On a Jet Plane, Next to a Marine

I took the red-eye out of LAX early this morning to Atlanta on Delta. My flight was supposed to leave at 12:40 a.m. However, due to mechanical difficulties (I believe the gate attendant used the technical phrase "it's just wrong") we moved a gate-and-a-half down to depart where another plane "fresh from the hangar" was on its way. It was a very full flight. They were buying-out people's confirmed seats to get people onto the plane. The rest of the non-seated stragglers (and there were many) were told to show up at 5:00 a.m. to check in and see if they can get onto the 6:00 a.m. flight.

Oy vey.

Lucky for me, I had my aisle seat and I sat next to a very nice young man, a Marine from Camp Pendleton. And when I say "young," I mean YOUNG. He was only 22 years old - making me 11 years older than him. Sheesh.

My seat-neighbor's name eludes me, but I do remember that he's from Peru (by way of Wisconsin). He told me that three months ago, he just returned from his first tour of duty in Iraq. He was there for nine months. To get there, first he said he traveled by ship to Kuwait - it took them three weeks to get there from San Diego by ship. Then, he said that they unloaded their HUMMERS and outfitted them with armour. Then he said that they crossed into Iraq in their reinforced HUMMERS, traveling for three weeks until they reached Fallujah. Along the way they dug trenches and holes in the ground (part of which to sleep in). He said that it wasn't until three months after reaching Fallujah that he had his first shower. He sounded as if his first tour of duty went very slow.

What's even more amazing is that he signed up for another tour of duty. This time he's traveling by ship and stopping off in Hawaii, Australia, the Philippines, South Africa, and Egypt before returning to Iraq. He seems very excited about this trip, especially because he gets to spend three days shore leave at each location.

But for now, until he heads back out in less than two weeks, he's on his way to Miami to surprise his dad in Miami. He hasn't seen him in six years.

I still can't believe that he's only 22 years old! He seemed much older. At least in his mid-to-late 20's. I'm a decade older than him!!!!

Okay, I'm done.

By the way, in case you were wondering, I'm out here for a convention the whole week.

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