Chapter 173: Interlude
Friday, January 13th, Evening
The door kicked in, and the Sergeant looked up to see who it was that kicked in the door. Upon noticing it, he hopped to his feet and got into a formal position. Someone senior to him just walked into the room.
"As you were, Sergeant," The Company First Sergeant said.
The Sergeant relaxed, "Yes, First Sergeant," The Sergeant said.
"Where's Tarheel?" The First Sergeant asked.
"He's assigned to the tank park today, First Sergeant," The Sergeant said.
"Good, good," The First Sergeant said.
"First Sergeant, what is this about, if you don't mind me asking?" The Sergeant asked.
"First Squadron Second Cavalry arrived, and the First Sergeant of one of the Troops challenged us to a basketball game," The First Sergeant said.
"I guess Tarheel is a good choice for it, First Sergeant," The Sergeant said.
"He's our ringer," The First Sergeant said.
"Yes, I guess he is, First Sergeant," The Sergeant said.
The First Sergeant nodded and left the room. The Sergeant nodded and returned to work.
At the end of his shift, The Sergeant left his duty station and headed over to the mess hall. He found Tarheel sitting at a table with his tray of food. The Sergeant took a seat across from him.
"Did the First Sergeant find you?" The Sergeant asked.
"Yes, Sergeant," Tarheel said, "I'm playing ball later."
"What's the line?" The Sergeant asked.
"I don't know, but they want me to do a MASH," Tarheel said.
"A MASH?" The Sergeant asked.
"Sit out the first half to let the Dragoons run up the score, then I come in and well, turn the tide," Tarheel said.
"There must be something on this game," The Sergeant said.
"I didn't ask, nor do I care," Tarheel said, and took a bite of his food.
"I would be interested if I'm used as a MASH," The Sergeant said.
"Why? I already know I'm the ringer," Tarheel said, and took another bite.
"But don't you like knowing what you're used for?" The Sergeant asked.
"I don't get involved with the inter-unit politics," Tarheel said.
"Why did you sign up?" The Sergeant asked.
"I wanted to do more with my life," Tarheel said.
"Why didn't you become an officer?" The Sergeant asked.
"Not what I wanted to do," Tarheel said.
"Man, you're an enigma," The Sergeant said.
"Not really, I just want to serve," Tarheel said.
"Does that include playing basketball?" The Sergeant asked.
"I look at it this way, the First Sergeant sees my primary job is when the guns go live, in-between those times I do what they need me to do," Tarheel said.
"So, when's the game?" The Sergeant asked.
Tarheel checked his watch, "About an hour and a half. Don't worry; I won't embarrass Delta One Three," Tarheel said.
"I've never worried about it," The Sergeant said.
Tarheel nodded and finished his dinner; he cleaned up and left the mess hall. The Sergeant got his meal and ate.
When the time was right, he headed out to the basketball court. Finding a seat, it waited for the game.
The two teams came to the court. It was a court in the barest meaning of the word. The Sergeant watched as they lined up and started the game. The Dragoons were a Regular Army unit, and they all had matching 2nd Cavalry T-shirts. The 120th Infantry Regiment was a National Guard unit, but it didn't mean they didn't have a unit T-shirt.
It was a typical amateur game; there were some decent players and some okay players. More than likely, there were probably some ex-high school and college basketball players on both teams. The Sergeant nodded and enjoyed the distraction from the grind. That's what deployments are; The Sergeant reflected, welcome to today, the same day as yesterday, weeks and days lose importance, just the number of days to R&R and return home. So, days become blurred, a grind.
As the half-time came about, the two sides went to their benches to talk. The next few minutes, Tarheel went and checked in with the Sergeant, who was acting as a ref. Tarheel came back and looked at the rest of their unit's players.
The game started up again for the second half. Tarheel stood back and watched the other team move. He picked up his opponent and seemed to shadow him from a near distance.
The Dragoons' players saw the soft defense and passed the ball that way. Tarheel took a breath and stepped in front of the player and caught the ball in stride.
Tarheel drove down the court and laid the ball up for a basket. He walked back to set up for defense. The eyes of Tarheel studied the court. The Sergeant knew his vision and reflexes were what makes him a good tank gunner. It would probably make part of being a tank commander a good bit easier for him.
The game kept going, and the team kept closing the gap. The Sergeant smiled as he watched Tarheel work. He didn't take over the game, but he controlled the flow, and points that The Dragoons' would've easily score, they couldn't. Tarheel was there breaking it up, or forcing them into another defender. Tarheel broke up a lot of plays, either by blocking a pass or a shot or, in general, causing a miss in some way.
During some point in the game, The Sergeant's Tank Driver came over and took a seat next to him. "He seems a bit rusty, Sergeant," The Driver finally said.
"Who?" The Sergeant asked.
"Tarheel, Sergeant," The Driver said.
"Tarheel? Yeah, but he's holding his own, Letty," The Sergeant said.
"I guess, the deployment has kept him out of his routine, Sergeant," Letty said and scratched her nose.
"Well, I think he plays for fun now," The Sergeant said.
"He's always seemed at peace when he walked away, Sergeant," Letty said.
"I don't know, Sergeant Weller was who recruited him," The Sergeant said.
"He just tied the game, Sergeant," Letty said.
The Sergeant nodded, "Well, they held him out. I wonder what the line is on this game?" he said.
"I hope he doesn't burn himself out, Sergeant," Letty said.
"Why's that?" The Sergeant asked.
"I checked the schedule we have a patrol Sunday, sergeant," Letty said.
"Well, don't worry about it," The Sergeant said.
"Sergeant, why do people call me Letty? There's no part of my name where there's anything close," Letty said.
"I don't know. Why do we call Palmer, Palmer, and don't answer that? Also, why does Palmer keep falling for the Maintenance Sergeant punch?" The Sergeant asked.
Finally, a member of the Dragoons came over. They sat down next to the Sergeant and Letty.
"Sergeant," The Dragoon Sergeant said.
"Sergeant," The Sergeant said.
"Is that big guy who I think it is?" The Dragoon Sergeant asked.
"Sergeant, you mean my gunner, then yes, we call him Tarheel," The Sergeant said, and looked at the Dragoon Sergeant uniform, and noticed the name tape said, Stonebreaker.
"Yes, exactly what I meant," Sergeant Stonebreaker said, and nodded. The game ended with the National Guard team beating the Second Cavalry by two points.