JUST A COUPLE OF MILES By Kevin James Jorgensen, Grunt training 4th or 5th week, Inf Centre, Ingleburn
This is a true story. The previous day, Saturday, the boys headed into Liverpool. I was still cleaning my gear so they told me to meet them at the RSL and one of the Sydney boys proceeded to give me directions from the railway station. Anyway, I got in about 4.30 and started looking for the RSL. As I stood there, a 5 RAR private approached me in battle dress. Recognising the signature haircut, he asked, “Who ya with?” I told him and he said, “A recruit, huh?” as though he’d just swallowed poison. “RSL you say? Yeah, I know where that is.” He turned me around, put his left arm around my shoulder (there was a reason for that which became evident later) and pointed in the direction of Sydney. “It’s that way, mate, about 2-3 miles but you look fit enough.” I thanked him and began to walk. I walked and walked and having no experience with RSLs at all, wondered why the boys would have gone all the way out there to go to one.
Not long before sunset I stopped at a little shop and asked the owner where the RSL was. He gave me a strange look, took me outside and pointed me in the direction I’d just come from. An hour later I arrived at my starting point, looked around and suddenly realised why this guy had put his left arm around my shoulder, it was to shield the fucken RSL which was ACROSS the road! I’ve been back to Liverpool 3-4 times over the years and every time I go there I find myself looking around to see if that prick’s still there!
Quote!
Never forget that your weapon was made by the lowest bidder.
