I Can't Speak German!

I spent most of my days writing letters . . . and waiting. The days seemed to be marking time and I wanted to "forward march" so I could get these 12 months behind me and get back to The States.

Finally the day I had been waiting for . . .I got an assignment! I was being sent to the 1st Armored Division Headquarters, Ansbach, Germany. My orders were cut, I packed my duffel bag, boarded a cozy charter bus and I was on my way. I was so excited! After 7 long months of training and waiting, I was finally on my way to my new duty station. I still wasn't thrilled about being overseas but at least I was on my way to somewhere.

And then something seemed to not feel right. I was tired beyond belief. I literally couldn't keep my eyes open, they felt weighted down. It was jet lag, I was told, setting in. I never traveled this far from home before and for my entire life I don't think I got more than an hour out of my time zone so I had no idea what jet lag felt like --I assumed it felt like this; tired to the point of exhaustion & no energy. I couldn't even lift my duffel bag onto the bus --the bus driver had to assist me. He was German, spoke no English and I can't help but wonder if he was thinking, "Some soldier you are! You can't even pick up your own bag."

When I got onto the bus simultaneous to me taking my seat, I fell asleep. Other soldiers were on the bus too and there was much chatter going on. Everyone wanted to see Germany, as if they were on some posh tourist bus. I wanted to see the sites too but it was as if my body was drugged. I would try to pick my head up and look out of the window but I'd just fall back to sleep. Every now and then I'd feel someone tap my shoulder and say, "Wake up! You're missing it!" I'd try to lift my head but much like a new born baby, I had no control and my head would jut flop back down and back to sleep I would fall. Every now and then I'd briefly open my eyes. All I remember seeing is a lot of lush green land.

Someone was again trying to wake me and though I was aware of my surroundings, I could barely come to. When I finally opened my eyes a soldier asked me, "Do you know where you're going because we made a few stops already."

Crap! I've spent days waiting to get somewhere and now I'm going to end up nowhere. What if my new unit reports me AWOL? What if I go to jail? What if I get dropped off in some strange Germany city? I can't speak German! The bus driver doesn't speak English! I wanted to stay up and figure it out but instead, I fell back to sleep. It was as if a sleep alien had taken possession of my body. I had no control over it but as I dozed back off to sleep I wondered if there might be something wrong . . . .