Sunday/Day OFF (Not): Duty Day

Sunday is normally a day I can spend going shopping, resting whatever. However on Saturday evening the commander came to my trailer and announced that I would have an assignment on Sunday which would last all day. After I learned that I would then have Monday off to make up for it, I didn't mind as much.

I didn't really know what this duty would entail. I just followed through with my instructions to report to the Pad Office at 9:30 am. Let me explain what a Pad is. We live in trailers that are organized into mini-neighborhoods called Pads. So I had some sort of duty at the neighborhood headquarters so to speak.

Well at 9:3o I showed up in full uniform and learned that I would be the perimeter guard for the next 12 hrs. I had to make perimeter checkes every two hours and radio those in. In addition I couldn't leave the Pad except for meals and had to be ready and alert in case a need arose. Except for being so long it turned out to not be so bad. I and my buddy finished the day's duty with no enemy infiltration on our watch.

Our Battalion guests arrived and I, as the new guy in the unit, got introduced to the Battalion Commander by our Unit Commander.

I have had no luck trying to get a Simm Card for my cell phone. About a week and a half ago I was in a convoy that went to a camp where the locals sold Simm Cards in their market. But I didn't have any money with me at the time. But I wasn't worried because I had also heard that the locals also sold them at the little market, or Bazzar, in our camp. But they closed at 5pm and I could never get over their before they closed. Last friday I had rushed over there after duty and was there at about 4:45. With the open doors with in eye sight I saw the doors close and lock soundly. When I finally reached the market I was told that today they had to close early due to security concerns. I could of really used an aspirin right then. Well late in evening the next day I went over to a mobile phone trailer that I had seen once. It's not an easy place to reach. It's quite a distance from my Pad and off the beaten path. So I made my way over there, apparently they had just sold their last one and were out and they told me to come back Sunday and they would have more. On sunday when I took lunch from my duty I stopped at the Bazaar. Where I learned, to my chagrin, that no one sells Simm Cards there. So during my dinner break from duty I made my way back to the mobile phone trailer. And for no apparent reason they were closed. Well I went back today (monday), at about 11am and she told me to come back after 3pm. So at 3pm I'll make my way back there and we'll see if I can finally get my hands on a Simm Card.

The locals also sell movies at the local markets. When you see "coming soon to theaters" in the US. You can go and buy it at the local market already, in a lot of cases. And for $5 (or 5 for $20) the DVD a lot of times, comes complete with people standing up and making their way to the isle or moving up the isle with some popcorn or something. Also occasionally you get the idea that you missed something. That there was a scene that was skipped. It's quite a bargain. I haven't bought any yet. There isn't any need to. Cause everyone has big heaping albums with loads of them.

Some of the magic of being the new guy is starting to fade. You know how when you're new and just getting acquainted everyone seems like your friend. Well some of that magic is starting to wane and I'm starting to notice friends and less-than-friends emerge. Don't get me wrong there's no out-right hostilities going on-just a dimished level of good will shall we say with a few individuals. Which is going to happen naturally, everyone's not going to be your friend.

Well wish me luck on getting that Simm Card.