Sayla Boi

By Anthony Graves

Set in 1973, a young man enlists in the Navy thinking it is a way of escaping his mundane life but soon finds more than he bargained for.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Aug 2, 2014
• ISBN: 9781312404595

Book preview

Sayla Boi

Sayla Boi

By Anthony Graves

Chapter I

I stand naked, hearing my name called, a kind of beckoning from across a distant, dark and windy plain.  My eyes scan the distance, searching for the source of the mysterious calling.  Suddenly the voice races forward, engulfing my ears with its sound.

Dave!

Yeah?

Time to get up now! My Mother calls to me.

My eyes open slowly to view a dim light cast across the carpet from under the door.

Ok, I’m up!  I reply.

Hauling my sleepy body up and out the door - legs unsteady the first few steps - I enter the bathroom off the hallway.  Remnants of the odd dream quickly fade from my mind like wisps smoke. For a moment I stand and gaze at myself in the mirror.  Tall and thin with a slight muscular build, brown hair flowing just past my shoulders.  I see someone whose life is a mess. 

Third of November 1973, the moment has arrived and with it fear crawls up and down my spine.  Finishing up, it’s back to my room to throw some warm clothes on.  For an instant I almost get back in bed, just call the whole thing off, but strangely some small thread of determination tugs me forward as I slowly get ready.  With a deep sigh I reluctantly turn away from my cozy bedroom and head toward the front door to find my Mother waiting in the living room. Long hugs and goodbyes are exchanged before I step outside the door to wait on my Father.  The cold crisp autumn air prods me further awake while I focus on the stars in the predawn blackness. I feel I’ve made a mistake now. Why did I think I wanted to do this, of all things?

Riding across town with Dad at the wheel a sense of simmering panic festers within unabated.  I could tell him to turn around, to just forget it, to go on back.  Staring at my Fathers face in the dim glow of the dashboard lights I see he’s calm, relaxed.  Usually put at ease by this familiar profile, it’s different this time. I’m leaving the nest now and no longer will my life be as secure as the past 17 years.  I stare ahead into darkness, as we drift through the night, the road lines focusing my gaze far into the distance on this cold, lonely highway.

The journey to the recruiter’s office ends quickly. The next moment, it seems, we’ve arrived. It’s as if fate has actually hurried me forward to my destination in spite of my strong desire to turn back.  I slowly climb out of the car and immediately notice the dead quiet of the dimly lit parking area.  No one else is here yet and inside the recruiter’s office only darkness is seen.  The feeling of uneasiness gains strength now and to add to my discomfort my whole body begins shaking uncontrollably from the cold.  I tuck my hands in my coat pockets to try and fight the chill.  As we stand there together, my Father and I, a sense of change creeps into my mind; like a shuffling of the cards.

Dave?

What?

I said, we sure are going to miss you.

Sorry...uh... well, I'll see you in eight weeks, right after boot camp, I said, forcing a smile.

(Silence again)  It’s hard for me to be outwardly emotional in front of my parents but deep inside they were both loved very much.

You know, if the rest of them don't show up I'm just gunna call it off, I said, trying to sound serious as I lean back against the car.

Oh, I'm sure they'll show, he remarks lighting up a cigarette.  He turns away to face the long dark road we came from dropping his lighter back down his pocket; hoping, I suppose, that I’ll still go through with it if they don’t make it.

He is probably right. We made a pact, the five of us, if anyone backed out now it would be a clear show of cowardice, especially for John, the one who first came up with this crazy idea. Back about a month ago, the two of us were in the upstairs bedroom at his parent’s house relaxing and listening to our favorite rock tunes:

Hey Dave, I'm thinkin...maybe we should join the Navy man, He says while trying to hold his breath in, totally out of the blue.  After several seconds he blows out a cloud of pot smoke. John’s ‘Black Light’ brings out the bright florescent colors from the many psychedelic posters covering the walls. Our faces are dark yet our teeth glow brightly in the strange, purple light.

Huh?  I reply, pulling my mind into focus.  I take the joint out of his hand, in a gesture of disapproval to this sudden line of bullshit I hear.

Why in the hell would we want to join the military for man?

