a missing blood stripe

I'm done with my morning classes by eleven o'clock every day, and my afternoon classes don't start until 2 or 2:30. Usually I bring my work up to AJ's and work on it there--saves me another trip to my room, and I get to watch people. And I'm about 20 feet away from the table where military recruiters sit when they're on campus.

Before today, the Marines have been here twice and the Navy once. (I like Marine haircuts better.) Today my sister is here, and we went back to my room after lunch. I left the room around 1:40, ran to the EAR to print something out for my two o'clock class. Saw recruiters outside Grewcock.

Remembered that I had a letter for Justin (friend from camp, MRP2 in San Diego) in my backpack. Ran downstairs and slipped the envelope in the mail slot. Ran to the EAR to print out my article for class. Came back, thinking about what I was going to say to the recruiters (because, come on, I couldn't pass this up).

I thanked them for being there because it reminded me to send my letter to a friend in San Diego. They reacted in an utterly normal fashion--that was strange, but you're welcome.

"And, you guys should have worn your blues today," I said.

And walked away without making eye contact.

Thought it was strange that only one of them had a blood stripe on his pants.

Well, I went to class, then (with Anne) to pep band rehearsal, then to work on the Collegian cart, then to dinner. And as we were walking into dinner, I saw that the recruiters were still on campus. I wanted to ask the one why he didn't have a stripe, but, both recruiters were sitting down with a student, folder open on the table, having a serious conversation. I wasn't going to interrupt that. So Anne and I went to dinner, and after dinner picked up Collegians and sat down in AJ's, reading. Patient.

Amanda and Jeff stopped by. And we talked and laughed for a while. Jeff still hadn't find the girl he was looking for.

Finally, the recruiters stood up. Shook hands. The student walked away.

And I walked up.

"I have a friend in the Marines--two friends, actually, one of them's in San Diego right now. I'm curious, I saw you don't have a stripe on your pants. I'm wondering."

The one with the stripe said told me it's a blood stripe--which I knew and should have said--and told me something about rank that I didn't really pay attention to. I recognized him. He must have been here before.

I said okay, cool, and walked back to the table with my sister and friends.

The recruiters got their bags packed, picked up their covers (hats), put on their coats, and walked.

Past our table. They walked probably 5 feet from me.

I made eye contact with the Marine with the stripe. I waved. A shy wave.

He acknowledged it, then continued walking.

"Hey, you guys should have worn your blues," I called after them.

He turned.

Made a vowel, the sort of vowel that says "there's that obnoxious girl again." Or anyway, that's the way I heard it.

And left.

Our table was giddy.