Generation Kill.

FILE UNDER: It was all a dream.../Bones, Ribs, Coolers, and Beer.


I(!) want to get away...

Daytime. Somewhere in the Middle East. “Protected” by the American soldiers here on this Roswell/Camp Pendleton/Doomsday hybrid of a military site. Conflict is a-brewing. We few civilians present here on the grounds are clothed in white t-shirts and matching white boxer shorts. Both sexes. Meanwhile the American soldiers are in full on military garb trying to protect us, figure out exactly where the enemy fire is coming from, and “clap back.” The enemy fire is relentless and out of control. We must now resort to crawling to get from point a to point b/out of harm’s way. It’s hard not to be scared as BOOM man down, and again, BOOM man down. The gorgeous young Black mother next to me clutches her nude baby boy. Crying hysterically she rocks him back and forth, frantically whispering to both herself and those around her that, “it’s okay. I know this is right. We’ll see each other again soon” before handing off her baby to an American soldier. I look away and drop to the floor. This shit is out of control. Eventually I can’t take it anymore. Close my eyes. Content with just laying in the sunshine on my stomach hopeful that it all will end. Open my eyes. Conflict still brewing from both sides. Help nowhere in sight and/or currently unavailable as the American soldiers rush to fight fire with fire. Close my eyes. Open my eyes. M.I.A.’s Paper Planes starts to play. Turn my head slightly to the left and see three dimes, all face up, radiating gold in the sunlight. In fact, they are gold. I’m still scared and Paper Planes is still supplying the soundtrack to it all. I shiver, I tremble, a single tear rolls down my cheek. Close my eyes. Nothing but the sound of Paper Planes, gunfire, and a loud heartbeat ticking as if it’s near its expiration date. Fade to black. Paper Planes ends yet the heartbeat still pumps harder, faster, louder in the darkness. Open my eyes. Jump up in my bed. Look at the clock. It’s 7:35 a.m. And the heartbeat is still going harder, faster, louder, stronger, except it’s not my heartbeat, it’s my alarm clock, sounding off for the last 5 minutes. Good Morning(!), Wake up world(!), and hello Tuesday!