H2-uh-oh!!

The Scatterbrained recruit,

weary from lack of sleep

arrived at the Parris Island

Marine Corps Depot

blurry eyed and very thirsty.

He was quickly

caught up in the scramble

of 40 other recruits

fleeing the greyhound

as a scathing voice

drilled instructions

in loud decibels of scorn

never before heard

with such disdain.

Once assembled in a straight line

inside the receiving quarters

each was scrutinized

as if they were toxic germs,

maggots on dog feces,

iliterate scrotums one and all,

each ordered to stand there

for what seemed hours.

But this recruits

dry, parched tongue

bid his sleep-heavy eyes to fall on

the gleaming chrome

of a drinking fountain

just a few feet away.

His dehydrated flesh

became a bit of a scuttlebutt

as he scampered to

the chilled temptation

and took a cool drink.

It was a scandalous act

of direct disobedience,

and he was promptly

thrown to the floor and

verbally blasted for his

indiscretion committed.

He was promptly labeled

a scoundrel too weak

to be a marine and so

to develop some

necessary strength

he was ordered to

give the D.I.'s 50 push-ups

every time someone took a drink

from that fountain

for the rest of the night.

And oh, how those

scheming drill instructors

wet their whistles

into the wee hours

of his mourn.

I know of this story

all too well,

for I was that recruit,

enjoying my first night

in boot camp