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Back to the present, for now

I had to be at a sales meeting this morning, and we were lectured and cheerleaded by three different sales persons, exhorting us to sell more auto, life and health policies. Huzzah!

No problem with the motivation; I need to keep my job so I can afford the fun things I have acquired and maintain all of it in working condition. Add the cold weather and my mind began to drift to another place...

Not the Caribbean.

Many years ago, I was at this place in Brunswick, Maine. Actually, we were trucked a few miles past there, I don't really remember.

But I do remember sitting in a small place, about two feet by four feet, freezing, and listening to this poem;

Boots
Rudyard Kipling
INFANTRY COLUMNS

We're foot-slog-slog-slog-sloggin' over Africa -
Foot-foot-foot-foot-sloggin' over Africa -
(Boots-boots-boots-boots-movin' up an' down again!)
There's no discharge in the war!

Seven-six-eleven-five-nine-an'-twenty mile to-day -
Four-eleven-seventeen-thirty-two the day before -
(Boots-boots-boots-boots-movin' up an' down again!)
There's no discharge in the war!

Don't-don't-don't-don't-look at what's in front of you.
(Boots-boots-boots-boots-movin' up an' down again)
Men-men-men-men-men go mad with watchin' em,
An' there's no discharge in the war!

Try-try-try-try-to think o' something different -
Oh-my-God-keep-me from goin' lunatic!
(Boots-boots-boots-boots-movin' up an' down again!)
There's no discharge in the war!

Count-count-count-count-the bullets in the bandoliers.
If-your-eyes-drop-they will get atop o' you!
(Boots-boots-boots-boots-movin' up an' down again) -
There's no discharge in the war!

We-can-stick-out-'unger, thirst, an' weariness,
But-not-not-not-not the chronic sight of 'em -
Boot-boots-boots-boots-movin' up an' down again,
An' there's no discharge in the war!

'Taint-so-bad-by-day because o' company,
But night-brings-long-strings-o' forty thousand million
Boots-boots-boots-boots-movin' up an' down again.
There's no discharge in the war!

I-'ave-marched-six-weeks in 'Ell an' certify
It-is-not-fire-devils, dark, or anything,
But boots-boots-boots-boots-movin' up an' down again,
An' there's no discharge in the war!


Over and over.

The recorded version is much more descriptive.

Sometimes I feel like one of the Vonnegut characters described in "Slaughterhouse Five". That sales deal was not uncomfortable in any way, I just got bored and unhinged from the present. Boots-boots-boots...

Those that know, know!

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