Sunday, June 12, 2005

Fruit & Veg

Yup, still awake.

Was just thinking how much I'm looking forward to seeing Veg again.

Ah, I suppose I need to backtrack a bit. "Veg" is the nickname for a guy I met when I was doing my national service back in S. Africa. We worked in the HQ, doing all the little things that keep the place running-- stealing food from the kitchen, harassing the Lt., tanning, drinking, smoking etc etc. Thing is, we were posted on the border of Swaziland, a tiny backwater called Golela- not exactly Vietnam central, you know? The most exciting thing that ever happened was having our sniffer dogs kennel blow away when some fat-arsed general decided it would be good for morale to visit us in a goddamned Puma helicopter. The thing's a monster! But NoooOOoo he has to try land it on this tiny strip of fuckall next to our tents. It took us weeks to find all the staff that had been drying on the washlines.

Anyway, we spent the better portion of a year there, baking in the heat and pitting scorpions and spiders against each other in a makeshift stadium (a.k.a box). After we klaared out and went back to civvie street we each went our separate ways.. we did try stay in touch but eventually drifted into our own lives.
That was close on 14 years ago.

Sometime back I did put a general message on the schoolfriends website to see if anyone knew what had happened to him... this week past I got an email from the fucker- his wife had seen his name on the message board and told him about it! Babe, I owe you many drinks for that!!!
It turns out he's moved here (UK) as well and is living in the grim, dark recesses of the North.. we're going to meet up within the month for one helluva craic.

and now I really must try get some sleep..
Posted by Mark :: 12:44 :: 0 Comments:

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