Sunday night, Dewey was giving me a massage, and Phillip Andre said he could do better. He can. Dewey has little pokey fingers, and he’s always pulling on me. Tuesday, I performed Taps at 2 funerals, and everyone told me I did a good job [helps when you’re a distance from the sad family]. I got home [my barracks room] at 1 pm, and Malgra [my roommate] was packing. At 6pm, Andre borrowed a girl’s car, and we went to Steak & Shake, then we looked around the mall. He bought Top Gun.

Wednesday, at Honor Guard, I got to practice being a shooter [of honorary shots to the sky]. I got home, and Malgra was gone. She left me the 409 and nail polish remover like I wanted, but also left me cleaners, laundry soap, lotion, glow sticks, a piggy bank with change, and a condom. She also left me her CD player, Swiffer, and vacuum. That’s awesome. I’m going to get rid of my radio and iron, both shitty. There was also 2 curlers left behind.

I checked my mail and got some complimentary coffee at the Q. I waited in the lounge, and soon, all [not a complete list of] my buddies (Nick, Tabor, Andre, Gottschalk, Dewey) and me were watching Comedy Central. I saw a new show, “Distraction,” in which people try to answer questions while being distracted. We were playing the same game on this end of the TV – slapping, biting, tying shoes together. When I was talking to [Great] Grandpa Herbie, Grandma had to tell him I didn’t hang up.

Thursday, I went to the Q-Deck at 11:45 for MOOW [Midshipman Officer Of the Watch], and the petty officer spent 3 hours explaining things and making me look for things (breathalizer, binders). Then Andre, Kerr, Shirley, and me went to the MWR. We watched Top Gun and half of Caddyshack. They closed, so we went back, and I got to watch Napoleon Dynamite. I missed the [tater] tots part, and Tabor ordered 6 pizzas. I ate pizza, and Andre walked me to my room.

Friday, I started class today. We had a smoke break, and some Air Force chic tried to redo my hair and made me late for class. Then, at lunch break, I was trying to describe to Scott how to get back to class, and Horn said I broke the code of security! I fell asleep during some video. I helped clean up a broken microwave plate. We have to march everywhere, and everyone marches so fast, and it hurts my legs. Andre borrowed somebody’s red sports car, and we went to Rave. We watched Hide and Seek. It’s about this girl. Her mom dies, and she has an imaginary friend who does bad things. It ends up being her dad.

We came back to base and went to the Q-Deck, and I danced in. I was dancing all about. I headed toward the car and jumped on a parking curb. I slipped, and the side of my foot hit a piece of wood that’s there. It hurt really bad, and so did my knee. I figured I just hit it really hard. I called Mom and told her. This happened around 10 pm. We [Andre, Gottschalk, Baker] went and watched Godsend. During the movie, I could feel it [my foot] start to swell. I couldn’t walk back.

I got Andre, Gottschalk, and Nelson to take turns carrying me. I figured at first it would be ok in the morning, but it really started to hurt. Got there [ER on base], got into a wheelchair, got x-rays, and found out there was a clean break in my 5th something [metatarsal]. We were there till 1:40 am. I had to crutch all the way down to the other end of the hospital for my pills. It was worth it. We didn’t go to bed till 4 am, and I had a sick call appointment at 7:30 am. I took 2 codeine and didn’t wake up till 10:30 am.

Saturday, my foot is twice the size. It looks funny, but I feel like it’s asleep. I got my own med bracelet. I’m LLD for 3 weeks. At 6:20 pm, Fenton, Ferrie, and Arzaluz picked me up, then we went to this pool hall. We played a few games. We drove to one of Bradley’s friend’s house. I drank some Smirnoff [malt beverage], and it was off to the bowling alley. There, we only played 2 games before we drove by a 3-car car show in Winn-Dixie parking lot. Tiffany had called earlier and played 3 songs into my phone [voicemail]. I saved 2. They brought back memories. I know when I leave her, I will have memories just like when I left home.

I just hope I can enjoy them as much as I do the other ones. The memories from Chicago aren’t too bad. I did so much up there, and I gave Mom a chance to come see me. I miss her so much, just the idea of that neverending love. I wouldn’t mind going home to a car and an 8-hour job. I’m going to get out in 4 years, go to a free college [because of the Montgomery G.I. Bill], and then go to work for the FBI. That seems to be what life is all about; dreams and memories. People are either dreaming of what they want to do or remembering the things in life they have already done. I try to live by every day.