Grandpa’s War – Part 18 – Reunion

It’s funny how the same solutions seem to crop up thousands of mile apart. The building we’d parked in front of was a long row of adobe connected buildings. The roofs were flat. Except for the people dressed in Arab robes. Toss in some Native American with blankets around them and I would have thought I was visiting Taos, New Mexico.

But then, the solutions would have been almost the same. Adobe is first rate insulator against heat and cold. With only dirt and water, you could build a house out here.

But this wasn’t the Taos Pueblo. This was Saudi Arabia and we called this place “The Mall.”

Webster defines this kind of mall as “a usually large suburban building or group of buildings containing various shops with associated passageways.” So in a way, it really didn’t fit. But then I’m not going to split hairs.

What it was a collection of stores. One sold goodies, another gold bracelets and so on.

We were days away from leaving the company to hook up on a full-time basis with the Division Battle Central. We’d been buying things we might not see for a while. Little things like hand soap and razors. I’d long since ran out of Trac II Gillette blades. They didn’t seem to be very popular with the locals. I had to buy shaving handle and single razors just like dad had used. Foaming shaving gels also seemed to be MIA. I’d been using hand soap to provide lubricant so I could shave. I purchased a plastic mug, a brush, and soap.

I went into one store. This guys specialized in chocolates and nuts. I purchased a couple of pounds of mixed nuts.

As I was walking back to the HUMVEE when I saw a 1st Infantry Division patch. Then I got very excited. I saw the MP Brassard he was wearing. The guy was part of my old outfit, 1st MPs.

“So, how’s things in the Big Red One?” I asked.

He turned and I saw who it was.

“Rich!” he cried.

“Rich!” I cried. It was my old friend Richard Kelley from 1st Platoon. That was the same platoon I’d been in when I was with them. “I didn’t expect to run into you here!”

He was the first person I’d seen that I knew back in the states in over a year.

“Me neither. What outfit are you with?”

“Five Oh First MPs,” I answered.

“My gunner just came from there?”

“Who’s your gunner.” I was getting a little excited. “A friend of mine was headed your way from us about six months ago.”

“Who’s that?”

“Ed Fiegel,” I said.

“You go to be kidding. He’s my gunner!” He pointed to some HUMVEEs turning off the road. “Here he comes now!”

Ed must have seen me before I really saw him. He jumped out of the turret, down the hood of the HUMVEE and onto the ground.

The next thing I know I’m in a monster bear hug.

A lot of the guys I’d served with were there. We all grabbed a soda and stood around talking and catching up. When my guys came up, I made introductions. We all spent a half hour or so catching up.

When finished, Kelley puts out his hand and says, “Rich. It’s sure been good seeing you again.”

“Same here.”

“Before you go,” he said. He put his other hand over mine. Ed put his hand on top. They’d both removed their helmets.

“Lord, bless my friend and protect him. Let him come out of this just fine. And look after all the new friends we made today. We pray this in your name. Amen.”

“Amen,” I replied. I didn’t know what else to say.

“There’s a lot of people praying for us, man. You’ll get through just fine.”

I got one more hug from him and Ed.

I was a long way from being a believer yet, I did the best I could.

“Thanks, Guys,” I replied. “And as we say back home ‘vaya con Dios.'”

“Amen,” Ed replied.