Acquaintanceship

Enjoying a cigarette and an Americano at a table outside Green Beans Coffee, JAF’s coffee shop. It’s past nine o’clock and no sign of the guys from my platoon on the detail. I figured I’d meet them here at our usual spot instead of going to breakfast with them this morning. So as I wait, someone I barely know takes a seat next to me. His name is Frank.

He asks some questions about mutual acquaintances, and we start talking. One of those divulgent people, ready to go on about their life story, and I learn a lot about him quickly. I like people like that. It makes me feel like my father.

I walk over to the other side of the coffee shop to chat with Basset, who is seated with BCG. While we’ve been here at JAF, we’ve taken to giving a lot of the women around here nicknames in three-letter acronyms, always ending in G. She’s Big Clock Girl, because, for some reason, she carries a large wall clock with her everywhere she goes. She has it now, resting her drink on it. I meant to ask, but it slipped my mind.

Mische comes by, an FO from Charlie company like me, who got exiled here  long time ago by our boss. He knows BCG, and her friend joins her too. I ask Mische about his wife, and we talk about books, and I almost slap my forehead- this is the guy that borrowed Purgatorio from me! I haven’t been able to find a good book to read, but I’m sure he has something worth reading. So he takes me back to his room to grab something.

My guys don’t come, and I end up on a different detail with the ones that are here, like Basset, who is a pretty good guy. I’m glad I met him. Made a slightly different choice in the morning, and ended up with a fresh change from the routine.

Tags: Afghanistan, Life, People, U.S. Army, War