Highsider Ch. 03

"No," I again replied, truly I hadn't even thought about Ann the entire time we had been here save for a few fleeting seconds, "I've been busy."

"Well," he replied as he took the aidbag from my hands, "you aren't busy anymore. Call her. Go to clinic duties, sleep in a bed, eat not packaged food. Jack off in the porta-pottie just like every normal guy here, I don't care what you do other than calling her and skipping this next mission."

"Who is going to cover my guys?"

"New blood, name's Wright. He'll take over for now."

"You're gonna send the newbie in for me?"

"You know what's funny," he replied as he smiled at me with that devilish frin that implied sarcasm, "I said the same thing when they sent you to replace me."

With that argument lost, I grabbed my equipment and tried to find the assigned "room" that I had been given. Shamefully, I lost my way to it twice, and once more after visiting the chow hall. I sat in my bunk checking and rechecking my aidbag, making sure everything was in its proper place. I made my way to the shoppette and got a phone card and made that phone call I had promised to make, I let the phone ring five times before giving up and hanging up. Dinner chow was far more crowded, there were a lot of faces that I hadn't seen, as I moved to one of the empty tables a voice broke my concentration.

"Doc," the voice said, I did not turn as I was not the only medic there and each of us that carried that title had earned it. "Doc," the voice said again, this time closer to me, and I turned to see who was calling me. It was a much younger guy walking around in crutches while one of his buddies carried his tray of food. "You look like hell, Doc."

"It's been a few weeks," I replied, trying to place him and failing miserably. I did not see a tab on his uniform, this was a regular boot.

"No worries," he said as he recognized that I couldn't place him, "you pulled me out of the burning Humvee a few weeks back. You saved my bacon, Doc. I just wanted to say thanks."

"It's my job," I said before returning to my food, "have a seat. Tell me all about it." I was trying not to sound sarcastic, and luckily he understood.

"We got hit in Haifa, our own medic took shrapnel to the neck, your squad was in the vicinity of our AO and you guys rushed in," he said, then he extended his hand, "by the way, name's Greenway. Again, thank you, Doc."

I shook his hand, "no problem, how did your medic make out?"

"He got evac'ed to Rammstein, he made it is all we know." He looked at this buddy and continued, "this is the guy I told you about in the mascal."

"So you treated 37 casualties?" Another voice spoke, this one from behind me. "How the fuck did you do that?"

"One at a time," I replied, "any casualties?"

"No, Doc," Greenway continued, "you saved us all. You're a fucking legend, you know? My CO was trying to find out who you were to put you in for something."

"No need," I said, "I was just doing my job." As I looked around me, a small crowd was beginning to gather. I picked up my tray, "glad you guys made it back. Take care." With that, I simply tossed my half eaten food away and once again got lost on my way to my sleeping quarters. A very helpful soldier helped me find my way, as I thanked him he just smiled.

"New to the FOB?"

"You could say that," I replied, "guess I shouldn't be going out for a run, might get lost again."

"I'm gonna hit the shower in about an hour," he replied laughing, "if you want a guide I'll be sure to walk by here." He left as we shared a laugh. I gathered my items and patiently waited, tried calling Ann once more, this time I gave it three rings before hanging up.

"Trying to call the old lady?" My new friend asked as I stepped into the showers.

"Yeah, no luck."

"Man, don't even trip. It's still pretty early over in the states, she might be sleeping."

"Yeah."

"You're not new here," he continued, "how do you keep getting so lost in this place?"

"I'm just terrible with directions," I replied with a half-hearted laugh.

"This is not the place to be bad at that," he said in the middle of a loud laugh, "I'm sure you'll need some help finding the clinic tomorrow, aren't you?"

"What makes you think that?"

"Come on," he replied, "you got that look to you. I'm still trying to figure out if you're going as a patient. I hear their psych doc is pretty hot."

"A 3 looks like a 10 if given enough time," I replied to more laughter.

"Ain't that a fact," he said, "I'll wait outside while you finish. No hurry, man."

I finished my shower and met my new friend. We shared a cigarette as we walked back and talked about nonsensical things. That night I slept on the ground, and my dreams were filled with blood, screams, and Ann's face which faded more and more with each minute I spent in that world of oblivion. As I drifted on and off from sleep, I wondered how much of me would be left by the time I made it back, and if I was being honest with myself, I was wondering if I would make it back.