Ways To Spend The Useless Years

Our Friday lunch ritual was
actually supposed to be lunch
somewhere on Lambton Quay,
we always discussed the ultimate
military sandwich between
pints of Guinness or whatever
took our fancy. Then meandered
our way through the City, aiming
to be at the Annexe by 4:30 pm
and Home Command happy hour.

They were lazy days, crazy days,
matched with mad memories
which made the City bearable.
Hazy days and easy ways to
spend the useless years ranging
the lower rungs of the rankings.
And in the thankless potpourri
of an overmanned and under-
achieved Army we were free
to come and go as we pleased.

You’ve paid your dues I was told,
there is nothing for you to prove,
take a break – relax, go for a jog
if you’ve surplus energy. Leave
the mundane business of running
the place to the Brigadier and old
staffers like me. You’ll be posted to
a line unit soon, then you can be
as Regimental as anyone
can grin and bear.

Meantime get out of here. You
look too goddamn Gung Ho in
that scarcely worn-in uniform.
© I.D. Carswell 2007