CrackHead

An Iraqi kid that got to me

Every morning when we went on patrol he was waiting
We called him Crackhead
I'm not sure how that started
but that's what we called him
He'd come running up to us shouting
Bush! Bush! Bush! USA OK!
We had to teach him some other words
So we taught him "GET SOME!"
The grunt's cry for everything good in life
GET SOME!!
Then we taught him "Marines"
So then he'd run up to us shouting
MARINES GET SOME! GET SOME MARINES!
That we liked
For weeks he never missed a day
He'd be happily walking beside us
Sometimes he'd hold a Marine's hand
I held his hand many times
He's look up at you smiling with big bright brown eyes
His teeth looked like a brush never touched them
and sometimes he smelt god awful
He always had the same filthy pants on
He did have a few different shirts
and a pair of red thongs on his feet
He was a little weed of a kid
He didn't look like he was getting well cared for
There were kids everywhere just like him
But he was our CrackHead
What ever we had we didn't want
We gave to CrackHead
Candy
Skittles we wouldn't eat from MRE's
Skittles are bad luck for grunts
Bottled water
White bread
Crackers we thought were from Vietnam days
We even gave him gauze and tape
He was always there
Our little Mascot CrackHead
One day he wasn't there
and the next day and the next
We never saw CrackHead again
We didn't like that at all
We had no way of finding him
We didn't know his name
We didn't know if he had parents
We didn't know if he had a home
Keeping tabs on CrackHead Wasn't our mission
Our mission was to win hearts and minds
and annihilate anyone stupid enough to f**k with us
Which is what we were trained to do
So we couldn't go looking for CrackHead
So all I could do was worry
Which wasn't a good idea
Worrying is a bad thing during a war
It's distracting
But I couldn't help myself
Soon after I started having dreams
Dreams about finding CrackHead Dead
Over and over again
I dreamed
CrackHead was dead
I still do sometimes
Jesus Christ CrackHead
Whatever became of you
I Hope you're Okay

Author's Note

I guess this is what's called automatic writing. It's not edited or anything. It's just my thoughts. This whole thing happened in the Iraqi town of Najaf when we were doing high profile walking patrols to send a message something like "a new sheriff is in town and we want to protect you but if you fuck with us we'll fuck you up."

Reviews

[icaros13]

This one choked me up, man. From this night forward, Crackhead is in my prayers.

[Ohhhwillow]

This will certainly be going in my library, this is an extremely intimate piece will a real part of your life, that I thank you for so openly sharing, Baby

[Lina Grey]

poor kid. Sometimes it's hard to do the 'right' thing, or what you're told do more often, when personal 'rights' become more important. I feel like maybe Crackhead is out there somewhere, reading this, and remembering you. Maybe because times got better. maybe because he is safe and good and good comes to those who deserve it most. I believe the Goddess has special tabs on everyone, and that even if you can't protect the ones you care about most, She can, and She makes sure they are all worth something in the end... sorry, I'm Wiccan. If you want you can substitute my diety with your own. The idea remains. This is an excellent write Baby ~em

[Michael G.]

Sad that we can't watch out for them all... even the ones you become attached to... no matter the situation or conditions. Excellent write, BR.

[Kaylor Mason]

Poor kid

[Marie]

People come into our lives, and they go, and we never find out what happened to them. Maybe this little guy is still remembering you.

[Holly Mason]

very into piece
the more I read the more I was in the story
I hope crackhead is ok
thank you for sharing

[quinfinn]

i found this to be deeply moving and you made me see myself there , so well did you paint this picture. i find it shameful that many Americans (and others) don't even see this side of the equation, the winning of hearts and minds and the mission of peace as opposed to all out war and murder of innocents. it is up to you and people like you, who were there, to show the rest of us what it was really like to be an American soldier over there. i only pray that "crackhead" did not become collateral damage of a profane and crazy war.this write is astounding and real Ricochet, awesome !

[Erin Michelle]

just thoughts, can sometimes be the most moving poetry

[RachelReaper]

I hope he's alright... wherever he is now