Dayroom

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by Lenard Blatchly

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I left Coulee City, WA. on a cold late Oct. morn, 1970...My wife and our little boy who was a year and five months old now, in tow. I had been out of the hosp. (Madigan General Hospital) a whole month by now and just had my cast removed, leg brace and crutches were my new tools. I was headed for Ft. Hood Texas.

When I was sent to my new unit I realized that I had to get out of this place. It was the 2nd Armored Division `Hell on Wheels. ` Man o man was I in the wrong place. To make a long story short, "top" and I did not like one another. Because of my "condition" I had to report to sick call every morning and it was a chore, see I did not want to report to sick call, it was in my profile though and top hated this. He did not care where I had been or what I had done, no one in his unit reported to sick call.

Now it seemed like the rest of the company always went out on maneuvers and I was always left back to my own devices. Well one time Top came to me and said his day room needed a good fucking shine and seeing how I was a Sgt. and a team leader, I needed to see to it. He said to "...get some men together and get it done." Now I had advanced to a cane instead of crutches by this time, been there a month ya see.

I did not see anyone around so I proceeded to get the day room shined. Took awhile and I was just finishing up when top entered. He wanted to know why I was putting things away and I said I was "just finishing" he blew his top. He started screaming, cussing, spitting, pushing and just getting all in my face. He said for me to get some people to "shine" his day room, I said, "The day room is shined. No need to get anyone." He said he was going to order me to get someone and I said go ahead. He ordered and I told him it was a stupid order, as the day room was all shined up. He ordered again and again I said it was a stupid order. This went on for about 10 minutes when I said, "I am leaving this day room."

I got hit from behind, really pissed me off. We were outside by this time and he tackled me, hitting all the while, my cane did its job and he kind of backed off.

I did not see the two officers, I guess they had heard the screaming in the day room and had investigated. They must have just seen me hitting the fucking top with my cane, for they rushed me.

I did not care who was rushing me, I just knew I was in a fight. Well the cane got busted and the officers were getting the upper hand and so I just went into attack mode. The three eventually got me hurting pretty good, the top had re-entered the fight ya see.

I know that someone did help me at one time, it all ended with me locked-up. Three soldiers looking at one another and then back at one beat up grunt, like they had just won the war. Wild looking scene, I was laughing all fucked up and them looking crazed and wild eyed, funny to me, still to this day.

Lenard Blachly
B/2/501
2004