Just woke up from a strange dream. (Okay, what dreams aren't strange?) I'd just showed up in Iraq as a grunt in the army. It was my first day.
The entire dream took place in the army barracks, which were in a total state of neglect and decay. Whole buildings would act as makeshift garbage dumps. During the whole dream I was trying to make myself useful, and getting frustrated because it was a difficult thing to do. Nobody was giving any instructions or answering any questions. I had on military fatigues, and they had some numbers of them that I assumed stated my division, group, something, but nobody would even tell me what my rank was or who was supposed to be my commanding officer.
Eventually a guy wearing combat boots and a goofy looking purple silk suit—obviously civilian clothes—poked his head in the room where I was helping a woman move some garbage around. He told me that FYI the rest of our group was in the other room. I followed him and started asking questions. All I got out of him was that his name was Mike, he was a "consultant" and that he seemed pretty damned proud and happy with his role here in the army, although I still had no idea what he was supposed to be doing.
I was also wondering what my role was. Was I enlisted or just another "consultant"? Was I getting paid anything to be here? (Another grunt told me that no, we weren't being paid anything and all costs were expected to come out of our own personal savings.) Would I ever receive any training?
That was pretty much the extent to the dream. There was a lot of wandering the barracks, trying to be useful. (I did help him over some supplies to a hospital tent, but it ended up being a false alarm and nobody needed them.)
I sure hope the soldiers in Iraq are doing better than I was in that dream. From what I was reading yesterday I'm not entirely sure.
P.S. My room is now indeed clean.
Posted by Murray Todd Williams at May 9, 2004 06:49 AM