20Meet the Neighbors
The guys and me, listened for what seemed like forever as Shit-Head Sobel droned on and on about the new soldiers who were coming to work with us and fight by our sides. After going on about how they had seen combat and we hadn't but didn't necessarily make them better or fitter than us, or how they didn't look as disciplined as we were and he was going to show us a film of them in and out of the field.
Then he started going on about how we should be more disciplined than them, because we'd not been around women for a while and there were women in their ranks.
"What women are doing in the army anyway is beyond my comprehension, they should be at home." He spat.
It didn't make him any more popular than he already was, in fact his popularity got lower, especially with those who felt women should be able to do what they want in life as long as it made them happy. Men like Lieutenant Winters.
I could see him frowning as Sobel raged on about women in war-zones.
So, to prepare us for the onslaught of around 3 women, Sobel showed us a slide-show of them.
The first woman was a Captain (that left Sobel seething I can tell you).
Her name was Larsen Conway, she was 24 and had the face of a leader. All of her golden hair was immaculately set in a bun at the base of her neck, her cap pulled forward so her forehead was only just visible and was standing at ease. The profile said she was 5"8, pretty tall for a dame if you ask me.
The next woman, was only just so. Her name was Jenny Parker, 19 years old. A sergeant from Alberta, Canada, she was the only one in the company that was from our side of the pond. It listed her nickname, 'Canada' as the name she was known by to everyone. She was an inch shorter than the Captain, at 5"7 and also had her hair in a bun at the base of her neck, but instead of a cap, she wore a red beret with a set of polished jump wings on the front, which Penkala pointed out 'suited her hair'.
Now the last girl, well she was the diamond in the crown. I couldn't stop staring; she was the single most beautiful woman I'd ever set my eyes on.
Her face was a perfect heart shape, as were her bright, red lips. Freckles flecked the bridge of her nose and cheek bones, which almost blended in with her pale toffee tan.
Her eyes were two different colours, like Gracie Allen's. One was a bluey grey colour and the other was a bright emerald.
Like the other woman before her, she had her hair pulled back into a bun at the back of her head and a red cap with jump wings on, although some fine curls had fallen out and framed her face, like one of those women from Pride and Prejudice or whatever the Hell my mother used to read.
And where the other two posed with straight faces, she wore a smile that looked like it was restraining a laugh.
"Now this woman, should be avoided." Sobel announced. "She is immature, she is weak, she is vulgar, she is not professional!"
If that woman was avoided, it would be a crime.
Her name was Calandra Mireille D'Amore. She held the rank of Sergeant as well as her friend Canada. Like her friend, she listed 'Cally' as the usual name people used, although, 'Little Italy' was just as commonly used. Her father was an Italian man and her mother was a 'Northerner' (she'd put in brackets she didn't actually know what part of England her mother came from, only that she knew she was from 'up North'). Unlike the two previous soldiers, D'Amore was the shortest in the entire company, at 5"2.
I knew, at that moment I was in love. I never knew it would be as easy and as quick as that, from just looking at a picture of someone. But then I remembered that Sobel was going to put on a film of them in and out of the field. I couldn't wait for that.
After hearing what Sobel had to say about this attachment (and after he left), Lieutenant Winters and Lieutenant Nixon took to the front of the class.
"Now gentlemen, I know what Lieutenant Sobel has said, may seem like these soldiers aren't cut out to do this with us, but they have an advantage; they have seen combat before and they are well trained." Winters told us.
"Despite what that idiot says." Nixon added, after which there was a lot of grumbling and an elbow in Nixon's ribs.
It was lunch when we eventually left the class room; we'd go to lunch and then return to the class room to watch the film.