Come on, Dave, it’ll be great, he says, I was talking with this guy who has been in for two years already and he loves it.  He said we can even sign up on the Buddy System so they'll keep us together the whole time.

The, ‘John-con’ is on, I'm thinking, he seems to always have some crazy scheme going and this just sounds like another one he cooked up.  He sees I’m not taking him seriously and leans forward.

Dave, we can go anywhere in the whole world.

Really, I said flatly.  I lean back in the chair and mentally block out the background music to improve my concentration.  Images of far away adventures begin to penetrate my mind.

Sure man, we can even choose the place we want to go. The Recruiter told me so, he adds, fishing for a cigarette.

I knew John pretty well. He could sell anybody, anything. He could also read people well enough to know just what they wanted to hear.  I was always cautious during one of his notorious brainstorms but this new idea actually did carry some weight with me.  I was sick of being broke all the time, the same old scene with high school, with the same old parties, the drugs, a future going nowhere really.  Besides this did sound like a bit of adventure, John knew this and he worked his sales pitch right there.  But as he went on talking, in the back of my mind I was thinking that the idea of me being in the military would be a very bad joke. It was, after all, the epitome of everything I was against. Heck I was basically an anarchist at heart.

After he had worked on me a while, pushing every button he knew of, he next leaned on my sense of comradeship.

Larry and Robert already said they were going to join dude. He calmly says, as he sits back in his chair. He lights up his cigarette, staring at me intently.  My guess is he’s evaluating the effect of this last comment.  Sure enough, I felt the old arm twist slightly; I began to fidget around in my seat.

So?  I said, with forced indifference, fumbling for my own cigarette.

Dave, he says leaning forward again, Think about what you’ve got right now. You have no real future.  None of us do.  In the Navy you can learn a skill of some kind or when you get out you can even go to college and have Uncle Sam pay for it.

Yeah, that would be cool, I said in agreement. But... what about Ernie, what did he say about the idea?  I felt myself giving in.

He said he didn't have anything else to do, so why not. he replies with a chuckle.

Shit, Ernie too? I began to really feel the pressure. 

We'll just party our ass the whole time off Dave, he says with a look of success.  He takes the joint away from me and raises it in a mock toast.  And see the whole world doin it!

It dawned on me at moment that John must have gotten to all of us this way.  Stoned, and completely at the mercy of his talents.

He wasn’t next to arrive.  A car pulls in, Ernie gets out, and it takes off again with just a quick word between him and the driver.  Little Ernie makes his way toward us with a silly grin on his face.  He’s half Spanish, half white, and while he is small, he has a nice looking face, cute as a teddy bear to the chicks; like a damn chick magnet no less.  Ernie’s usual expression is kind of goofy, like it is right now, and it seems to reflect the craziness of the moment. His off center sense of humor always there to confirm it. 

Hello Mr. Green.

Hello Ernie.

Dave!  How the heck did we get talked into this?  Are we nuts or something? Ernie says laughing.

I look down at my feet smiling, searching my tired mind for a reply.

Did you have any second thoughts about this idea Dave?  He says, reaching in his shirt pocket for a cigarette.

Not really. Not until I actually got here anyway. I said, with a chuckle. What about you?

Na, I figure it's a good chance to stop flippin burgers and do something else for a while, he replied with a grin.

Ernie had a rough life.  His stepmother- not wanting him around- had kicked him out of the house two years ago when he turned sixteen.  He didn't want to burden his real Mom by living with her so he worked full-time evenings to make it on his own while he still managed to continue with high school.  I guess he was waiting for any opportunity to come along to get as far away possible from the life he was caught up in now.  

What did you do on your last free night Ernie?  I asked to distract myself.

Spent it with my Mom, for some reason she was real upset about me leaving so I left her a note this morning before she woke up and hitched a ride here. Guess I couldn’t take seeing her bawling her head off anymore, he said, flashing his goofy grin.

I decided to face the final goodbye myself, waiting a few seconds first to stir up a little courage.

Well Dad, I suppose I won’t be seeing you again until after boot camp, I said after a long sigh.

He steps over to me smiling with understanding and gives me a big hug.  It carries a lot of meaning, and part of me feels embarrassed being it was in front of Ernie, but something inside told me I’d better appreciate it.

