Basic Training

It was discipline. The discipline was started right there and you know, a few tricks are played on you immediately, and stuff like that. So, we all went and had supper. We got shown around by the sergeant. Then we had supper and here I didn’t have a spoon. Yet I was issued with a spoon, a knife, fork and spoon and mess things. But I missed my fork and a spoon and I needed them to eat. So everybody was looking at me. I wasn’t the only one, you know, the odd guy got, learnt it quick, you know, how he missed his own tools, like eating tools and stuff, and how to look after them. So, they all start looking at me, and the sergeant looks at me, and he says, “What’s the matter? ” And I said “I can’t, I need a spoon.” And he said, “You also need a fork? ” “Yeah,” I said, “I need a fork too. I gotta eat that stuff they got dished out here. I have to use a fork for that and a spoon for this.” He says, “Well, I’ll tell you something. I was downtown last night.” And everybody’s laughing away, you know. And he says, “I just happened to steal a spoon and I got it in my pocket here, and I got a fork too and I stole it from the city café. I shouldn’t tell anybody this, but that’s where I stole these. What’s good for Jim is good for Jack.” He says, “Here. Here’s a fork and a spoon.” I thanked him for it. That was my first trick pulled on me, you know, and then after that, it was ... discipline was something else. And, of course, I got used to it. And the first day I marched with a, with a rifle. And, my first payday I just couldn’t believe it. I got $33 and I didn’t have a month in the army, I had three weeks. They gave me $33. I said, “Holy God.” Well, I had to hold my rifle, march up. They pulled a desk outside. They put it on the Parade Square and you had to march up to the officer, pick up your money, the pay officer, in one hand and they showed you how to salute the butt. Salute, you see and when you’re saluting with a rifle - when you’re saluting with your hand you’re saluting here, but you haven’t got a rifle on you. When you have a rifle on you, you salute to the small of the butt. And that’s when I learned how to sharpen up, you know. As time went by, I started sharpening up. I liked the army.