28 July 2007: The Adventures of "Gum-Chewing Guy"

And just like that it’s the last weekend of July! That was fast. The passing of another month never gets any formal notice. Yet it is another milestone in a deployment. August, although being the hottest month, has the good omen of a new football season. It’s also my birth month. My family has a reunion every August that’s held back in the mountains of NC. I missed the reunion in 2003 and 2004 due to deployments. This summer will make the third time in five years. There are so many subtle sacrifices involved with service to country. When I look at the many moments with family and friends that have come and gone without me I know it’s only a small fraction of the cumulative separation endured by Joes deployed around the world. There’s no doubt that I acutely appreciate that time when I have it to spend.

There wasn’t really anything about today that stood out. I did make a random observation that I’ve made before. It involves a Joe that I see here several times a week. For lack of a more imaginative name, I just call him “Gum-Chewing Guy.” Every single time I see him he’s chewing gum. He chews his gum in a very deliberate open-mouth motion. He’s rail-thin and goofy. Yet the rhythmic motion of his jaw reminds me of a cow chewing cud. He chews gum walking around LSAA. He chews gum running on the treadmill. He chews gum in the DFAC. He chews gum in the theater. He chews gum at the PX. He chews gum on guard detail. For all I know he chews gum in his sleep. I’ve never, ever seen the guy without gum in his mouth. I’m thinking someone needs to call Guinness Book. I saw “Gum-Chewing Guy” today as I drove to the DFAC for lunch. He was be-bopping along merrily chewing his gum.

The clouds of impending missions are rapidly gathering. That’s good because “Gum-Chewing Guy” is old news around here.