Ok Dave, we'll see you after boot. Don't forget to write us now and then, he pats me on the back before turning to leave.  As he walks away that sense of panic inside suddenly rises higher. 

I'll write as soon as I can Dad; let you know how everything's going.  Tell Mom not to worry.

He turns back with a smile and a wave then doesn't look back again.  After he’s in the car I begin to feel sorrow as he drives away.  There goes my comfortable little world. When would I ever see my family again? Everything got strangely quiet for a moment as I stood staring at the tail lights of my Father’s car receding in the darkness. 

Got any pot man?  Ernie asks.

No, I was hoping you had, I replied, choking back my emotions.

Man, I sure wanted to get stoned one last time, he says, looking off toward an approaching car, Oh well, maybe John will have some…if he shows up. 

Larry and Robert arrive next.  They pull up, get out of the car and say a brief goodbye to their mom.  She waves over to us smiling before quickly heading back the way she came.  They swagger up to us with their typical air of defiance to the world.

The two of them don’t look much like brothers.  Larry is very short and has an elfish looking face, like a leprechaun with long brown hair.  He has freckles, a chipped tooth and blue eyes, which are a little bloodshot right now.  Robert is much taller and looks like he could be a male model if he wanted to. His brown eyes and sturdy build add to a handsome, manly face that could take him far in this world.  Funny thing about it though, when you compare their size with their personalities, they are just the opposite.  Larry is cocky and aggressive, Robert silent and gentle spirited. But the both of them are tough as nails.

Man you ready for this shit?  Larry yells out to us laughing.

We must be crazy!  I reply chuckling.

Yeah, here we are about to give our worthless hides over to Uncle Sam and throw away the good life, Ernie adds, grinning.

Bet ol’ John will back out, I said, with a smile. 

Larry’s expression changes, like he’s seriously thinking about what I just said.  He looks at me in honesty.  If that bastard doesn't show up then he's a sorry...

Just then a dark colored station wagon pulls into the lot and we all turn to look in anticipation of the devil himself but it's just the recruiter.  He gets out of his car and right away starts telling us how pleased he is to see us all again while leading us toward the office to get out of the cold. After fumbling with his keys to unlock the door, we step into the warmth inside and it’s great but then soon realized that it was the cold outside that had kept me awake the past few minutes and I promptly receive the full load of my sleepiness.

You fellows want some coffee? He asks, as he prepares a pot.

They all mill about the coffee maker waiting for the brew but I choose instead to sit down for a minute, resting my head on my hands. I close my eyes and drift off to a kind of drowsy numbness bordering on sleep.

I hear them all talking but the sound is fading a little.  Then I hear the recruiter’s voice chatting all bright and cheery. Basically he’s now going off into a heavy dose of bullshit.  As I listen, I get the impression he’s trying to keep the hook set as he reels us all in. I think the guy is probably surprised the four of us even showed up.

Ok, you boys just relax now while I get all your paperwork together; we'll leave for Dallas at about five thirty, he turns, heading off to another room in the back.

A quick glance up at the clock above the coffee maker starts me thinking that maybe John really won’t make it after all.  He’s usually late for everything though so I don't give up on him just yet. But I still entertain a few choice curses in case he doesn't.

The next thing I know we’re heading back out the door toward the recruiters’ car.  Just as we all pile in, he arrives.  His Mothers big maroon Chrysler glides into the parking lot and I roll down my window to try and yell out a goodbye to her.  Her car door opens and I can hear her crying as John gives her a quick kiss and a wave.  His stocky frame heads our way with long strides and focused determination but I detect a stagger in his gait as he reaches for the car door.

See you later Darlene!  I yell out the window.

Take good care of John, she calls backs, He listens to you Dave!

However flattered I was by her confidence in me I knew she was very mistaken.  I could no more get him to listen to me than he could get me to listen to him.  We all five did as we pleased most the time and didn’t care what anyone thought about it.  He climbs in next to me.

We’re beginning to think this all was some kind of joke you decided to pull on us, John.  I said half serious.

Hell no man, I just had a little trouble getting up is all.  I spent all last night getting drunk with Pam.  Shit, I'm going to miss the hell out of her. 

