It was nearing the end of 1971. It was also nearing the end of my second enlistment and I had determined that it would be my last. Things at Fort Hood had become intolerable: politics, crime, racial violence, and all the hippie crap creeping in had me in a constant state of fury. Walking through the barracks at night when I was on CQ (Charge of Quarters - the guy who sits up all night watching over the company and its soldiers - yeah, kind of a babysitter) was scarier than a dark night walk in Gia Dinh. So MC and I were getting short-timers' attitudes.

As part of my display of disatisfaction with the state of Texas, I drew and colored two flags on 8 1/2" by 11" sheets of typing paper; one was the California state flag which I taped on the drivers' side of the back door glass...the other was an Arizona state flag I taped on the shotgun side of the car...in honor of my California roots and MamaCharlie's Arizona roots . I thought I did a pretty good job on them...and I have to admit that it wasn't my idea; I saw lots of short-timers with their state flags on their cars.

I was at a store in Killeen, the town just outside the main gate of Fort Hood, when one of the local crap-kickers approached me cussin' up a storm. Seems he took exception to my flying the flag of a country that was responsible for the deaths of so many 'Murkins (Natives of 'Murka?)...some of which were known to him personally. It is hard for me to curb my tongue in such situations...life would have been lots easier if I had learned that...but not as interesting, maybe. I think I asked him if he had friends killed in the battle of Sierra Vista or the Bisbee Siege. It was wasted on this poor soul. I explained that he was mistaken but he wouldn't hear it and warned that I better get that commie crap off my car "longs ah was in Texas". Don't mess with Texas.

MC and I were talking about this incident the other day and that led into a conversation about the general ignorance about geography. Like the guy who chided MC's brother for taking a job in New Mexico...you know, working outside the US...or Britney Spears believing that Japan was in Africa...or that country singer Pickler on Jeff Foxworthy's show when asked about a country in Europe said "I thought Europe was a country!" Jay Leno usually has a couple in his "Headlines" segment each week, last week; there was a question about a paralegal asking about finding work in another state...like Chicago.

I have to admit that when I graduated from basic training in 1964 I would not have known where to find Vietnam on a map...and then a year later I was there. But I think in general that I learned more about the world and its make up in high school than young folks are being taught today. So...what about you? What goofs have you been guilty of...or what have you heard that tickled your geography bone? Or what just makes you shake your head and puff out your cheeks and wonder how people can survive?