"Many people say that they don't have a choice. Actually, they do have a choice. Its just that you have to be mindful of the consequences of your choice. Some people say that they don't have a choice to go to work or not, when in fact they do. But what would happen if you didn't go to work on that day?"

Its been a long time since I've met someone who thinks so much like B. I wonder what I'll learn from him next.

Is it always possible to have 2-3 contingency plans?

I suppose its not just retards and old geezers in the army, once in a while, you'll find a good guy.

I miss pc fadley. Still remember the time he screamed at me for not filling my water bottle to the top. How long it took for me to pluck up the courage to go and clear things up with him after that.

I guess some people might bear an eternal grudge or be utterly pissed if someone were to scream at you in front of the whole company and you were not in the wrong. But I went to talk to him after that.

"Make right with God, yourself, then do your best to make right with man."



Then there was sgt Isa. Who's methods I felt, tho outdated, somehow worked for him and us... somehow. He could carry it.

Still remember how the sgts giving me challenges, especially on the SOC grounds. I was unbeaten at each station, until platoon commander wanted to race me on the monkey bars. 1st round ended up with him looking back in shock and me with my back on the ground. 2nd round had him reaching the last bar slightly ahead, but I swung off it faster and we hit the ground together.

So anyway, when sgt isa found out that I was absolutely terrified of the jacob's ladder... he was thoroughly amused. I got stuck at the top, unable to move forward, and too frightened to move back, afraid I would miss the log and go tumbling all the way down the ladder.

But when he raced me, I couldn't think of the fear, I could only think of getting ahead of that bugger. And so, he cured with his cocky arrogance, what the other commanders could not accomplish with their gentle coaxing.

The few times that he spoke to us made me feel like letting him make me into the ultimate soldier. I would have been uncontested in physical challenges and in mental fortitude. So close was I to making that decision that I also remembered the time that I almost sold 5 years of my life to the red berets.

But I also remembered why I didn't go for that interview. Somehow, you know when your calling is elsewhere. Its not easy to find your direction, but when you do, you don't want to let go, in case you never find it again. And you know that at the end of the journey, you'll be in the right place at last, where you belong, not just some place where you followed the crowd to, not just some place that you don't know how you managed to get to. But the place you always knew you would be going and was meant for you.

I guess BMT was kinda fun after all.