20 years later…

give or take a day or 7. Scott Wallace vs. USAF – 3 years, 9 months. 1 Letter of Being Bad. 1 Honorable Discharge. At lest 1 Unit award for being good. 1 unbelievable IG visit that took months to retool our paperwork for, after which I visited Ann in London, missed my flight back to Germany, caused un-told pain for Pam, Jerry, and an unpaid debt to Tom for the taxi cab ride back to Hahn/MT … after which I got a nasty letter from up high, and some decent advice from Jane Smith (wife of Jeff Smith, I do recall) – “you’ve got friends”.

Ah to be young, in charge of a significantly expensive data processing center, and filled with wanderlust. Ether Bunny drinks at Hard Rock London – I do recall, and would say it was worth the turmoil.

Months later I’d make it to Jersey and then by (bus? plane? train?? I do not recall) I ambled to Albany, I suspect, where I had mi amigo MickeyMatt pick my ass up. Or at least that’s what I recall … there was also some sort of planning to have him pick me up at McGuire Air Force Base in Trenton, road trip somewhere with all sorts of hope …

I guess I’m allowed the ‘what if?’ bug with this post … what if I choose to go to adirondack comm college outside of Albany? what if I had taken the Austin pill, headed back to where ranch houses were cheap, Travis Lake had awesome sunsets, and my Ninja 750R would feel at home? What if I had just taken a random exit somewhere along the road and tried my hand at life??

Ah, the past. I am quite fond of it. Instead, a month or two in Upstate, then moto’d to Walnut Creek to find Pam, then to San Jose and imposing on Elvis and ??? – two very nice guys who deserved a better housemate. All the hopes and dreams of a DOD Contractor job – dashed. Left to fumble about and fake it … for too many years.

Still standing I guess, but it was in the spring 20 years ago that more of my book of life was left unwrit than now. Not complaining, just thinking.

ciao,
s.