ho ho ho and a bottle of rum!

Jan 09, 2006 16:53

yeah so i have been busy busy! the navy likes it that way unfortunatly. we have to work late everyday now sense our ship is getting ready for in-serve before we go on our cruise. so insted of getting off at 1430 we dont get off until 1600. oh well. paul and i might be going to boston this weekend sense we have a 3 day weekend, maybe ill get to finally see some snow! well not much else to report here, ive just been chillin with paul and kiker, we where apartment sitting for a friend of his while he was on leave, they have two kee kee kats so we took care of them and used there apratment like it was home. it was nice. paul will have his BHA by the time i get back from my cruise and he wants me to come stay with him when he gets his aparment so im super excited about that, even though its close to another year away. by that time too, ill be a petty officer, i dunno if im going to strike BM or some kind of engineering job but i guess ill know by the time im half way into the cruise. i know christmas and new years are over but someone on my ship sent me this little christmas story thing and makes me all tingly and googly inside when i read it so i thought id post it sense everyone is all obsessed with the army and the marines, everyone forgets about the sailors. poor us, how could you leave out drinking and piliging for guns and dirt!?

The Sailor's Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, the ship was out steaming,
Sailors stood watch while others were dreaming.

They lived in a crowd with racks tight and small,
In a 80-man berthing, cramped one and all.

I had come down the stack with presents to give,
And to see inside just who might perhaps live.

I looked all about, a strange sight did I see,
No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.

No stockings were hung, shined boots close at hand,
On the bulkhead hung pictures of a far distant land.

They had medals and badges and awards of all kind,
And a sober thought came into my mind.

For this place was different, so dark and so dreary,
I had found the house of a Sailor, once I saw clearly.

A Sailor lay sleeping, silent and alone,
Curled up in a rack and dreaming of home.

The face was so gentle, the room squared away,
This was the United States Sailor today.

This was the hero I saw on TV,
Defending our country so we could be free.

I realized the families that I would visit this night,
Owed their lives to these Sailors lay willing to fight.

Soon round the world, the children would play,
And grownups would celebrate on Christmas Day.

They all enjoyed freedom each day of the year,
Because of the Sailor, like the one lying here.

I couldn't help wonder how many lay alone,
On a cold Christmas Eve on a sea, far from home.

The very thought brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees and started to cry.

The Sailor aw! akened and I heard a calm voice,
"Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice."

"Defending the seas all days of the year,
So others may live and be free with no fear."

I thought for a moment, what a difficult road,
To live a life guided by honor and code.

After all it's Christmas Eve and the ship's underway!
But freedom isn't free and it's sailors who pay.

The Sailor say's to our country "be free and sleep tight,
No harm will come, not on my watch and not on this night.

The Sailor rolled over and drifted to sleep,
I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.

I kept watch for hours, so silent, so still,
I watched as the Sailor shivered from the night's cold chill.

I didn't want to leave on that cold dark night,
This guardian of honor so willing to fight.

The Sailor rolled over and with a voice strong and sure,
Commanded, "Carry on Santa, It's Christmas, and All is Secure!"

MERRY CHRISTMAS and have a Happy New Year
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