THE MILITARY OCCUPATION

One of the things which stands out during Fleet Week in San Francisco is the small clusters of crisply neat young men and women in uniform who entirely unconsciously make a good impression. They're clean, orderly,well-behaved, and courteous. Unlike many of the locals as well as other visitors. One is tempted to compare them to the usual late night marketing and sales department staff who roam the streets during conventions, and young Euries prowling for sexual exploitation opportunity, or slowly grazing heffalumps from non-seacoastal states who don't know how to navigate sidewalks. One does actually compare them, giving in to temptation. And one concludes that we would benefit from having more military here, far fewer tourists or conventions, and losing a very large proportion of the locals.
Especially the unwashed ones.

Crisp. Clean. Well-behaved.
And soft-spoken too.
Indoor voices.
Outdoors.

I contrast that with the frequent clusters of young yupters (business or frat) who see a quiet empty boulevard in Chinatown with people sleeping upstairs as the ultimate venue for a loud, drunken, and repetitive rendition of Yankif Der Gonif as covered by The Portals. Quite off key. Every mild obscenity replaced by one far worse. Punctuated by squealing OMG and baning on metal shop shutters. Then doing a splendid imitation of Mr. Creosote after dinner.
At three in morning.

Fog horns, young men and women in uniform, scattered gingko leaves. I have yet to see an MP, but I have seen a scattering of officers. Also crisp and well-behaved. It's like I'm seeing the city with new eyes.


Wouldn't it be splendid if school visits were organized so that the kiddiewinkies could meet someone from distant places like Tennessee and Alabama and ask questions about their lives and experiences? What hobbies did they have growing up, what are grits like?
And what will they do when they're back in civilian life?

This is the only time of year when they see Americans acting human.
As well as what neat clothing looks like.
Or clean finger nails.



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