Well if you are going to go out. Go out in style.

Wow. All I can say is that I ran into some wild, wild, wild shit. I'm still trying to process the insanity of the last 24 hours. Man I need to get packed.

How to be successful in the Military Part 2: Never attempt to do anything on a Friday.

Man I had to cancel two flights trying to get out of here today. I can't find my POC to get my clearance processed. Never do anything on a Miltary base on a Friday I think they quit working at 5:30a.m.

Try not to squirm. I'm going to inspect your anus now.

I had to go get a physical today. It's the same one that the soldiers have to get so they took blood, did a drug test (I don't think I HAD to do it but I had to pee so I was like whatever), did an AIDS test, (I'm ALL good ladies if you are wondering). While I was waiting I saw some people that had to come in for a drug test. They look like they did ALL the drugs. It was funny because they were geeking and you could tell. The physical took all day so I figured that I would head back to the hotel because there was no way I could make it back from the doctor's office to Pendleton.

Marines, I'm not sure they are all quite human.

I'm not sure they are. I mean they were human once but once they become Marines they are replaced with something else. I think their soul is replaced something called absolute confidence in any decision they will ever make. That's cool when it comes to fighting battles but I can see this being a problem when I have to show them how do something. They don't yield...ever.




I'm going to have to find a way to massage their egos. Another funny thing about Marines is that they are ready to challenge anyone at anytime especially those of higher rank of Gunny. They all have a look to them like they want to get in your ass for not acknowledging their status. Hell, I'm a civilian I don't know the difference. I guess it's all about the swagger.



Also you get new terminology. You don't go into doors you enter hatches. You don't walk anymore you hump. You don't get something to eat you acquire some chow.

Well I give them my orders and then I get a list of places I need to go in order to get processed well you don't get a map of the camp until you get orders so I have to find my away around this place. I get a whole bunch of shots typhoid, yellow fever, TB and some other stuff I have no clue what I do know is that I'm queasy and I still have more to do. I do this for about 8 hours and then I decide that I'll head back to the hotel. It's time for me to get some rest, I've been moving too much.

Back to San Diego

Man this sucks. My flight to Phoenix was delayed in Denver and I'm just getting to work. I had to get my orders and leave out tomorrow around 10:00. I spend a lot of time in airports.

In a spot of good news I think that Hustle charm kicked in. The lady that was at the hotell who was trying to ig me two weeks ago hooked me up with a Jacuzzi room. You can't stop my charm dog!

Hey there is an elephant in this room. I guess we should talk about it.

Well today is my last day at home. My parents and I have been avoiding talking directly about Iraq until today. Thank God I'm not leaving for Iraq today I don't think me or my parents could handle it. My Dad came home for lunch and right before he was leaving I could see my Mom starting to cry. My Dad came up to me and gave me a hug he told me that I am a brave man and that he is proud of me.

Brave - You don't know what it means to me to hear that from my Dad. To me my Dad is my hero his is my role model. He defines courage. We have a close knit family basically due to the time that we came up in. My parents were the test case for this new thing called intergration. The landlord of the apartment where I was born had a sign in the front that said "No Niggers, Jews, or Dogs." however it was close to my Dad's ship so the federal government made her allow my parents live there and even with that most of the people that lived there thought my mother worked for someone in the complex.

There was another time when I was about 5 some one wrote "We will kill your nigger children." on the path I used to go from to go to the Magic Market (kinda like 7-11) we were the only black family in our neighborhood.

When we lived in South County in St. Louis back in the 80's. Anyone from STL can tell you Black people didn't live there. We were accousted all the time. As a child I was threatened by grown men at the bus stop.

In Riverdale, GA again we were the frist Black family in the negihborhood and the only ones in the school for 2 or 3 years. Another time a grown man threatened to kill me if I ever came by his house again.

While this seems tragic it built me and us as a family. I've looked directly in the face of evil. You want to know terrorism? That was it right there. I've survived it became bigger and stronger because of it and now those same people, weather they know it or not, I'm protecting them. Again I ask myself did Bin Laden get the wrong people?

Why would parents put their children through this? Becasue they had the best schools. For my Dad it was of the utmost importance that we ended the cycle of poverty and ignorance. So our children wouldn't have to live like he did and wouldn't have to live like we did. As a result we developed a siege mentality where we didn't trust anyone but, ourselves. This formed a strong family bond that keeps us close today. But, for my father to sacrifce for us I hold him in the utmost esteem. And just like any boy I wanted to grow up to be just like my Daddy. I have probably surpassed in materal things at the same time in my life I am so so far behind him as far as being a man. He has given me everything and made me everything. Watching him is like catching a shooting star: it is something rare, amazing, beautiful to look at, impossible to catch, and you know if it ever decided to impact the results would be devistating.

I have the kind of Dad that other kids wished they had for their own. When I was in college they my nickname was Theo Huxatable. There were people that counldn't believe that Black folks lived like we did. We weren't rich by no means but, my Dad always made sure that we had what we needed and would go that extra mile to give us what we wanted. But, for him to just hug me like he did just broke us both down. I think the fear that we had all avoided dealing with came out at that time we just sat there and hugged and cried. This was probably the third time I had ever seen him cry in my life. It was emotional and I still am emotional just thinking about it.

My Dad is a modern day Daniel and I am so proud to be your son. You are my hero and I love you.