Oh, I thought I was a goner for sure, but he surprised me by taking it in stride. Then, about two days later, I discovered WHY, when I was called into the Senior Drill Instructor's office. Both Drill Instructors were there, plus the Senior, seated at his desk. I reported to him, and he asked me to sit down. (At that point, I was totally freaking out-- he ASKED me to SIT?!?!) He point blank asked me, "WHO ARE YOU? ARE YOU A SPY?!?"
"SIR NO SIR!" I yelled back.
"OPEN THESE. NOW." He tossed a handful of letters I had apparently received over the last week. I looked at them. Most folks in boot camp got mail. From family, girlfriends, wives, or even friends. In my hand...? 2 letters from 2 Senators, 1 letter from a Congressman, and 1 letter from a Marine Major-General.
I almost started laughing. One of the Senators was on the Armed Services Committee, and one of my paintings hung in his office. The congressman...? Well, I had worked on the Youth Newspaper published out of City Hall when he was the Mayor of Burlington, VT. You might have heard of him-- Bernie Sanders. The other Senator had been exposed to me when he attended a Governor's Institute gala, and the Major-General...? Was the commander of the MEPS station I had taken my military physical and was the man who swore me in...!
Do you understand it took me nearly an hour to convince them I wasn't an undercover plant investigating them...??!?!
