DID I EVER MENTION THE TIME THAT A PECULIAR
BEHAVING FELLOW CAUGHT MY ATTENTION?
I NOTICED SOMETHING ABOUT HIS STARE.
HE JUST DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ALL THERE …
PSYCHOLOGICALLY I MEAN!
I ASKED HIM IF HE WAS OK …
HIS RESPONSE:
" GET TO STEP'N … OUT OF MY WAY!"
HAD YOU BEEN PRESENT THAT DAY,
THERE'S NO WAY YOU COULD HAVE MISSED IT ...
BECAUSE THIS YOUNG MAN WAS MENTALLY TWISTED.
SINCE BEING IN COMBAT, SOMEONE SAID ...
HE HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IN HIS HEAD.
I GUESS HE WAS THINKING OUT LOUD
BECAUSE I HEARD HIM SAY:
"NIGHT AFTER NIGHT I TOSS AND TURN.
I CAN'T FALL ASLEEP RESULTING FROM A LESSON I LEARNED.
IT WAS DURING TET OF 1968 OR MAYBE 69
EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY MIND!
PARANOID SUFFERING FROM INSOMNIA,
LIFE CAN BE DEATH WHEN YOU THINK SOMEONE IS FOLLOWING YOU.
DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY ARE MY CONSTANT FRIENDS,
THAT'S WHY CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS LIFE TO END.
MY LIFE IS A MESS, MY MIND IS CONFUSED,
I FEEL I'VE BEEN VIOLATED BY MY GOOD UNCLE SAM,
MOLESTED AND ABUSED.
I'M SELDOM HAPPY AND NEVER AMUSED.
AS A RESULT OF MY PATRIOTIC SERVICE
I'M ALWAYS WATCH'N MY BACK AND EXTREMELY NERVOUS.
SOME HAVE DEEMED ME MENTALLY DISABLED
BUT I DON'T FIT YOUR AVERAGE STEREOTYPE OR LABEL.
SOME SEE ME AS A MENACE TO SOCIETY
BUT I'M NO MENACE AS LONG AS YOU DON'T BOTHER ME.
YEAH, I BEEN DESCRIBED AS A TIME BOMB WITH A SHORT FUSE
AND IF YOU CHALLENGE ME, YOU'LL PROBABLY
END UP AS A CASUALTY ON THE EVENING NEWS.
I'VE BEEN TRAINED AND
I'M USUALLY ARMED AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
WHEN IT COMES TO COPPER COATED LEAD,
I CAN BECOME VERY GENEROUS.
SO, DON'T PUT ME TO THE TEST OR YOU
WILL END UP LIKE THE REST, SHOT DOWN, STOMPED DOWN,
BLACK BOOTED TO THE GROUND.
BECAUSE OF MY SERVICE IN THE NAM,
PERSIAN GULF OR WAS IT IRAQ?
I CAN'T REMEMBER NOW ... CAUSE ...
EVERY MINUTE I'M LOOKING AT THE CLOCK.
NIGHT TIME, I'M ESPECIALLY ALERT.
IF YOU APPROACH UNANNOUNCED,
YOU'RE GOING TO END UP IN A WORLD OF HURT.
I'M STILL BEING ROCKETED AND MORTARED …
USING MY ENTRENCHING TOOL, I'M STILL DIGGING IN.
I WALK ALONE AND I HAVE NO FRIENDS.
WHAT'S THE USE …
THEY ALWAYS DIE IN THE END.
BODY PARTS LYING ON THE GROUND,
A BOOBY TRAP JUST EXPLODED MOWING SEVERAL TROOPS DOWN.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS HAPPENING FOR REAL,
IF IT'S A FLASHBACK, A NIGHTMARE AND I REALLY DON'T CARE.
I JUST WANT IT TO CEASE OR AT LEAST,
LET ME OUT OF HERE!"
BEFORE HE HAD COMPLETELY FINISHED WHAT HE HAD TO SAY,
I HAD DIALED 911 AND THE POLICE AND EMERGENCY
PSYCHIATRIC TEAM WERE ON THEIR WAY.
I'M CERTAIN THEY HAVE A PLACE FAR AWAY
FROM SOCIETY FOR OUR HERO TO STAY,
BECAUSE ONLY THE MERCY OF ALLAH CAN SET HIM
UPON THE STRAIGHT WAY!
BY,
ABU LATEEF
U.S. ARMY
4TH BN. 21ST INF. & 3RD BN. 1ST INF. 11TH L.I.B.
AMERICAL INFANTRY DIVISION
VIET NAM 1968-69
