Leaving da Hood(fort)

Almost everyone with any time left want to get away from fort Hood.  It was not all bad but it was not very good either.  To get a transfer you had to use a form for change of duty station.  They were almost never  approved.  If they did approve it, you had to have been at your present duty station for over a year.  Again my duty as the training clerk came into play.  I was able to compile all the necessary forms and get them processed with the minimum of hassle.  "Here Sarge sign these forms for me.  It will not do any good but I can try" was my usual spiel.  First one.  Rejected!!  Second one.. Same  Rejected.  Well time to get tough with the bugs.  Being a clerk you might accidentally hit the wrong keys when you are doing paper work.  Not too much more to say about that..Side story but it affects my departure from Fort Hood.  Killeen  Texas back then was dry.  No beer no nothing.  You had to run to the county line that was about 20 miles away to buy beer and such.  The closest beer joints were in Temple Texas.    The ASA had a special bar.  The Silver Dollar!!  What a place.  It was just a ragged old bar with a Juke box and pool table.   They liked us and told all the red necks to leave us alone.  Back then people really did not like to rag on soldiers  unless we really got out of hand.   One day I was hanging out just killing time when a old friend from Fort Devens came in.  Damn  Great to see a old friend.  He also failed/kicked out of his school and he was at Fort Walters.  He was the company clerk for headquarters 303rd ASA.  I told him how jammed I was and really had to get out of Fort Hood.  I can help you , he said.  Really  How?   Just dont ask but it can be done.  The price is 50 dollars.  Not for me but I have to lube some wheels with  it,  he said.  OK good  deal. .  See you here the first Weekend after Payday.  Oh,  He said, put in another Change of duty forum.  Do it when you get back to post.  They will have to accept it.  I will see your forum  when it comes across my desk.  Soon you will receive a large envelope, do what it says, everything will be in it.  Good luck  See you soon for the 50 dollars.  WTF?  So  met him in a week or so and give him the money. Everything is set, package coming soon.  In about 2 weeks we have our morning formation and the CO is there.  He says I have some news  "PFC Gillette is being transferred to Japan."  The formation broke up and every mobbed me.  It was sur real.  People shaking my hand, the Carolina guys doing some kind of mountain yelling..  It was Great I was was going to JAPAN  OH  YES  Sliding doors and Slant Eyed W,.ores .  Color me perfect.   Time to talk about ladies of the evening or business ladys as they are sometimes called.     For many different reasons I never indulged in their services.  One was the fear of STD that could leave you unable to have children and I wanted to have a family one day.  Besides I was always too broke so take your choice.   I really had a close call with all that one time in Temple.  When I went back to pay the guy the 50 dollars I met some guys from the company that .we shared the building with.   1/2 of Temple was off limits to Army people.  I think it was anything west of 8th street, maybe 4th st.  Of course that is were these guys wanted to go.  Oh yea I forgot to say that they were all Black guys.  So we go down to this big bar and get a table and order some whiskey.  While we are drinking this Pimp comes up and says "Hey white boy You looking for a little action?"  Ahhhh  No thank you I am just drinking with my friends. "Oh you just too damn good to mess with us Black folks" he says Very loud.  Damn I am really on the spot.  So I say " No man that aint it I am just tired been drinking all day"  Not good enough.  One of the guys I am with jumps up and hits the guy in the head with , I guess, a small black jack.  The damn guy goes down.   Now all hell breaks lose, one of the guys  grabs me by the arm and yells  Run Run The S OB Has got a gun.  Pow, Pow, the shots ring out.  We run out the door down the street and into my  friends car.  We take off ,tires a squealing when BOOM the back glass explodes from a gun shot.   Nobody chased us and soon we were on the right side of town.  They let me off at the Silver Dollar and I got my car and went back to Fort Hood.  Lesson learned?  Sometimes there is a damn good reason why a area is off limits.  Now back to leaving fort Hood.  Everyone was really glad for me.  I have went home and bought a 57 chevy.  I did not have a spare tire and most everyone knew it.  It took me a couple of days to clear post.  Then they had a evening formation.  My last one at Fort hood.  We did all the nickle and dime stuff then the CO Came up  to talk.  He said " PFC Gillette has been quite a character here but he is a hard worker and has help all of us at one time or another.  Step Up PFC G. I was shocked. Everything went into a blur. I was touched beyond belief.  "Here is a going away present for you". and he rolled out a Brand damn new spare time mounted on a matching rim.  Then they gave me a box of food and stuff for my trip back to Florida.  Then they all yelled GOOD LUCK!!!  I said good bye and drove away as my car was already packed.  Those of you who know me know that I very seldom cry, That day was the exception.