This is Chapter 2, Scene 1 from my Short Story collection titled 'The Airman Who Couldn't Fly'. So up to this point, I have just arrived at Lackland for the first night, after quick shipping into the USAF. I was supposed to go to the Navy, but had a last minute change of... Heart. I hope you enjoy, and please leave feedback.
“Drop your bags trainees!!!!!!” a deafening voice shouted. It was a group of guys all dressed in what I thought were Army camouflage with huge outlandish looking hats. For a split second I thought the recruiter pulled a fast one and was at the wrong boot camp. We were all tired from the flight over, which was the first time I’ve ever been on an airplane in my life. It was a weird but thrilling experience. I never realized how fast the planes have to go just to take off, and the feeling of knowing, from this altitude, surviving a crash was unthinkable. Of course I had a window seat with the tranquil view of being inside a cloud.
We were now in San Antonio, Texas, the last place I imagined that I would end up. The Navy’s boot camp was somewhere near Chicago, and for some reason I figured that all branches were in the exact area; or maybe I wasn’t thinking at all. Everything just seemed to be happening so fast, and whenever I found a second to stop and take some of the reality in, it felt surreal. So much had changed in the last few hours of my life, and now I was standing under a hangar in Texas with 29 other lost souls. A lot of the guys had multiple bags and I immediately felt bad for their arms. Our first tasks were to pick up our bags, drop them, pick them back up, drop them, and repeat steps 1-2. I was circumstantially prepared for this with my singled bag that weighed merely 10lbs, but most guys around me were breaking out in sweats chugging their jam-packed duffle bags over their shoulders.
Finally we were escorted inside an auditorium with no chairs and instructed to wait. I was dead tired, since I didn’t get any sleep on the flight over; I was too busy taking it all in. I smoked my last cigarette outside of the airport before the 30 minute bus ride over, and I was already itching for another one. At this point I realized how lost I actually was. I had no idea what to expect out of Air Force boot camp; I didn’t even know how long it lasted. What happens if I fail? What happens if I pass? Hopefully my internal questions would be answered here shortly, but for the time being I decided to catch a nap.
Voices collaged around me as I rested my head on my single bag. Some people were standing in corners, but the majority of us were scattered across the floor. It felt like hours passed and I knew it had to be at least midnight. I was trying to go to sleep but thoughts as well as outside conversations kept me conscious. Earlier two of the instructors came in and pointed at me while mumbling between each other. Initially I thought that maybe Officer Miller had found me and was reneging on our/his verbal deal. I quickly shook that idea out of my head, but I still had no clue what they were saying about me. After about a minute of low chatter and head nods, they vanished down the hallway. I knew that I had not messed up already, but maybe it was my bags or lack of. Voices continued to surround me as I stared at the back of my eyelids.
“Where is he?”
So if I do graduate where will I go next? I’ve never seen an Air Force base, but I knew there was an Army post in Fayetteville, N.C. What if I got stationed near home? How would I explain everything that has happened to my old peers, and worst of all Miller.
“Make a hole, let us through.”
I wonder what my Mom will say when I call her and tell her that I’m in Texas in Air Force boot camp. She’ll probably faint. My Mother was against me joining the military, especially after 9/11. She expressed how she didn’t want me dying in a white man’s war. But I’m sure she’d rather me risk my life trying to better myself, than dying pointlessly in the streets.
“I said move out of my way Trainee.”
My eyes were still closed as I lay on my half full bag thinking of the pride I could potentially bring my Mother. In the background I could still hear an aggravated voice and it was getting closer to my position. A slight kick to my shoe interrupted my day dream.
So if I do graduate where will I go next? I’ve never seen an Air Force base, but I knew there was an Army post in Fayetteville, N.C. What if I got stationed near home? How would I explain everything that has happened to my old peers, and worst of all Miller.
“Make a hole, let us through.”
I wonder what my Mom will say when I call her and tell her that I’m in Texas in Air Force boot camp. She’ll probably faint. My Mother was against me joining the military, especially after 9/11. She expressed how she didn’t want me dying in a white man’s war. But I’m sure she’d rather me risk my life trying to better myself, than dying pointlessly in the streets.
“I said move out of my way Trainee.”
My eyes were still closed as I lay on my half full bag thinking of the pride I could potentially bring my Mother. In the background I could still hear an aggravated voice and it was getting closer to my position. A slight kick to my shoe interrupted my day dream.
“Boy you better have slipped yourself into a coma or worse to be laying there ignoring me!” I heard this statement, and I knew exactly what was going on, but I prayed that the instructor was talking to the guy next to me. I peaked to get confirmation and almost jumped out of my skin. There were now three instructors standing over me, two with their arms crossed and one leaning down inches from my face.
“Ohhhhhhh welcome back to Earth Neil Armstrong, did you find freaking water on Mars!?” The clean shaved white figure said to me. Surely I wasn’t in trouble for sleeping; half of the people around had been dozing off.
“Get up!” The figure of authority shouted as he stepped back with the two other instructors. I knew I had to obey orders if I planned on staying here, so I began to gather my things and stood up. I didn’t know what position I was suppose to stand in, so I just held my bag in my left hand and kept my free hand to my side. I thought I did well.
“Too slow… Do it again.” The middleman said. All three had their arms crossed now as they stared through me.
“Do what again?” I asked ignorantly, and instantly all three instructors were in my face.
“Do what again Sir!” The lead man shouted. I wasn’t sure if I heard him correctly, so I replied stupidly once again.
“Huuuuuuuuuh?” I asked with a confused face. Before I could get my fifth ‘U’ out the instructor standing to the right of me stepped even closer with demonic eyes.
“Boy I don’t know if you are really that dumb or if you’re just messing with us, but either option, you better smarten up real quick!” I decided not to respond this time and just make what I felt was respectful eye contact. This time the instructor on my far left dashed about an inch from my lips.
“Are you sizing up my colleague? Please tell me that you’re not! If you have something on your chest then now is the time to get it out! If not then you will respond from now on with Sir!” I remained quiet and now focused my eyes on him. Following the suit of the yelling pattern, the lead instructor was now in my face.
“I said… get down… and do it again!” He spat. I responded with a low “Yes Sir” and got down on my stomach.
“You weren’t on your belly when we came in were you? Lay on your back like you were. Go ahead and cross your pretty little legs and relax like you were.” The lead said. I did as I was told and laid on my back; I wasn’t sure if my legs were even crossed when they came in but I did it anyways. I knew I wasn’t in any position to debate with these guys.
“Now get up.” I glanced around and all of the other trainees were now staring at me. Again I did as I was told and stood to my feet.
“Not quick enough do it again.” At this point I chuckled, and that was the worst thing I could possibly do in this situation.
“OH MY FREAKING GOD! He thinks this is all a joke!” The lead said. As he stepped closer I was already on my way back down to repeat the previous order but I tripped over his boot and fell flat on my bag. I expected to hear a roar of laughter from the bystanders but everyone was too afraid to laugh; maybe I was the only idiot in the group. When I opened my eyes I saw the lead instructor within kissing distance of my face.
“Look here trainee, I want you to listen and listen closely. You are now staring at gates, now whether they are gates to the Air Force, or gates to Hell, that is all up to your actions. I suggest you learn where you’re at and adjust your attitude accordingly.” He said as he and his team began to walk off. He suddenly turned around and yelled to me.
“Oh and by the way, you’re now the Dorm Chief. Congratulations…” He said with an evil smile. My head was still hurting along with my pride, but I still pulled myself up into an upright position. The only question in my mind at the moment was “What is a Dorm Chief?” Surely it could not be anything good from my recent performance.
