A new form of get together

[Flight 33]

During evening chow in the cafeteria one evening me and Jerry were talking and a corpsman from one of the other wards sat down with his tray next to us.  We didn't know him but we had seen him hanging around with a small group of other medics, and we figured they were just another clique.  He said hi and we did the same.   He mentioned the fact that it had been a busy tour at the hospital so far. We agreed and said we weren't paid enough for this work.  But that the sterile field here was cleaner that crawling around in the mud and jungles of Nam.  At least for now.
We all laughed. 
But I'm sure, thinking to ourselves that, we could on our next duty station, be crawling around in that same mud with our medic packs .
We continued to eat as he talked.
Saying that there would be a little get together that night on the roof of the barracks.  And would we like to come.
What kind of get together we asked.
Oh just smoke a few joints then play some pool in the basement.
Me and Jerry looked at each other and shrugged, sure.
Cool! he said.  Climb up the ladder around 9pm.
We said ok.
He got up with his tray and left saying see ya later.
Now me and Jerry had never smoked pot before and this snap and bold decision we just made surprised even us.
It reminded me of another decision I had to make when I first arrived to this duty station.
A senior corpsman approached me and asked if I wanted to participate in a program that, for a $20 a month deduction from my paycheck, the barracks Philippine 'house boys' would wash and press my uniforms, shine my shoes, and clean my area of the cubical.  He added that everybody did it.  And the only thing we had to do was shine our own web belt buckles.

I said sure, why not.  It would relieve me of that time consuming burden.  Besides, I didn't want to go against the grain of my peers right from the start.
Today that decision of the barracks house boys reminds me of that movie 'The Sand Pebbles' staring Steve McQueen as the new replacement Machinist Mate.  The scene when he first arrives on his new ship and is told the same thing by his shipmates.  That it's "Their rice bowl."   So go along.

Well, it wasn't that threatening for me but still, I went along.

Me and Jerry climbed up the one story ladder to the flat roof of our barracks that warm night to find a small ground of four or five guys sitting in a circle smoking.  We could smell the burnt leaves and see the smoke.  We joined them and sat down.  A joint was passed to both of us and we timidly took a small drag.  Then another.  I coughed a little and heard giggles. 
But they returned to their conversations and tokeing.  Me and Jerry listened as they spoke of the girls downtown, the pretty  nurses, who was not cool and who to watch out for, and this great pot. 
I think the first thing I felt was scared.  Scared of the sudden new strange feeling in my mind and body.  That my senses quickly became acutely aware of my surroundings.  The night air, the night birds calling in the jungle, the billions of stars in the over head sky, the very being of my sitting there next to Jerry and these fellow corpsmen.  Who suddenly I felt I had known for a long time, even though they were mostly strangers. 
They asked me how I felt and I said everything was so clear.  But said little else because I was too preoccupied with this new awareness of everything.  I gazed at Jerry and he was just staring straight ahead.  But looked at me on occasion.
A joint came by again.  Jerry took a hit, then me again. 
I spoke, and for the first time in my life actually heard my own voice.  " I feel, I feel....so different."
One of the corpsman sitting to my other side patted my  shoulder and said, " I bet you do!"
Then I noticed one of the usual Philippine Army Guards with rifle strapped on shoulder, patrolling by on the street below.
The others noticed my surprise and said don't worry about it.  They don't report us.  Some waved to him and he waved back as he continued on his patrol.
More drags from the rolled marijuana.
" I hear a truck coming" I announced.
Everyone looked around, no truck.  "You're high man" came a remark.
A few minutes later, a truck passed by, that had come up the jungle road to our compound.
As it passed someone said, " Wow man, you've got super hearing."
After a while someone suggested we go down to the recreation room in the basement and shoot pool.  There is also an old juke box down there that plays old records, but music just the same. 
I start to arise, and feel myself getting up in stages leaving faint traces of myself below.
We cross the roof and climb down the metal ladder to ground level.  A short few steps to the basement steps and down. 
The lights are on but the room is empty. 
Jerry is obviously also in my same state of mind.  Noticing everything.  He slowly walks to the juke box and picks out some songs.  Two other guys rack up the billiard balls.  Others are still outside.
As they shoot, me and Jerry both see white trails being left by the white cue ball as it shoots across the table.  We just say "Wow."
Well between the pot, pool, and old music, we called it quits around 12 am.  Everyone went back up to the barracks to sack out with earphones on heads, listening to their own music. 
But in hindsight, I know that, that pot was of high quality.  It did what is suppose to do, make you hallucinate and trip you out.  Not like the weaker stuff here in the states I would find on my return home later.
For example, while climbing up the steps back to the barracks, I saw the guy in front of me with long blond hair down to the middle of his back.  Then he turned around to look at me for some reason.  But when he did he was then normal looking. 
Jeez, what a trip.

Tomorrow is Saturday and we are off duty for the weekend. 
It'll be downtown for R&R.
Me and jerry will find a new friend.
Then we'll be three. 
Our little clique is growing.