I stagger into my room, the lights are still on, halogen bulbs burning into my skull like white phosporous rounds from a 108mm howitzer. I swear loudly, and burp. I can taste and smell Schedler's vodka on my breath.
I'm not drunk, I'm just fucking tired. Turns out my alcohol tolerance is such that a few shots wouldn't even get me buzzed. I tried to turn them down, not very hard though. Toasting the Corps. I would never, repeat that, NEVER, let the Corps down. They're the only people who have ever made me work hard for anything. Still working hard at earning their respect. Make no mistake. You have to earn that from them. Sometimes in blood.
I stare at my phone and remember. I'm supposed to walk Kelsey down to the boathouse tomorr- no. Today. I have about three hours. I debate the value of staying up, but eventually decide the seven miles I ran this morning, coupled with the ache in my leg, which was competeing with the one in my skull, made an effective arguement for unconsiousness.
So now I'm going to bed.
But I'll wake. Because there's no way in Hell I'll ever let anyone down. Not the Corps. Not my Lovers. Not my Family. Not my Friends. I've got responsibilites, and I'll die before I stop protecting people.
-Doug.
"To the Corps!"
-Marine Options, UW NROTC
3 comments:
meep never eh? i like the sound of that.
jasmine
Huh, you and you're brother both drank on the same night.
The funny thing is you reinforced your friendship, while he completely destroyed one of his.
Which is why, I'm out of the fear five. I'm sorry. I'll read these, but I'm not going to post. And I'm not overreacting. Just because you're drunk, does not mean you can be forgiven. Anyway, I like your honesty in this piece. And I would never let you down either - at least I'd try really hard not to.
Idealistic, but unrealistic. We need to talk about this one, but I prefer face to face. I love your honor; I love your sense of patriotism; I love your goals - In short, I love you more than I know how to express. I will tell you this every time you go out - "Come back alive. A dead hero is still dead." Don't let me down by not surviving.
YLD
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