July 30th, 2018

[Hannah Rickert]

Hey guys, so it has been a little while since my last post, so just a quick update before I go through my daydream of today... Sam and I couldn't be happier right now, we're both excited for school, mostly because it means seeing each other more often, and we are not yet official but I think we're just waiting for the perfect time in person. Anyways, on with the entry...

So some background just to get the idea, Sam and I are both in military families, our dads have since retired. We both talked about potentially wanting to join the military, Air Force specifically, and then I told him about how I really was hoping for an office romance when I was younger. So this is kind of like those two things.

My military unit was nearing the end of our formation practice. It was quite a large group of people, and I was the only female, which made everyone else loathe the attention I got. And it was also my birthday, but the only person that I had actually told was Sam.

"RICKERT!" (my commanding officer shouted)

"Yes, Sir!"

"UP FRONT!"

I marched up to the front and saluted him.

"AT EASE!"

I brought my hand down to my side.

"EVERYONE LOOK AT HA- RICKERT! IS SHE MOVING?" (he asked and almost called me by my first name)

"No Sir" (scattered mumbles)

"IS SHE MOVING??"

"No Sir!"

"THIS IS HOW YOU SHOULD LOOK. LET'S SEE Y'ALL PRACTICE THAT. Rickert, sit tight for just a moment."

"Yes, Sir."

"RIGHT FACE!"

"ABOUT FACE!"

The orders continued for what seemed like hours, it was only like five minutes though, and all I could do was wait. I scanned the rows in search of my fiancé Sam, and found him eventually, looking quite pleased with his soon-to-be wife.

"ALRIGHT THAT'S ENOUGH. RICKERT?"

"Yes, Sir!"

"WEAPON!" (he's done this before with me, he'll be timing me in his pocket to see how long it'll take me and he'll then use me as the role model for how it should be)

I get my weapon from my back and load it in 3.4 seconds.

"NOT BAD RICKERT, NOT BAD. 0.2 better than last time. Y'ALL SHOULD BE LIKE RICKERT HERE. AIM FOR 4 SECONDS OR LESS. ALRIGHT HAVE A NICE REST OF THE DAY OFF. You Rickert, I needa talk to ya."

"Yes, Sir? Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine, Hannah."

"I prefer being called by my last name, it reminds me of back home."

"How does that remind you of Maine?"

"Well, all of my teachers would call me by my last name in high school."

We start walking towards a dining hall area.

"Oh."

"So what'd you wanna talk to me about?"

"Oh, just wonderin' if you wanted to come with the guys and me to get some drinks tonight?"

"Well, I don't see why not."

"It's just, you'd be uhh kinda the only girl there, there may be one or two others. Hell, even the bartenders are guys."

"I can deal, really."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I can handle myself."

"No doubt about that... so who's the lucky guy?" (gesturing at my ring I was putting onto my finger that had been in my pocket)

"G-T. {these are the initials of my guy's last name}"

"How did I not know about this?"

"It's a wonder you didn't know honestly. Is he perhaps coming to this thing?"

"Do you want him to?"

"Actually, he'll be my escort home."

"You afraid of a couple drunk guys?"

"Nah, but I'm afraid a few particular drunk military guys."

"Who could you possibly be afraid of, huh? All the guys are envious and terrified of you, yer like a badass machine."

"Well, you obviously know Corey. He just looks at me like he's gonna murder me whenever I start walking alone."

"Aww, he won't hurt ya though. I think he likes you to be completely truthful."

"Well, that's the thing Gordon {random last name for commanding officer}. I don't want to walk back alone with drunk Corey near me. He'd probably use the drunkenness to his advantage."

"Ah. I see whatcha mean."

Sooner or later the time for this gathering had come, and after spending most of my evening with Sam, I headed out. I get there and I was greeted by a bunch of guys from my unit. We started drinking and sooner or later I found myself moving hands off different parts of my body. I got up but I was pushed back to the bar and sat down on a stool. 

"I really should get going you guys... it has been good to see y'all so-" I paused after realizing the guys weren't listening to what I was saying but rather they were all checking me out. I got up and made it all the way to the door before Gordon pushes me back inside.

"Not yet birthday girl." (whispered)

"Oh god, you know?"

"Of course I know. How would I not know?"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY -"

I blushed as they brought out a cupcake with a single candle on it. After blowing out the candle, I ate the cupcake and started towards the door again.

"Not so fast Miss." 

I spun around to see Corey inching towards me.

"You stay the hell away from me, you hear?"

"C'mon, just one kiss?"

He leaned in and I could smell the alcohol on his breath. He brought his hand up to my face and I shuddered. Without thinking, I grabbed his arm and twisted it, then kicked my newly shined right boot into his {you know}. 

"AWOOOO WHY THE HELL?!"

Gordon came running over.

"You okay Rickert?"

"I'm fine. I'd best be on my way now. Bye, everyone."

"Wait." (a fairly large looking guy from my unit came up to me)

"What'd you do to him?"

"He'll be fine." (I had my hand in my pocket and in my hand, I was clutching my small bottle of pepper spray)

"YOUUUU!" 

The brute lunged at me and I whipped out the pepper spray just in time to spray his eyes.

"YOWWWWW!!"

"Alright boys, see ya later. Oh, he'll be fine, it's just pepper spray. Stop lookin' at me like you've seen a ghost."

I walked out, a smile on my face and with about ten shots too many in my body. 

Yep so that was quite the maladaptive daydream. It spanned across maybe two hours, but I found myself marching like a soldier, and even mimicking the southern accent of my made up commanding officer.