Chow hall follow-up
For those who may have read yesterday's entry regarding the female private in the chow hall, here is the follow up:
Sgt. Carpenter, the enlisted guy on my team, was walking up through the tent rows with me. Having just left the gym tent, we had decided to detour through the tent rows to check the meter on the hot water heater in the shower trailer. Last week I had the pleasure of a particularly icy shower experience, which I prefer not to repeat if possible.
As we came up through the final row of tents and an opening in the cement barriers onto the dirt road, I let out a "Whew!" still sweating and achy from the workout. As I did, I turned my head and Pvt. Vince was standing there at the entrance to her tent, too far away to warrant a salute. As I passed, she slipped through a gap in the barriers in front of her tent onto the road and stood watching me go into my tent.
After I gathered up my things for my shower, I crossed the dirt road back toward the shower trailer past the female tent. She was still there, in front of her tent, and her gaze followed me as I passed. I stopped abruptly just before the tent blocked her view of me.
Turning to face her I said, "Can I talk to you a minute?"
She quickly moved toward me, assumed the position of parade rest and said, "Yes sir?"
"I was watching you this morning, in the chow hall. I know you saw me." I paused quickly without giving her cause or chance to speak. "What's the deal with that Iraqi guy? Were you kidding around?"
"No sir, I wasn't," she replied sharply, clearly intending to dispel any doubt I may have had.
I nodded calmly. "Yah, I didn't think so. I just wanted to be sure." She exhaled visibly as her shoulders fell forward slightly, relieved. "I have no tolerance for that sort of thing. You may have been able to tell."
"No sir. It was no joke. I spoke with Sgt. Escobina and Sgt. Toy, who is in charge of all those guys. They're going to tell him to knock it off or he'll lose his job."
"Good. What else has he done? Mostly crap like that?"
"Yes sir. He has done that about three times now."
"Anything else?"
"Not really, sir."
"Well I wasn't sure if you wanted me to help you. I didn't want to just jump in if you felt like you were handling it fine on your own. You looked like you were." I glanced over to my side and then back to her. "I sort of have a big problem with that sort of thing. I have to be careful. Know what I mean? I have to temper my response." I touched the rank at my chest with my finger looking down at it and then back up to her. "Can't be a cowboy around here, ya' know?" I gave a half smile. "Listen, if you don't feel that this issue is being dealt with well enough, you let me know, okay? And if you ever need any help I am in that tent right there." I turned and pointed to my tent.
"What's your name?" The towel around my shoulders was covering the name tape on my uniform.
"Capt. Leonard."
"Thank you sir."
I nodded a slight nod and said soberly, "You're welcome," and then turned and walked away.
Comments
Sounds like it worked; I'm glad that backing her up was useful to her, and that the message remains consistent.
Posted by: ScottM | January 18, 2007 11:00 PM