Today is kinda surreal

Well today we worked on tearing down the system. This was all physical work and not really worth my time. The way I see it the Marines can put up and tear down the system if they need me at all it would only be in a management function. My partner is stressing out on this stuff. I don't know why. At any rate this tech wants us to start making some widgets for the safari cage where they store all the tech. I'm like whatever, that's not in my job description. My partner the eager beaver she is starts whittling away on that crap. I look at her struggle with it and go about my business. Come hell or high water I'm leaving work today at 1:00.

Well, our trainer says he is done for the day and my partner says, "So what do you want us to do?"

He says, "Whatever you want all I know is I'm done for the day."

He cuts out and she looks at me like, "Well he didn't say we could leave and this other guy wants us to finish this."

I reply, "Us?"

I'm thinking, "What are you saying woman? This isn't Simon Says, read between the lines why don't you! It's a Friday we have way more than 40 hours in, we are heading to Iraq in a week and you really think he wants us to stay and build widgets?"

I say, "Well I have some stuff to do today so I'm out. You can stay here if you want to."

She says, "Are you sure it's ok?"

I say, "Yes, it's ok you can leave if you want to and if you feel like someone is going to get on you you can tell them I told you that you can leave."

I go in the office and people are treating me a bit differently. Almost like a superstar with the plague or something. My boss comes out when I get ready to leave and shakes my hand. He says you are a brave man (What's up with this bravery thing), we thank you for your service to the company and your country, go with God and do great things, we are proud of you.

It was just a weird feeling. I feel like I'm looking at all these things for the last time and when I get back things will be so different. I grab my bags and head home on the way out some people shake my hand, or call me brave, or you are a hero, and a true patriot. I smile and thank them and all that but nothing could be further from the truth. I'm greedy.

With that I'm out. I get home I decompress a bit and then get on my bike and head out with my partner T-Money. We ride all over town just hanging and stuff, I didn't drink (I don't while on the bike) and I think we get over to T-Money's around 4:00 in the morning.

Oh yeah, I emailed some of my friends and my brother to carry my casket if I die in Iraq.

I shot that off right when I left work so I didn't have to deal with the replies.