Board Archive 4-5 November 2005

These clips were posted on Suzanne Brockmann's board in early November, 2005, but were missed in the regular archive captures.

Re: Tom do you feel inclined to tell a story that would put a smile on a person's face?

Posted by Tom on 11/4/2005

so, we are in Honduras--way back in the jungle and we are getting eaten alive by bugs--got the bug gump on, cammies rolled down heat nets-etc--chomp chomp chomp--so we are sitting around the fire lamenting the lack of beer and a local (loin cloth and all) comes up and offers us wood for our ammo boxes--wood for wood (moog) but alas, silly government regs prevents us from making the trade--he nods understandingly--walks over to this tree pulls a big fungus thing off it throws it into the fire and all biting bugs disappear immediately--so we decide to selectively enforce our majesties rules and trade the boxes for wood--but the funny part come the next day--I am walking near their farming compound and meet mamason and the grand kids--I kid the girl a nurf ball and the boy a matchbox car--he looks puzzled--converse with g'mon--ends up the lad has never seen a car-boats yes, planes yes--cars no--totally had no idea what it was

We always travelled with toys---

Posted by Tom on 11/4/2005

just little stuff--tried to keep away from candy--in Afghanistan in the hills we found kids motioning like they were writing--terps said they wanted pencils and paper--pretty stark realization--they knew we had food they wanted pencils and paper

crayons, paints and colored chalk

Posted by Tom on 11/5/2005

are good too. As are kids books in the native language of course.

Re: Would toys, paper/pencils be good things

Posted by Tom on 11/5/2005

There are people supplying the kids with school supplies and I think that is a worthy cause. I think that sending small toys and school supplies directly to the troops would not be effective. People that interact regularly (Green Berets, Civic Affairs etc.) have budgets for that. My story was from the early '90s in the WOD when we didn't. It was heart wrenching to see kids that thirsty for education--they practiced writing wiht charcoal on slate slab ... Kids still love chocolate--the world currency.

Back to the Tom Stuff