The smell of alcohol begins to permeate the interior of the car as he speaks.  Quickly the recruiter hops out of the car and trots back to the office to get Johns paperwork.

Ernie chuckles, Man I should’ve gotten drunk last night myself.

Shit, I'm still drunk! Bellows John.

I envied John in a way, maybe, I could have done the same thing on my last night, but I also knew we would be paying for it bad as soon as the booze wore off.

The ride to Dallas has us all a little tense in the beginning.  The recruiter holds our attention in the beginning of the journey with his nonstop sales pitch of the wonderful opportunities ahead. But after few minutes of this bullshit we all get bored and start loosening up.

I wonder what Dave is going to look like with all his hair cut off?  John says, his mouth set in a silly grin.

Probably bad enough that I can't pick up chicks anymore, I reply.

Shit, I guess now we'll have to settle for the real ugly ones, Ernie comments as he stares out the window.  Everyone, including the recruiter lets out a laugh.

John nudges me with his elbow, making a finger to mouth gesture between us inquiring as to whether I have any pot while Larry’s busy telling one of his new jokes.  I give John a quick shake of the head. Disappointed, he turns toward the recruiter.

Hey man, can you find a liquor store somewhere?   

That gets a few more chuckles.

Uh...No....I’ve got to drop you off by a certain time this morning so you can make your swearing in today, he replies nervously.

Shit!  John says, disgusted.

I wonder if John is going to last the day after staying up all night and also begin to doubt he will make the next eight weeks having to remain sober.  He has been almost constantly intoxicated since I met him a few years earlier.  This may be the one much needed chance for him, early in his life, to take a break before he burns himself out completely.  The guy definitely shows all the signs of an alcoholic already at the tender age of seventeen. When he drinks, he drinks to excess then at that point he wants to fight somebody, anybody. He becomes a menace to the world.  But rarely, when you do catch him sober, he’s a stranger to no one and I see a budding genius that can get anything in life if he wants.  Right now I think he's just focusing on having a good time, responsibility will have to wait a little longer.

As we glide down the highway into the breaking dawn, we all take turns feeding the humor while some listen and others reflect on the madness of the situation.

This will be my third visit to the city of Dallas; the other times being just brief airport runs.  I really don't like the place that much.  There’s a mean undercurrent in the city that seems to be reflected in the whole atmosphere of the place.  We pull up in front of one of the many faceless buildings downtown and are told by our driver to go up to the fifth floor to report in.  When the recruiter drives off I find myself just standing there staring up at the tall white building we need to enter. Suddenly, I get an idea that I have one last chance to change our poor, warped minds and turn to face the others. 

Hey... let’s not go in today!  Let’s just party here in Dallas until tomorrow then go in!  I suggest loudly.

I can see by their shifting glances that they guessed I was getting chicken.

Na Dave, Larry says, we wouldn't go at all if we don't go now.

They’ve all made up their minds already as I sense a difference in their demeanor.  This is a chance for all of us to finally get some kind of direction in life, to leave our world going nowhere.  But for me it was more about what the ad had said, It's not just a job it’s an adventure!  I had focused mostly on the adventure part and now that didn’t seem very important any longer either.   

Well then let’s go find a bar for a quick drink, I said, turning toward John.  What about it dude?

Come on Dave, you can't back out now, he says seriously, We all go in together. He turns abruptly stepping through the door, the rest of them jerk into movement and follow behind. 

I know they don't want to do this anymore than I do but they have decided to embrace the unknown and take the next step forward.  The feeling I had was to follow, but I didn't want to, desperately. I was still free and I could just turn around and head the other way if I wanted, just let them go off to whatever lay ahead without me. Why does it have to be now?  I began to miss the life I was leaving already and I could feel it tugging at my back.  Reluctantly, I forced myself ahead, quickly catching up to tag along at the rear.

We go up the elevator in the, ‘processing plant,’ as I began to think of it, and checked in.  There’s about fifty other guys here doing the same thing.  A few look like decent boys trying with pride to serve their great country, but most look like us, unkempt delinquents grabbing one last chance to straighten out their mixed up lives.

