More Changes

     Duty with the field boys mostly involved bein' loaned out. Why I ended up at Fort DeRussy on Waikiki beach the very first weekend was and is a mystery. Like gettin' hand-me-downs from your cousin in the big city.
     I could see workin' for the Schofield MPs but DeRussy was run by Fort Shafter down near Honolulu and was the R and R center for married soldiers. That is if their wives would still talk to them. Yeah there are a whole lot of military bases on Oahu. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. Hawaii runs on tourists and guys with short hair.
     Simple duty. I'm dressed up in my fancy duds. Ribbons on chest, white gloves and and .45 caliber pistol on my hip. Don't know why I had the gun seein' as how I didn't know what I was doin' and wouldn't have pulled the gun out for any reason I could think of. Hah! Lucky for me all I had to do was stand in the PX's lot, look official and direct the shoppers to open parking spots. Easy duty.
     There was only one no-no concerning where a car could be parked. Don't even frickin' think about pullin' into the spot marked No Parking. That seemed to be no problem at all. Seein' as how it was a Saturday, everyone was understandin' and in a good mood. Well, nearly everyone.
     Unless some Navy Chief Petty Officer whose ego was bein' drivin' by a drink too many and a car full of visitors he was out to impress, happened to show up. Total asshole.
     At least I was smart enough to not make a big deal of refusing to let him park in the forbidden spot. I said he couldn't. And he said he could. Went around two or three orbits with no change in the weather. So he finally tells me to f*** myself and parks where he shouldn't. Goes in with his guests.
     I saunter over to my truck and its radio. Call the Desk Sergeant and he sends the Man down. I hold the car 'til he shows up. All I wanted out of the situation was for the day to be over and my ass not in a sling.
     When the Chief came out I figured he knew the wind had changed. And proceeded to let the Lieutenant know how much I've abused his innocent butt. The three of us headed up to the Provost Marshall's Office at Shafter. I was still sweatin' bullets.
     Once there I said my piece. Officially let 'em know the actual truth. And the Man said I could go and not to worry. When I left, the Chief was startin' to look a little concerned. Me, I was a happy camper.