Music blasted all around him through a small radio connected to big speakers. The bass was even too much still, and the sound was scratchy as one song sang smack that all on the floor. Sergeant Daniel Butler walked around the FOB and watched the soldiers play. It had been a long few months embedded in the middle of the war. His men had run so many missions without a break that he'd begged his commander for a little R & R. Finally they got it and what did the boys think up, a beach party in the middle of the desert. There was food on the table under the tent and it looked surprisingly good as Daniel passed by. There were thick sandwiches, fried chicken, coleslaw, and even potato salad and hot dogs. He made a mental note to come back and gorge himself soon before the pack ate everything.
Bottles of Snapple chilled in big plastic buckets and he snagged one. He turned, watching the party around him as his men cut loose and released built up stress. Their version of a beach party was to have him requisition wading pools and children's floaters. His face broke out into a grin as one of his men jumped out of the small wading pool with a yellow rubber duck tube around his waist. He was not the only one dressed in green camo boxer shorts and wearing children's floatation devices. They threw big beach balls at each other and danced to the music blaring from the intercom.
Big dumb kids, he thought and laughed out loud when one of the men got hit in the head with a red ball and chased his friend down and tackled him to the dry desert sand. While others sat in that same sand building castles of a big penis and vagina. They were having fun and that was all that mattered. In the middle of this one hundred and twenty-five-degree heat and the danger they faced everyday, they had to find their fun whenever they could.
"Looks like they raided a sand box at a porn store."
Daniel looked in the direction of the soft female voice. "Yeah, their minds are in the gutter."
"Well, at least they are getting it out creatively."
Daniel chortled. "Creatively, uh-huh, sure."
She laughed and took his Snapple from him, taking a long drink and handing it back. "Raspberry, nice flavor, and I was trying to be nice, the big cock and balls is a little disconcerting."
"Hell, it's giving me a serious case of penis envy." Her laughter was infectious and Daniel smiled before he took a sip from the Snapple bottle. He found himself wishing she had left her taste on the rim of the glass. "Honestly, the guys needed it, too many missions, one too many explosions, they needed the break."
"We all did, it seems, I've been seeing too many injuries in the med-tent lately," she replied.
"So you're a medic?"
She took his drink once more. "Um-hmmm." The noise was an affirmative to his question.
Daniel studied her soft features under the boonie hat. He wondered what her hair looked like. Her mouth looked full around the glass bottle and he thought about the taste of the raspberry tea against her lips. You've been in country way too long buddy.
"Well, I gotta get back to work, you guys enjoy your beach party," she said and began to walk away.
"Hey, wait, take some food for later. Trust me, by the time you come back it will be a paper plate and crumbs here." He rushed over to the table and piled a little bit of everything onto a plate and walked it over to her. "I'm sure there are places in the med unit to keep this cool."
"Yup, they sure do. Thanks for the food."
"So, you're not going to tell me your name?" Daniel asked.
"Not now, maybe next time, soldier." Her smile was soft and he could see the hint of flirtation in her eyes.
Daniel watched her walk away with a smile of his own on his face. It would definitely be his pleasure to find out the name of the lovely medic.
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