We wait, filled out paperwork, wait, get a complete physical, and wait some more.  Still more paperwork then it’s, wait, wait and wait until finally they gather us all into one big room where we collectively swear our lives away to our beloved Uncle Sammy.  Toward evening, after a few more hours of waiting, we pile into a charter bus and speed away to the airport for our flight to Naval boot camp in Orlando Florida.

With only a few minutes of sunshine left we arrive at Love Field.  I see in everyone’s face the wear and tear of the long day as we check in for the flight.  A couple more hours of waiting and we finally board our plane.  While finding our seats and buckling up I get the impression we’re just letting fate carry us along, all of us following like a bunch of dumb cows. Then with further unease I realize it’s now too late to change our minds at this point because basically we belong to the U.S. government.  This is a very disturbing concept for me to accept.  I hate the feeling of not being able to just walk away from a situation I don't like. I feel trapped. 

On the flight over to Orlando, with a quick layover in Atlanta, we all get the stewardesses running crazy for drinks.  Luckily, they’re too busy to bother asking for proof of age, or maybe they just don’t care.  I try one of those little bottles of whiskey and topped it off with a couple of cold beers.  We made our stopover in Atlanta, pretty high from the drinking and still wanting more, so the five of us wandered around the terminal in a kind of pleasant booze fog until we found a suitable watering hole to keep the buzz going.  John and I had to let the others supply the drinks being they were asking for ID in this place. 

While we waited for our connecting flight we tried to relax a little now that we were getting so close to the big unknown.  We laughed and joked around about some of the recent crazy episodes in our lives, doing well not to mention the Navy, as if it would somehow just go away.  At this point in the trip we managed to keep our nervousness abated, none of us showing any sign that we gave a crap about what we were getting into.  Indeed, the effects of the alcohol were truly appreciated; too bad we can’t drink in boot camp.

Looks like we won’t have a chance to burn some rope for a while, John says after his toast to Rock ‘n’ Roll.  The conversation slips back to the present reality.

Maybe we can get somebody to mail us some, Larry suggests.

Sure, they could just mail some rolling papers along with the pot, I said. I began to seriously think of who to ask.

Well if they’re gunna go that far they can just send us some beer too, Ernie said, just before another drink.

Well, why not get em to just ship us some chicks, so we can really party down, John says grinning.

Speakin of chicks, I heard the Navy base we’re headin for has women there goin through boot camp too, Ernie informs. They’re called waves, like the ocean. 

Why would a chick want to join the Navy for man?  I ask.

Where else can they go to be surrounded by dudes?  John replies grinning.

Either that or they’re just all so damn ugly they have to go where there are a bunch of horny guy’s around so they can be sure to get one,  Ernie says laughing.

I bet after eight weeks of boot camp we won’t care what they look like just as long as they have tits, Larry says.

We’d better go, Robert says, after a quick glance at the bar clock. We gotta catch our flight now.

When the heck did you go and get all responsible?  I said, with a drunken grin.

When I decided I didn’t want to spend the night in an Airport, he replies getting up and heading for the door, Come on.

Man this is the biggest airport in the world, John says, as we all stagger out the doorway of the bar.

No shit, how you know?  I asked.

You never heard that before?  This is the main hub for every flight going anywhere.

Hey you’re goin the wrong way man! Robert said from behind us. 

We both turn quickly and stagger back toward the direction of his voice.  John slaps me across the back laughing.  We’re in the Navy man! 

It all seems like a big joke to him right now, as if he is caught up in some kind of nutty game that he’s not serious about.  I try to smile but it feels awkward.

The trek to the gate is a kaleidoscope of passing expressions from the people in the terminal.  I begin to notice that we must stand out a little in our obvious intoxication by the few disappointed looks we receive along the way.  So to occupy myself, or basically humor myself, I begin to make a variety of expressions as we pass by people.  The women get the winks and the smiles; the men get all the other ones I can think of.  Good thing we’re a formidable looking group or I may have to pay for my silliness with a fight.

Somehow, we manage to reach the correct gate and board just in time for the flight out - five drunken minds can equal one sober one I guess.  It's about ten now and we have a very short jaunt down to the base so again we get the stewardess hopping for drinks, pouring them down with a new sense of urgency knowing we’re almost there.

