29 November 2007: Hmmmm....

A big benefit of having some rank around here is that it makes a difference on your billeting. Almost everyone lives in CHUs. However, the vast majority of those don't have bathrooms. This requires the majority of Joes to utilize shower equipped latrine trailers. I don't have to do this. Thanks to my rank, I have a CHU that has a shared latrine/shower in the middle. I live on one side and my neighbor lives on the opposite side of the trailer. The latrine is in the middle. Over time we get familiar with the routines of each other. To wit, my neighbor gets up ealier than me. It's his latrine noises that normally serve as my alarm clock. By the time I'm up, he's already gone to work. He told me once what he did but I forgot. I know he smokes because I hear him routinely stepping outside for a smoke break. Every morning when I go into the latrine I just think to myself hmmmm.......

I'm not certain what he's doing but it's much more than the old shit, shower, shave routine. He leaves water splashed everywhere. It's on the floor, on the walls, on the toilet lid, all around the sink, and all over the mirror. It's as though a little boy was playing in the sink and was splashing water in the way only little boys can do. This isn't an every now and then thing. He does this EVERY MORNING. Before I can do anything I have to take paper towels and dry his mess from around the sink and mirror. Due to our living arrangements, we never see each other unless it's a chance encounter. I'm not about to knock on the bathroom door when he's in there so I can ask what he's doing. I just deal with the mess and drive on. It's really weird.

I haven't seen Kitty Liberty in some time now. I'm not worried though. Strays are survivors. I'm certain there are other Joes leaving treats out. I did hear a cat under my CHU a few days ago. I was busy at the time so I didn't investigate.

Other than that, life goes on. We're another day down. Another day of mission has been completed. I'm in double-digits on my countdown.