BRIAN
I sit on my bed with probably the most painful headache that I have ever had. Ever since I left the Navy I have not been drinking so much as I did not really have a drinking partner and I do not like to drink alone. I have, of course, no idea how I am going to get up and dressed and be in time.
Every time I move or put on my pants it feels like someone hits me with a hammer against my head. Then after a while, everything quiets down. I realized that I am late and so I start to run. It feels like that hammer that was hitting me against my head is now slamming against my entire body.
I finally get to training hall A and try to slip in through the back but, of course, I am seen by the instructor and called out.
"Aahhh... Captain Smith. It seems you think just because you are a Captain you can be late?"
I immediately salute him and say.
"No, sir!"
"Then why don't you come and take a seat up front?"
Nobody wants to sit up front. It is almost like being marked as the naughty boy in school. But I obey the instructor and quickly take my seat. He continues to teach the class and I know that I am not going to take in anything today. Suddenly a slam on my table wakes me up.
"Am I boring you, Captain?!"
It is clear to me that I must have fallen asleep and I know that they will not tolerate behavior like this at all. But I could not help it as my head was killing me. I sit upright as everyone laughs around me.
"No, sir!"
"I think it is time for you to run up the hill and down in ten minutes. If you do not make it back in time you will be on toilet doing duty for the rest of the week"
Nothing in me wants to run right now but I stand up and I run. I do not want to be on toilet duty. I have done it before and it was no fun at all. Every soldier laughs and then I thought I will just act as if I ran up the hill and then come back in time but unfortunately, the instructor knew about my plan and the entire class stood outside to watch me.
As I start to run I can feel my legs feeling extremely weak and I know that my adrenaline is starting to kick in. I am halfway up the hill and then it hits me. I feel overwhelmingly sick. My legs can not carry me any longer but I keep on going until I get to the top. I want to turn around but then without warning, I have to stop to throw up.
I know now that I will not make it back in ten minutes. I can hear the entire class laughing at me and I know that I made a fool of myself. Then I run back down while trying to swallow whatever still wants to come out. I know that I am not allowed to show my weakness even if it is going to kill me. Just as I reach the bottom the instructor says to me.
"One more time, Captain"
"Yes, sir!"
Nothing in me wants to run up that hill again. It feels like someone fastened a rope around me and is dragging me behind a car. I can not remember when last I felt this bad. But I know if they give you an order, you should follow it and because I am a Captain, I have too many men looking up at me.
I wish I can just tell him to shove it where the sun does not shine. I know that he is a lower rank than I and I also know that he enjoys torturing me just because I am a Captain. Nevertheless, I run back up the hill again.
LISA
I have not even got my luggage from the conveyor belt when I see my dad waiting for me. I immediately frown as I am sure that I told him that I do not want them to know that he is my dad. I look around myself trying to somehow see if there is someone from the base in the airport.
Then, I walk slowly up to him and I see him standing with a big grin on his face. I whisper to him while I am still looking around.
"Dad, didn't we agree that no one should know that you are my dad?"
"Yes, we did pumpkin but I just wanted to welcome you to California"
"That is great, dad but you really need to go now. I can not pitch up sitting in a car with an Admiral. I am just an air traffic controller remember?"
"Okay, if you really insist"
"I do. Now please go"
I can see that he is not happy with this arrangement but I really do not want him to compromise the persona that I am trying to create. I try to keep my distance and walk the other way. Finally, I get to a cab and it takes me straight to the base. On the way there I soon realize that I am in a completely different city than what I am used to.
It is very hot here and all the people are so relaxed. The sun is shining at its highest and it is beautiful how the rays shine on the ocean. I feel inner peace as I watch the waves crash on the beach. We arrived at the base and I watch the life of the soldiers unfolding in front of me.
A lot of memories come back and I remember how I would know almost every soldier by name. This is what made things so difficult for me. I remember everyone and how some of them never returned from their missions. I just could not handle not seeing them around base anymore.
I could not handle how their friends were so extremely devastated because they did not return. Then I see a group of soldiers gathered together and they are all laughing. They trigger my interest and I look in the direction of where they are pointing.
Then I see a soldier running up a hill and I wonder who that soldier is and what he has done. We stop in front of my building and I take a deep breath as I get out of the cab. I know that I should act like every other soldier but I want to keep the persona as close to the real me as possible.
I pay the cab driver and then walk into the building. I go to my room number and as I get there, I see that I have a roommate. I look at the other side of the room at the single bed that is laid out before me and it is almost as if reality only sinks in now.
I am going to be here for a few months and I guess I should make this my home. Then a woman walks into the room with a neatly made bun and a cap on. She smiles at me while sticking out her hand.
"You must be my new roommate? It is a pleasure to meet you, my name is Stacy and you are?"
"Yes, I am your new roommate. It is a pleasure to meet you, Stacy. I am Lisa"
Looking at her for the first time gives me the impression that we can get along just well. She starts to explain to me what is the routine every day and that she would help me where she can if I struggle with something. Even though air traffic controllers are also cut under the banner of a soldier, we are a bit more relaxed.
But if we do make a mistake it will be a big mistake and so we always have to be on our A-game. I remember the kind of stress that the air traffic controllers went through but you soon get to know your pilot and the way that you have to talk to him or her. Just as I get settled in, it is time to get some lunch in the mess hall. So, we make our way over to the mess hall.
BRIAN
After what seems like hours of running but was only like five minutes, the class returns back to the drawing board and this time I made sure to keep my attention on the instructor. Maybe I did not hear a word about what he said but I am damn sure to keep my eyes on him. Finally, the class is over and we break for lunch. I am not really in the mood for food but I will do anything to get away from the class.
On my way to the mess hall, I see someone that looks almost just like me, completely exhausted. Then I realize it is Jim and make my way to his table. I sit down and the only words that come out of my mouth are.
"Fuck...How much did we drink last night?"