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Saturday, April 09, 2005
A Toy Story
One bright spot of the above mentioned logjam of missions came during the mounted patrol on Easter. After the foot patrol, Smith and I were exhausted but hopped onto the Humvees and got ready to roll out again. Unfortunately I was chosen to drive a battered old (but armored) Humvee configured like a pick-up truck (for dismounting troops to ride in the back). Not only does this particular vehicle’s AC not work, the heater stays on FULL BLAST. Now, it’s not real hot here yet, but certainly hot enough and too hot to be sitting in a metal hot box with bullet-proof portal-like windows that I of course dare not open.
While patrolling, we stopped along a street corner and my vehicle ended up being right on the corner. I opened the door to step out of my sauna and cool down. When I got out, I saw three women and several kids, all gathered just outside their home to watch the Americans rolling through (we’re often the ‘big show’ when we roll through a neighborhood, particularly ones that aren’t patrolled that often, with kids running after our vehicles, women coquettishly peeking out from gaps in their doorways, etc.). I reached back into the Humvee, into my rucksack.
Inside was a slew of toys sent from friends in care packages (thank you Chris Wernert and John and Lyn Burton!). I grabbed some stuffed animals for the girls and some toy cars for the boys, then turned toward the kids with my hands behind my back. I stepped (probably too quickly) toward the oldest girl, who was perhaps ten or twelve. Her big brown eyes bugged out and she quickly stepped back from this foreign, tall, helmeted, armored guy who was covered in pouches filled with ammo and other crud who was suddenly approaching her.
Then I pulled a stuffed bunny out from behind my back.
Her eyes got, surprisingly, even LARGER and her whole face just absolutely lit up. She looked back at me as if to say, ‘For me!?!?’ I gave her the bunny and she about melted, clutching it to her chest, then turned to her mom, who’s eyes were just about as bugged out in joy. I then distributed the cars and other stuffed animals to the other kids, returning to the rucksack to get a few more, ensuring that all six got at least one toy. I wish you could have seen the looks on these kids faces, as just the joy and excitement are just so sincere, almost explosive or wild, and in that way almost sometimes rather sad, or perhaps more specifically nearly heart-breaking. These kids have so little. I’ve seen four and five year olds play ‘car’ with an actual old car tire, others trying to push each other on a half-melted plastic tricycle with no rear wheels. When they receive one little toy car or a nice new, clean, fire-resistant, happy stuffed animal, they are truly ecstatic.
While patrolling, we stopped along a street corner and my vehicle ended up being right on the corner. I opened the door to step out of my sauna and cool down. When I got out, I saw three women and several kids, all gathered just outside their home to watch the Americans rolling through (we’re often the ‘big show’ when we roll through a neighborhood, particularly ones that aren’t patrolled that often, with kids running after our vehicles, women coquettishly peeking out from gaps in their doorways, etc.). I reached back into the Humvee, into my rucksack.
Inside was a slew of toys sent from friends in care packages (thank you Chris Wernert and John and Lyn Burton!). I grabbed some stuffed animals for the girls and some toy cars for the boys, then turned toward the kids with my hands behind my back. I stepped (probably too quickly) toward the oldest girl, who was perhaps ten or twelve. Her big brown eyes bugged out and she quickly stepped back from this foreign, tall, helmeted, armored guy who was covered in pouches filled with ammo and other crud who was suddenly approaching her.
Then I pulled a stuffed bunny out from behind my back.
Her eyes got, surprisingly, even LARGER and her whole face just absolutely lit up. She looked back at me as if to say, ‘For me!?!?’ I gave her the bunny and she about melted, clutching it to her chest, then turned to her mom, who’s eyes were just about as bugged out in joy. I then distributed the cars and other stuffed animals to the other kids, returning to the rucksack to get a few more, ensuring that all six got at least one toy. I wish you could have seen the looks on these kids faces, as just the joy and excitement are just so sincere, almost explosive or wild, and in that way almost sometimes rather sad, or perhaps more specifically nearly heart-breaking. These kids have so little. I’ve seen four and five year olds play ‘car’ with an actual old car tire, others trying to push each other on a half-melted plastic tricycle with no rear wheels. When they receive one little toy car or a nice new, clean, fire-resistant, happy stuffed animal, they are truly ecstatic.
Posted by: Unknown / 11:46 AM 
