And I dunno what to say. Everytime I talk to him, and yes, the internet connection to Afghanistan fuckin sucks, it seems like he down plays things. I always get, "It's not like nam man."
Last week, I was talking to him and he thought he was going to be on the news here in the states. He wasn't, of course. No one pays attention to Afghanistan in the states anymore. Don't ask me why. It was the first time my good friend had seen actual combat. His commanders called it a "major operation."
I was supposed to sign up with him. I didn't. I still don't know why I didn't at that time. Besides, Clinton was in office. My hero. Gets in trouble for getting a hummer. I'm like 18 at the time. The man's cool as ice to me.
Anyway, I ask. "Is everyone ok?" He says, "Yeah, nothing major. Couple friends got some shrapnel wounds from an RPG. They'll be fine. It's not like nam man."
There it is again. The Nam reference.
"Consider it a camping trip in the mountains", I say.
"Yeah, a camping trip where I carry grenades and there's 125 Taliban tryin to kill me"
"Well, kill them before they wreck your trip", I say.
"We got 80, we'll kick there asses."
What can you say?
This week was different. They're a week in the bush, a week off. So, technically, this is 2 weeks later. Well, it's only Wed, but you get it.
"I had a tough week man. I seen some Afghanis get blown away by an A-10 warthog,400 meters away. "
Of course, I have to ask mad questions and then his connection gets dropped because, of course, Afghanistan is a shithole.
And then he comes back.
And I say, "I was in my backyard getting the dog when it hit me. I was staring into the woods imaging 400 meters. I can run that in 53 seconds. Too bad they can't. Better them than you, or me."
He replies, "yeah."
I wanted to be there.
But I didn't, at the same time.