In the military, routine was everything. It was all set out for you, by men far above your paygrade, and often times overseen by people who didn’t have to follow it. It gave you backing. It gave you strength.Â
To know what the day held, for the most part, before you even woke up, was a good feeling.Â
Of course the other side of it was if that structure was removed, you tended to find yourself...adrift. And those adrift always end up looking for structure, of some form or another...
And so, here sat the Soldier; or, more accurately, “the Jarhead”, for this specimen of U.S. military industrial complex “meat edition” was formerly of the United States Marine Corps (”Semper Fi! God Bless The Corps!”).Â
No rifle, no BDU, no plate carrier here. No, just a large jacket bought from a used store in Seattle, a hoodie under it (also purchased in Seattle, though new), and in hand a cup of Starbucks (because when you buy two things in Seattle, you get free Starbucks. You dont know how you got the Starbucks. You just do. And the Jarhead had gotten a taste for it).Â
This was not techincally a Starbucks. It sold Starbucks coffee but it also sold other coffees.Â
And teas.Â
And various other hot drinks.Â
The Jarhead did not mind, much. Coffee was coffee. And this was better than the shit-beans in the Corps...when they HAD coffee, period.Â
He sipped at his cup, trying to pick out the subtle notes and the flavor pallet but really just tasting sour bean water. Again, fine by him. It gave him an excuse to keep his eyes up, and looking around.
If he looked down, his paranoia kicked in. He was home...but his soul said otherwise.Â
Fallujia. Still back in “the shit”
He drank some more, hearing the clang of the bell over the door. Someone new coming in.Â
On instinct he looked over, knowing if he didn’t he’d start getting the shakes and this whole trip would be ruined.Â
No one of import, at least as far as he could tell. Just a girl with a bag and a-
So THAT was what she looked like with clothes on...well, casual clothes.Â
It was her. It had to be.Â
Annnnddd...there came the shakes. SON OF A BITCH.