "I don't know. I've never seen this happen before". The soldiers hesitantly got off the plane all crouched down-like , ready to shoot and they told us not to move until the cargo was moved. Well, half way thru that, it was- "hurry up, get off the plane". We got off looking around...where to go? No transportation in site and this Sergeant person yells at me, " Load your gear princess, there's no bellhops here to do it for you." Do I have the "pick on me" sticker on my forehead? So we all furiously dump our stuff into a golf cart for one. And the sarg guy starts screaming," move it! Move your ass! And he yells, I wouldn't be running around without your helmets and your Kevlar, (bullet proof vest), if I was you." So we stop long enough to throw it over our heads, (forget strapping anything down). Then off we go again running for our lives. Now I'm looking to see where on earth I am. What I see is locals sitting down the hill with soldiers pointing their rifles at them.
I'm in the middle of nowhere. I was dropped off at a special forces base outside of the wire. I had to climb to a very high flat bed truck to go to safety with my vest and helmet on and armed soldiers pointing at the Taliban-ish people. An army sergeant yelled at me to," get my ass up there", he said, "you are in the middle of a war zone- didn't you know that princess?" I said," yeah I knew" and "I've been threatened by the ANA without a weapon and if I get killed, I don't get one of those shiny medals that you get and besides I'm old enough to be your mother" and "I am here of my own freewill, How old are you anyway sweetheart?" He shut his mouth after that! So I climb up to the very high flatbed truck with rotted vegetation that I get to sit on. WTH! I really expected this treatment the first week, not 2 1/2 months into my contract. Off we go to another small base with the flatbed swaying to and fro threatening to throw us off and us hanging onto dear life. It was the end of a very long day...O- O-HO, Not yet!
I was with a patient and heard someone looking for me. I am truly blessed that I went and asked about it, (after I had finished with the patient- damn why didn't I play ignorance?). No one said a word. I asked a some guy that was just passing thru for the day...".Was someone looking for me?" He looked back with a blank stare and then the flashbulb popped over his head. Yes! There was someone- (Let's name her), Tinker Bell ,(originally named Pinocchio girl but, I got my trunk that she sent right away), was looking for me! So off I went in a search and find mission...and she said that I will be leaving in one hour! WTH? I rush to pack...forget finishing my patient paperwork. And I did not have time to say a proper good- bye to the greatest team in history... and for what? To go to sit at the military airport for 4 hrs waiting for a flight. Thank God for Larry who I met right away and we whittled the time away talking and watching CNN and occasionally reading.
So off we went to the plane...and we rode and we drove...We pull up to meet the plane to find out that it too will be late. The soldiers then take us to lunch- nice guys!
The plane finally comes and I'm looking at all of the stuff that will be transported: our stuff, tires, whole blood on ice that has melted- I hope that was not meant for our guys. The transport was very comfy and I slept. I felt the plane move and it glided. I recall thinking as I fell asleep that it was the smoothest plane ride that I ever had. As I was gently snoring away, (honest!), the plane took an upward climb- rudely awakening me, I slid to the next seat- belted and all. The Army guys were having a good laugh and me being a good sport..I smiled back.
As were landing at who knows where... that had no protective wall... I thought, this is interesting. The soldiers fixed their weapons, staring out the windows as we landed. I asked Larry over the tremendous plane noise, "should I be afraid". He said, "I don't know. I've never seen this happen before". The soldiers hesitantly got off the plane all crouched down-like , ready to shoot and they told us not to move until the cargo was moved. Well, half way thru that, it was- "hurry up, get off the plane". We got off looking around...where to go? No transportation in site and this Sergeant person yells at me, " Load your gear princess, there's no bellhops here to do it for you." Do I have the "pick on me" sticker on my forehead? So we all furiously dump our stuff into a golf cart for one. And the sarg guy starts screaming," move it! Move your ass! And he yells, I wouldn't be running around without your helmets and your Kevlar, (bullet proof vest), if I was you." So we stop long enough to throw it over our heads, (forget strapping anything down). Then off we go again running for our lives. Now I'm looking to see where on earth I am. What I see is locals sitting down the hill with soldiers pointing their rifles at them.
I'm in the middle of nowhere. I was dropped off at a special forces base outside of the wire. I had to climb to a very high flat bed truck to go to safety with my vest and helmet on and armed soldiers pointing at the Taliban-ish people. An army sergeant yelled at me to," get my ass up there", he said, "you are in the middle of a war zone- didn't you know that princess?" I said," yeah I knew" and "I've been threatened by the ANA without a weapon and if I get killed, I don't get one of those shiny medals that you get and besides I'm old enough to be your mother" and "I am here of my own freewill, How old are you anyway sweetheart?" He shut his mouth after that! So I climb up to the very high flatbed truck with rotted vegetation that I get to sit on. WTH! I really expected this treatment the first week, not 2 1/2 months into my contract. Off we go to another small base with the flatbed swaying to and fro threatening to throw us off and us hanging onto dear life. It was the end of a very long day...O- O-HO, Not yet!
Once at the tiny base, "mouth-o" gets going again. He immediately assigns the 2 guys to a tent and off they go. And he assigns the other girl to the only female room left- and off she goes...and I say,"where do I go?" Sarge says, "How the hell do I know? What are you anyway?" I said, "I'm a medic". He tells me to go to see the camp medic and maybe they can put you up. I go to reach for my bags, and off he goes again..."Leave your bags....Go, Go, Go" Jeez, some people are just wrapped way too tight. At this point we are alone so, I thank my lucky stars that he didn't thrash me or whatever it is the military does to back talkers.
At the tiny base, which is wonderful by the way...I know the medic here. I met him one week ago and he takes control and care of me and everything. What a sweetheart! God provides, thank you very much! Everyone is so nice! They hook me up with a private room and a bathroom and shower, (with hot running water in the same building)- oh my! Chow hall is a short jaunt away with great food and happy servers. Everyone comes up and introduces themselves and are so pleasant...I love it! I think I may have stumbled in with the "Stepford Wives". I never want to leave here. I'm so happy to walk thru hell to get to heaven!
Can I stay here? Oh No...not if you like it you don't! Off I go to my original point of destination. They show me to the shit hole that I will be sleeping in for the rest of my contract and to the bathroom, (neither are heated and it's 30 degrees here), a mile away and all I can think of is... fodder for my next blog! TA, TA!
