Saturday, February 08, 2014

Captain LM!




Today at the Post Office I ran into one of my ex-coworkers for the Postal Service.  He is also retired but is trying to get back on.  I'll call him LM.

LM is an officer in the Army Reserves.  He was in a special service unit that was trained to kill.  He was one of the leaders who captured Manuel Noriega (Panama Canal)  in 1989 and brought him to justice. 

At work every time he did something eccentric  or just plain nutty we would comment, "And he is also a trained killer!"

One time for a short time he was a window clerk.  The window clerks sometimes brought goodies in, they baked or bought goodies and kept them out of sight to munch on.  One time a Window Clerk named Jackie brought Duncan Donuts in, all different flavors.  They had the box hidden in a room away from public view and the clerks were to slip back and have one and return to window.  That was the plan.  LM was first to go back.  After he got back and gave a nod the next person went back - and hit the roof.  A bite was out of  each donut.  They asked LM did he do that and he happily said yes, they all looked so good he had to taste each one.  No matter what they angrily said, LM just laughed, like they were kidding him.

I remember one time in the break room we were, well, taking a break.  LM was one of us at the sitting at the tables talking.  There was a vending machine man in the room either loading or repairing a vending machine. 

When LM spoke apparently the vending machine recognized his voice.  He snapped to attention and told LM how glad he was "to see you again SIR!"
LM and the vending machine man talked of old times and the different killing machines they were trained on.   I could tell the vending machine  man really looked up and respected his officer, LM.

Then LM's supervisor came in and  ruefully told him to get back to work.

I bet that was a downer for both of them. 

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