Next thing I’m aware of is landing in Orlando but our collective spirits are still very high up.  As we all get out on to the tarmac, I see a gray colored bus with ‘U.S. Navy’ on the side of it waiting to pick us up.  I thought to myself that this was sure nice of them to send a bus just for us; I was going to like these people who showed us so much consideration.  Boy was I drunk. 

The night air here is warm for this time of the year. There’s a soft breeze blowing and I can smell vegetation mixed with a slight scent of salt air.  One bad thing is every step I take away from the plane is a step out of the wonderful fog the booze has been so kind to provide.  My mind starts to wake up to the reality of the situation and by the time I get to the bus, find a seat up front and flop down I can hardly tell I’ve had anything to drink.  Glancing around at the other guy's faces on the bus I find everyone has the same expression I must have, like a deer in the headlights.  I felt that familiar sense of panic again, what I felt earlier in the morning.  Far from home, tired, buzzed and nervous; there’s no way back now.

We rumble down a dark two lane roadway and everyone on the bus is fairly quiet, with the exception of John.  I can hear his voice all the way in the back somewhere bullshitting as usual with some guy he’s just met.  I can’t get myself interested in socializing right now though, so I sit here numb and nervous.  I know boot camp is going to be hard and there’s no way to stop it from coming now, no way out.  I never dreamed I’d be in the military some day, especially not by my own choice, yet here I am.  I look out the bus window at the clear night sky. Always the same stars shining above, silent, heartless.

Dave, what are you doin up here by yourself?  John says, as he staggers up to my seat.  Come back here and meet this guy form Dallas I'm talking to. 

He’s still feeling the booze, the lucky shit.

Sit down a minute, John, I wanna to talk with ya.

Sure dude what on your mind? He asks, flopping down beside me.

I see by his silly grin that he's not interested in any kind of serious discussion. 

John, do you think maybe we screwed up on this idea of joining the Navy? 

He stops smiling for a moment and looks me square in the face.  Dave, I don't know what the hell I'm doing here either or what’s going to happen next but I plan to squeeze as much fun out of it as I can anyway,  he gets up and staggers off to the back again. 

I realize he is right in a way, we’re stuck now, and we just have to go through it, like it or not.

In the seat ahead of me Larry and Robert sit with Ernie, mumbling in idle conversation.  I envied them as I watch from behind, if I had a brother with me it would make this situation much easier to handle.  And little Ernie, he seems to have adopted himself into their family.  I can't seem to feel that same connection as they do though. I have always been a loner in my emotions and sometimes the price for this quirk is high.  But still this would be much harder to go through if by myself so I really appreciated having my friends with me.

We pull into the Navy Base; the place is dimly lit by tall dark light poles here and there.  After many left and rights, which screw up my sense of direction, we stop.  No one is talking now, not even John.  The driver quietly steps off the bus, just another night for that guy. A young guy steps through the bus door that looks a little like a mannequin.  He has a very blank expression and an almost plastic look to his face. His short, cropped hair makes him look even more inhuman somehow.  Then this, ‘mannequin’ speaks.

All you ladies get off the bus and line up outside! he says loudly. 

For about a second or two everyone hesitates a little getting started then he raises his voice several decibels higher as his face contorts into an expression of rage.

Don't just sit there on your lazy asses, get out here now! he screams.  Then he leaps to the ground next to the door of the bus and continues yelling, Hurry up! Fall in! Fall in!  Let’s go!  Let’s go! as each one of us zips past him to form a sloppy line outside.

Just ahead of we see a set of double doors on the side of who knows what building. There are no lights on in any of the surrounding buildings and everywhere is still and quiet.  The, ‘mannequin’ goes inside the double doors and I figure that we, and that screaming idiot, are the only people awake on the entire base at this time of night.  It's very strange, ridiculous really, as we stand here just as we’re told by some unknown person.  To humor myself I imagined what that guy would think if we all ran off and he came back out to find no one out here.

A minute later, the doors ahead burst open, the guy catching most of us in idle conversation.

Shut your ugly faces! he yells, March this way, single file! 

Now he’s waving a baton; to appear more threatening I guess.  I’d like to see the look on his face if we just all piled on him at once.

We step inside a long wide hallway running straight ahead. Along the right side of the hallway is a long row of tables set end to end with boxes on them.