18 Years

We left for lunch as we do every day. We walked down the street to the other mess hall to eat since the BBQ place has gotten old. We got our plates, found a seat and began to eat and talk.

I was watching people go by when I saw him. I know this guy but not sure from where, not sure how but I know him. I decided to get up and go and talk to him. His name is W Barry. He is a CW4 now, but how do I know him. I walked up and told him "I know you from somewhere". He looked at my name tag, it has last name only, and said "Jay". I could not believe it. 

After 18 years he would remember my first name, turns out he remembered a lot more about me than I did of him. In 1992 we worked at Ft Lewis in the vehicle registration office together. When he told me memories come flooding back. Last  night I went to the Warrant Officer dinner and we talked about old times. He told me things that I had forgotten after all these years. He is doing well for himself and has his family settled and ready, for him to retire. He has deployed four times in his active duty career. Small world or is it a big world since this is the first time I have seen one of the soldiers I served with at the beginning of my long military career..