So 24 years ago today, I was getting off the bus to stand on the little yellow footprints at a lovely little garden spot known as Parris Island South Carolina. For those who don't know it is the home of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot. On day similiar to yesterday I was in a van heading to the airport to get on a plane for the first time in my life and about to embark on an adeventure that would take me around the world and put me in company of some really great people. As luck would have it, the plane was overbooked and a few of lucky Marine recruits would moved up to first class. Since i was 19 at the time and the drinking age was what it was I had a few free drinks on my first plane ride , and thought hell this is pretty nice. Later in the middle of the night after killing a few hours at the airport in Savanah Ga. we were taken by bus to Bootcamp. So the bus gets there and it stops and you can feel the nerveousness and the tension, then this Marine Sgt gets on the bus and says: " Without running you have 7 seconds to get off my bus and standing on the yellow footprints and you just wasted 5 of them listening to me NOW MOVE!"
Some thing that i will never forget, i feel the heat and humidity of that hot sultry night in South Carolina like it was yesterday... the smell of the tidal creeks nearby...
So here i sit 24 years later, thinking about that time in my life and remember all the great and not so great things that have happened to me and realize that I have been truly blessed by the things in my life.
1 comment:
Dear Paul How well we remember April 13th 2003. I was sitting in the kitchen watching TV and there you were. My son in all his glory doing his job. I remember getting on the phone and calling everyone to turn on the TV to CNN. To this day I stll get teary eyed and proud when I think of the dangers you went through. I love you Son Dad
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