One fun story before I go to bed. A father of one of our ANA soldiers visited the camp this week. Cpt Mussah asked if we had anything we could give him as a gift..because he is an old soldier himself and his son is a good soldier. Dusty suggested that we give him one of his two head lamps. Good idea I said and he, harly and I went over to give it to him.He's an old wrinkled-prune-of-a-man. He was a funny old guy and we really enjoyed talking to him. He told us thanks for helping his country and told us of his adventures as a soldier in the king's army. Then I told dusty to give him the gift.
I said, Sir, we have a gift for you and sergeant wheeler will show you what it is. He very graciously accepted and felt bad he had nothing to give in return. Dusty showed him the flashlight head lamp and demonstrated with the other one he had on his head. The old man had a hard time turning the one on that we gave him so dusty asked, can you turn this one on better? handing his other one to him as well.
Then he asked, "which one do you like? After a long pause with a furrowed brow, the old guy stuck them both in his pockets and said, "I like them both! We all laughed and he said, over and over, thank you! Harly and I laughed all the way back to the tent. Dusty laughed too, but was frustrated. We can get him another one easily.
[they ] The Afghani's will give the shirt off their back if you need it but they'll rob you blind if you let them.
AND....as Will told me in the same conversation... I'm not very good at asking for help and I'll tell everyone I'm fine - which I am - when I really might not be...anyway, Will said to me:
"I've said this before...you'd fit right in here in Afghanistan. Just this morning, CPT Mussah came over to say goodbye to me for the week and I offered him a water. He said, no thanks. I handed it to him anyway and he took it, said thanks and drank the whole thing without breathing. I'm learning that no means yes unless its no, then its no."
I really am fine.
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