Thread: New studio
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Old 08-29-2018, 06:54 AM
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Location: Sarzana,Italy
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Default Re: New studio

I went to his room where he was sitting naked in the wheel chair. I could not help from staring at the stub where his leg once had been. It was not what I imagined, no bone sticking out no blood oozing from it, only the smooth stub. The white skin covering it made it look like a very large thumb without the finger nail. He looked down at the stub and said
Considering that it was blown off by a mine, the medics and doctors did a fine job of patching me up. Take my crutches and push me to the bath room, I am ready to try out that Jacuzzi.
It took all my strength to get him seated in the tub. At first he said he could not do it. But I told him not to worry I knew he could make it. Once he was seated in the water, he smiled and said. OK boy let her rip. I turned on the power; the water began to swirl around him. I added some bath salts and soap.
Soon he was up to his neck in foam and perfumed water. I could not stop laughing when he said.
When I get out of this thing I will smell like a fancy San Francisco whore.
I dropped his dirty cloths into the washer. And you will smell even better when these cloths are clean
It seemed like the right moment to ask about his leg, so I asked.
I was twenty three and had just completed my college education. The Navy sent a representative to the university to recruit. They were looking for candidates that had qualifications for officer training. I was qualified but had no idea what to do with me life at that time, I decided to enlist.
After passing my physical exam and taking the oath of allegiance, they sent me to the naval academy in Annapolis for training. I was put into the Quarter Masters corps. Six months later I finished training and I received my Lieutenant Junior Grade rank along with the assignment to be shipped out to Pearl Harbor Hawaii...They sent me back to San Francisco to be put on a ship along with 450 other fools. After six days of sea sickness, and bad food, I disembarked onto the land of palm trees, tropical fruits sunny beaches, and willing girls in grass skirts: Pearl Harbor. I was quite pleased with my situation in the Quarter Masters corps .It was a position that I was sure to be safe from front line duties and the possibility of being shot.
It turned out that my first assignment was overseeing the digging of latrines, which was a lot of work and involved a pick and a shovel. Finally I was sent to the QM and given a position in the accounting division.
One evening I went to the beach with a half dozen newly acquired friends to swim. I was walking next to the surf admiring the sunset when there was an explosion next to me. I was knocked to the ground by the concussion; when I looked down my leg was gone, blood spurting from the stump that had been blasted away by shrapnel from a land mine.
Funny I never felt any pain. My friends did their best to staunch the bleeding and then carried me to the medic. As you can see I survived and four months later I was given a wheel chair, a artificial leg as a souvenir, a nice pair wooden of crutches,, one hundred twenty dollars pay, the Purple Heart.
Then shipped back to California along with my duffel bag and a trunk containing things I had accumulated as souvenirs. Two weeks later the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, so you can see I am not a war hero at all, just a casualty of war. That is all there is to the story. Now get me out of this water before I shrivel up.
With a bit of effort I got him to stand, turned around, into a bathrobe and seated on the edge of the Jacuzzi. I gave him a towel to dry off, got the wheel chair into position and he seated himself.
How do you feel now uncle?
He lifted his bony arms, stretched, then he gave me a broad smile and said.
I feel five years younger, thank you.
I pushed him in front of the mirror. Now I am going to make you look another five years younger. I am going to give you a haircut and just lightly trim up your beard. The smile disappeared, the scowl returned, but he did not say no. He looked at his reflection stroked his beard and said, Get me my pipe and let me think about it.
When I brought him his pipe and it was firmly clamped once again in his jaw. He nodded and told me to give him a haircut, while he thought about the beard. There was not much hair to trim, but I took my time trying to do a neat job of it. Uncle Earl sat watching his reflection, and then he said,
I suppose a trim won’t hurt, and it will grow out if i don’t like it. OK, nephew you can cut on my beard, but not too much.
His answer was more than I had been hoping for.
Uncle, I have an idea about your beard, wait while I go to the living room and bring you a picture of a famous man who had a beard. There is one that I am sure you will like.
When I returned, I gave him the picture of Abraham Lincoln. He studied the photo intently, looked in the mirror, studied some more, then said.
He is skinny and looks as though life has worn him out, just like me. My beard is white and his is grey, I like it and will be well pleased if you can cut mine like that.
One hour later my uncle took me in his arms and kissed me on both cheeks. Then said,
Let’s go to that park, I want to sit under a tree and feel the fresh air and sunshine on my face.
I took his cloths out of the drier, and I gave them to my uncle.
Can you dress yourself uncle? He answered with a growl.
Of course I can; I am not totally crippled, give me time to put on my other leg and these things back on.
Twenty minutes later, he was neatly dressed with his ribbons and the Purple Heart medal pinned to his shirt. I got him seated in the wheel chair, Alice jumped up, and she made herself comfortable on his lap and we went rolling down the side walk headed for the park.
As we rolled along he suddenly said.
I thought your friends will be impressed if I put on my medal and ribbons. Now as they have no idea how I lost my leg. I think we could exaggerate a bit, give them a war story they will talk about for a long time. What do you think?
The thought that he was willing to do this for me was over and beyond the call of duty. I instantly developed an over whelming affection for this old one legged man.
“Uncle, what I think is you are the coolest man I have ever known.”
He smiled and said.
And you are the best nephew I have. Now letīs go to the park, I want to ride on a swing, and turn Alice loose.
I didn’t stop to think that I was his only nephew. Even if I had, it did not matter.
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