Once We Were Warriors

...Continuation of Green On! Go!

I'm not emotionally affected by what happened. I certainly dont have nightmares. We are big boys & we know the rules we play by. We've all been close to death. You accept it. You dont want it to happen, of course, but sometimes, there you go - occupational hazard.

In a strange way I'm almost glad I went through the experience. I wouldnt like to repeat it, but I'm glad that it happened.

Some things, however, will live with me for ever.

The crash of a bolt.

The boom of gunfire.

The smell of burning flesh.

The suffocation of an acrid smoke.

The rattle of rounds falling all around you.

From all this I've learned that nothing is ever as bad as it seems. Things that might have bothered me in the past are less likely to now - sparkling wine spilling over my crisply pressed clothes, the car not starting when I'm in a hurry, something valuable getting lost, my laptop breaking up after falling from a height. I know my limitations better now, yet I feel more positive & self assured. I no longer take anything for granted. I appreciate simple, everyday things much more; instead of spending a bomb on getting my laptop repaired, I'll make do without it. I'm not attached to anything in this world.

As to the rights & wrongs of the war - well, thats never been a worry to me. I was a soldier, thats what I was paid for. It was very exciting, I got high doing it.

And as for the people who were lobbing shells over my gang, if I meet any of them in the street tomorrow, either here in India or the United States of Honolulu or wherever, & they think that they will get away with it, well, I'll slot them & rip them apart from spleen to spine in one go.

Alea jacta est, the Rubicon has been crossed!