By Atlanta Stud
With spring break approaching, Dave and I wanted to get away from campus, but we didn’t feel like hanging out with a bunch of college kids in Daytona getting wasted every day. We were on the web looking at potential cabins to rent for a week at a state park when Brody popped in and asked what’s up. Filling Brody in, he told us to scrap that plan because his folks have a small cabin about three hours out that we could all go to … that is, if we didn’t mind having him along for the week. So it was set that we’d leave that Friday morning of spring break.
When I got back to our room after taking my shower the morning of our departure, I noticed two packed bags on the floor. Dave saw the inquisitive look on my face and said not to worry, everything I’d need is taken care of and to get dressed. He had laid out my attire for the trip … jeans, boxer briefs, long-sleeve olive thermal shirt, brown belt, my desert tan military boots and day old socks.
I was pulling on the boots when Brody, in jeans, short sleeve sweatshirt and his black speed lace military boots and sporting a fresh military haircut walked in carrying his duffel bag. “Let’s hit the road, men!” he barked as he dropped his duffel bag on the floor.
Owen was bored with his office job at a large design firm. He piddled about, unsatisfied that a newly earned college degree from an Ivy league school wasn’t bearing fruit. Perhaps majoring in Art History was a bad idea. As he came to and from the elevators to work every day, he paid little mind to the chaos in the lobby. A large suite on the first floor adjacent to the lobby was under heavy construction. Noise, dust, and a flurry of dirty laborers going in and out of a large plastic tarp draped over the entrance to the area.
I have been serving the Foreign Legion for 7 years, aged 17 to 24. After a couple of years of Service I was a Brigadier Chef, the equivalent of a Corporal. With a couple of mates, Legionnaire or Lance corporal or Corporal, we used to have a night leave at times, and we were enjoying spending our free evening in a Café by the old Roman Theatre. Place was quiet and the owner was rather friendly, as were customers.