This world is a SMALL place: reunited 11 years later!!!

... and the Army's even smaller.

After I finished my mid-morning workout, chest and legs both feeling weak, I stumbled into the lockerroom to grab my shower equipment and head for a soak. I turned toward my locker, where two other soldiers were changing -- one sitting and one standing. No problem, I duck my head and pass by them both, headed to my little corner of the lockerroom. I recognize the man sitting down as a fellow flight student who, just like me, just reported and is going through in-processing, but didn't see the other guy.

Someone speaks up.

"Hey, man. What's your name?"

"Me?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"three_bags_full," I said to the man standing, who now looked REALLY familiar. "You look familiar."

"Alpha 787," he said, referring to a company we were both in once upon a time.

"Holy. Shit." I said. "(insert his name here)!!!!!!!"

It was my bunkmate from basic fucking training. I haven't seen this guy since we finished the U.S. Army Military Police School in 199fucking6!

I'm still in shock.

After basic Neil came to my house in rural central Alabama (we went to basic at Ft. McClellan, a post that's now closed) so his brother, who was in flight school at the time in south Alabama, could come pick him up. We went the next morning -- after a hard night of partying -- to get tattoos.

Our careers took us in wildly different directions. His took him to the border in SoCal and up to the PNW, while mine took me through a stint in the Air Force, but we both just reported to Ft. Rucker for flight school.

I can't fucking believe this.

Any similar stories out there?

 

Re: This world is a SMALL place!!!

The military is a great place for running into old friends, mates, etc.

After boot, A school and my first assignment, I'm standing in the chow line at the Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base when I hear a guy behind me call my name.

It was a guy I'd gone to junior high and high school with. He'd joined the Army and was attending the military's school of music at that very base. Cool!

TBF...your story is better, though. Boot camp buds are sometimes the best.

 

I've ran into old buddies everywhere on the planet -- even someone who went to college with an old boss while I was in Italy, a kid I covered (prep hoops) while at Diego Garcia -- but nothing comes close to this.

This was the first fucking guy I ever met in the Army. We were scared shitless. He and I were alot alike. Both had smart mouths, stayed in the push-up position and got into lots of trouble for drinking during a pass. He and I chewed a ton of dirt together, to quote Gunny Highway.

 

Cool story, tbf ...

Long time ago, I scribed about a senior hockey team. There was a rather quiet fella who came from the neighbouring town to play for that team for the last season it was in existence. Now, in Newfoundland, that's just unhead of. You don't play for the rivals ... ever ... not even when your team has already folded.

Fast forward 11 years. I'm watching a friend of mine play in the provincial championships. His teammate comes over, stands akimbo and says, 'hi, Flash.' I'm looking at him and thinking 'goddamn, I know this guy ... but how ... where ... why ...'
You know, you keep moving around, you start to get your memories mixed up a bit ... do I know this person from here? Or here?
I say, 'you know, you look familiar but I just can't ...'
He says, 'it's me! Granter!'
Well, holy shit ... a big hug later, and we learn we've both been playing in the same tournaments for the preceding two years but never ran into each other. He had seen my column mug shot in the Sun and then thought he saw me at the park, but checked with a couple of friends first.
A couple of friends start milling around and ask, 'so, do you have any good stories about Flash?'
Newfoundland was ... er ... a part of my ... well ... wilder days, so I give him a look and say, 'Granter ...'
He laughs and says, 'no worries, my ducky, your secrets are safe with me.'
And they have been. And we've been tight ever since.

 

bunkmates? Like in the same bunk? TBF WTF?


(and if you're at Rucker, you can buy me lunch)

 

"my ducky?"

 

A term of affection in Newfoundland. 'My love' is another popular one. But you must say either one quickly enough so it sounds like one word.

 

Ohh... kayyy... splains a lot about why Newfies are the way they are...

 

I can't think of anything as great as that.

The only thing I can think of that's recent happened when I saw one of my online friends' Facebook friends lists. He had a guy listed who's a distant relative of his who goes to the big university where I went. I mentioned it to him and he joked about my stalking the guy. Meanwhile, I frequently go to this restaurant near the big university and I've gotten pretty friendly with much of the staff there: Bartenders, bar backs, servers, etc.

Anyway, months later, I'm checking the same online friend's list of people who go to that school. For some reason, it finally dawned on me: The guy I noticed on the Facebook friends list works at this restaurant I frequent. I fucking KNOW the guy!

Small world indeed.

 

When I was in Thailand a few years ago I ran into a guy who frequents my favorite bar here in the states. It's not even like we were on some tour that caters to Americans or anything. I basically went there with my cousin a backpack and a guidebook and we just bounced around for a couple weeks. Halfway across the world and I ran into someone from my town. I thought that was odd.