Metal rain

I woke up around 0200 this morning and couldn’t return to sleep. Insomnia and I are old friends, so I just relaxed bed, waiting for morning, listening to the air conditioner. I moved into my CHU last December and turned on the unit and haven’t shut it off since. Last winter I needed the heat; this summer, the AC. And it provides a white noise to mask sounds from my neighbors, two of whom work from 1500 until 0300, then come in and watch movies.

I guess most of us are experiencing at least a low level on ongoing stress. When a CHU door slams, or you hear a similar sudden noise, you wince, wondering if it is a rocket attack. As I lay in bed this morning, the compressor in the AC unit suddenly engaged with a thump. My heart startled into high gear for a few moments, even though I knew quickly it was not a rocket attack. That bloom of adrenalin ended any hope I had to get back to sleep.

We mounted up today around breakfast time and drove to a village where we met with some locals, made plans for the referendum and walked around town in a dismounted patrol. School let out as we walked and kinds in blue and white uniforms swarmed around us.

We pulled out of our parking lot after receiving the mission and briefing, and headed for the gate. Our gunner was standing up in the hatch as we rolled along. We hit a rough patch of pavement, and some liquid splashed down inside. Apparently the gunner had spilled something.

The vehicle commander asked what he was drinking, and the gunner replied “A near beer.” About then the beer smell filled up the cab. I’m glad he didn’t spill it on me. I’d hate to be reeking of beer when meet with Muslims Iraqis.

We went through the gate, and stopped briefly to test fire the machine guns. The gunner fired several rounds into a dirt berm, and the spent shell casings and linkage tink tink tinked down through the hatch into the cab like metal rain. One of the casings landed in a puddle of near beer.

Later in town I was happy to drink sweet Chai tea with the hospitable Iraqis, as the caffeine helped offset my lack of sleep.