Brian and Tim

There was a guy, actually two guys, I met when stationed
on Okinawa that were different from all the other Marines I
had met in 1 1/2 in the Corps. They were 2 1/2 years older
in life and in their service time. My relation to them was similar
to a sophomore to a couple of seniors in high school. That's
all the Marine Corps was to me: high school with more yelling.

Brian was handsome guy from California who looked like he had
a tan whether he had gotten any sun recently or not. Even with
his required Marine hair cut he still had a little curl in his hair.
Tim was a skinny guy who, if he had been a character in Fargo,
would be referred to as "you know, funny lookin" and he had
straight blonde hair. Brian and Tim had been stationed together
at Camp Lejeune. I never knew if they were close beforehand or
just knew each other and hung together out of familiarity.

Tim was a witty bag of sarcasm that always kept me laughing. Like
me, he liked the idea of the Marine Corps and enjoyed tasks that
were challenging and despised the pettiness of most of those
that were directly in charge of us. His greatess talent was parodying
the culture of the Marines while functioning well inside it. He taught
me that being in an impossible situation can be endured if you avoid
voicing too much direct displeasure.

Brian was my hero. He's the senior ace pitcher on the baseball team
that treated the sophomore on the bench like a true teammate. Around
the time he and Tim showed up on Okinawa I was close to losing it.
I really didn't like being in the Marines but I loved Okinawa. Boring days
in the communications shop cleaning and testing radio equipment over
and over were starting to be torturous. A lot of friends I had made the
previous year were gone and I found myself without very many close friends.

Brian was very professional at work and Tim made him laugh and they
both, I think, noticed my lethargy and apathy and took time to show
me that I was stationed in a very cool place and I should start having fun again.

I reckon I'll add to this tomorrow.