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Edited on Sat Nov-18-06 03:08 PM by shadowknows69
Like any good joke we don’t get the punch line of this one until the end.
“There beside him stands a man, a soldier from the looks of him, who had been through many fights, but lost in love”
-The Grateful Dead
I drive the midnight train and killers are the fare. Picked up a young soldier at a bar that had closed early due to a fight which he hinted he may have been partially involved in or at least he was scuffed up a bit trying to stop it.
I have to call this young man Waldo because he was, and not necessarily in a bad way, the living adult embodiment of the character in the “Where’s Waldo” book series. if it can actually be called a book. He had short black hair but actually kind of long for a soldier, dark rimmed glasses, blue button down shirt and maybe 115 pounds soaking wet to his wiry frame. He was also very polite and respectful as many of the guys are, calling me sir and answering any simple questions with “roger”. He seemed amazed at how some people act in bars, referring to the recent donnybrook where I grabbed him and he made several comments about it He also commented how he might go back the next night as he apparently had an invitation from a young woman he met. He remarked how it had been quite some time since he’d been with a girl because he was just going through a divorce.
It seems his wife was unsatisfied with several things including how often they got to have conjugal visits, “She’s too wild”, and obviously him being at war for a year had put a damper on that and she was unsatisfied with his financial situation despite the fact the “For richer for poorer” clause was said at his wedding.
I learned he had just been in the Guard when he first went to war and apparently after he learned he was bound for divorceville he enlisted full active service. I expressed my condolences about his marriage but agreed that he might be getting out of a bad problem easy if she is that shallow. I told him the virtues of waiting for the right girl and how I was glad I waited until after thirty, he was only 23, and how I got a great one.
He was now reserved to ride the midnight one night stand train for a while and keep his feelings guarded. I felt bad for him. He seemed like an intelligent, gregarious kid and clearly wounded by what this woman had done to him.
We touched briefly on matters of the military, particularly financial due to his situation, and I stated as I have to many soldiers that they should be paid a lot more. He countered to say they get paid ok and I said, “Bull, I get paid ‘Ok’, you guys are out there doing truly dangerous work. I’m just sitting here on my fat ass driving”, we both had a good laugh at that.
Still laughing as we pulled up to his barracks Waldo finally said, “I do have a confession to make”
Oh joy, another confession. Like my psyche needs another one of those right now. Wait for the punch line folks.
“Before I joined the guard and the army I was involved in a gang”
“Really? Where are you from originally?
He told me but my brain didn’t even register it because I knew what was coming.
“Yep, 23 and divorced, but I still get paid to kill people."
Just wanting it to end I said, “Well hopefully it’s for nobler reasons this time”
“Yeah, hopefully.”
The ride ends. Thanks for sharing dude. Always tip your cabbie.
Shadow out
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