Merry Christmas

Mele..

wait that's Hawaiian

HoweveryousayMerryChristmasinArabic....

I was under the impression we were getting the day off, the impression obviously wasn't that impactful on the higher ups....Instead we are the only ones in the office today.  I had hoped to go to the mall, another chance to get off base, a chance to go Xmas shopping for ourselves..but no, none of that either.  

So as I enter the chowhall in my work uniform, my eyes scan the sea of civies...sigh, I should be joining in with the masses, but alas, I have to work.  There's not many open spaces to sit, as half the normal seating area has been sectioned off for cakes, carving displays, and of course, Kuwaity Santa.

I find a table with a few empty spaces and some other service members in uniform too; I pick this table to try and blend in.  (For the record, or desert, ran cammies versus the army light green cammies..yeah, not much to 'blend' in there)

Little did I know, but I sat down right between the two-star Army General and the Army Command Sergeant Major..go me.  I didn't realize this until well into my meal in fact.  At one point during my meal, I saw a group of people taking pictures with a two-star at the opposite end of the table.  I didn't think too much of it, thought it was kinda random and cool to see a two-star in the non-vip section of the chowhall, and continued eating..then I noticed him walking over my way.  My eyes kept in pursuit as I gobbled down some more stuffing.  He made a pass behind me and onto the other side, where he pulled out a chair and sat..where he had been this entire time.  

This mother fucker had been sitting next to me the entire time and I hadn't the slightest clue.  It wasn't too much longer before he sparked conversation with me, asking me where I was from and wishing me a merry christmas as well.  I would have continued, but my meal was finished, exchanged another round of 'merry christmas'es and left, noting the rank of the gentlemen that was sitting on my right.

It's not every day you can say you inadvertently had lunch with the two-star.

"'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the base, not a creature was stirring, except MCC-K"