We got to the base in about 3 hours (we did stop to pee, thank G). We stopped at this really big rest stop in the middle of nowhere (of course by "really big", I mean "American size"). There, our group leader told us that we should stock-up on snacks because she didn't know how the food was going to be. Now, for me, this was strike one. Why the fuck were we only getting this information now, at this random rest stop? What were we supposed to do? Stock-up on Mcdonald's french fries? Fuck you, girl. And I say "girl" because she was only 19, which, for me, was strike 2.
She was also in a very strange stage in her life. Half of her wanted to be the tough soldier that was in charge of all of us, which came out as her just yelling everything that could easily be said politely. For example, the first thing she said to us was "GET ON THE BUS!" and we were like..Uhmm...ok, first of all, nice to meet you too. Second of all, we are literally walking onto the bus right now, so what is happening here? And, I have to be honest, she wasn't yelling in that cool army-way that makes you feel like you are about to get the real army experience. No. She was yelling at us in that 19 year old girl that is mad at her sister for reading her diary way.
The other half of her was intimidated by our every move. She would do this thing where she would yell at you and then look at you for approval, as if saying "Laura, Let's go!!..if you don't mind". Have you ever babysat someone and played pretend, and in the game they got to be the teacher or mother; and then during the game the kid yells at you, but he/she isn't sure you are OK with it? It was like that. Did she think we wouldn't notice her schizophrenic emotions? Strike 3 for her, she was out (and we haven't even gotten to the good stuff yet).
So, the 11 of us and the girl that we were babysitting finally got to the base. The first thing we did was put our bags in a warehouse and receive the underlined message that nothing was prepared or organized. Our toddler obviously didn't say that, but we could feel it. I felt it right away; I can smell disorganization like a normal person can smell a normal thing. It haunts me, and, in that moment, I knew this experience was going to be dreadful.
After we put our stuff in a warehouse, the bus drove us to the cafeteria for lunch. Excuse me, I didn't explain enough. We took a 2 minute bus ride to the cafeteria for lunch. We couldn't walk for reasons unknown but, whatever, we just went with it; it was her playtime. Maybe she wanted to pretend the cafeteria was on Mars and the bus was a spaceship; who am I to kill that?
The cafeteria was empty accept for the 5 soldiers that were already cleaning the tables and floors. Clearly, we had missed lunch, and they saved us some leftovers. We sat on the shit covered tables and chairs and ate; while the soldiers cleaned around our feet- No, they LITERALLY cleaned around our feet, sometimes they accidentally hit us with the mop.
It was then that I took the opportunity to announce that I was "already miserable". Then someone from our group said what other people in our group were thinking, he said "are you serious? How are you already unhappy? We haven't even done anything". And I thought to myself- are YOU serious?! Is the future not clear to you?!....
...To be Continued...
Stay Tuned,
Lemon DROPS
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