The Ramblings of Weesatch Joe

I wrote this the day after my son left for Navy boot camp in June of 2023.  In his classic short story, "The Things They Carried," author Tim O'Brien tells the story of what men, grunts, soldiers, carried in their packs while humping the boonies of Vietnam. The second paragraph begins: The things they carried were largely determined by necessity. Among the necessities or near-necessities were P-38 can openers, pocket knives, heat tabs, wristwatches, dog tags, mosquito repellant, chewing gum, candy, cigarettes, salt tablets, packets of Kook-Aid, lighters, matches, sewing kits, Military Payment Certificates, C-rations, and two or three canteens of water. Together, these items weighed between 15 and 20 pounds, depending on a man's habits or rate of metabolism. That wasn't counting his rifle, K-Bar knife, pistol, extra magazines, helmet, flack jacket (if he chose to wear it) and soggy clothes, sodden with sweat, humidity and rain. In short, the GI had a lot to c...