Looking for Claire

Claire, Claire, Where are you?

It was a strange trip, motoring right past the eastern shoreline of Parris Island SC, literally within shouting distance of Claire and not be able to communicate with her.  Before Parris Island hove into view, I made Patty promise, that if we saw recruits on the island she WOULD NOT yell, call out Claire's name or wave.  She did promise, but thankfully we didn't see anyone you could think was a recruit, I was certain Patty was fully prepared to shatter her promise to me if she could see anyone who might be Claire.  After motoring slowly by the island, we anchored in a queit anchorage on the north shore of Parris Is, where we could hear, wafting over the gentle evening breezys, drill instructors barking commands over loudspeakers. 

From the eastern shoreline, the island looked like a pleasant place to spend a few months, the water sparkled, the trees swayed gently in the sun, the breeze bringing us pleasant scents from the island.  After we anchored, and we could look past the large trees that hid the real action going on there, we could catch glimpses of monster buildings, very official looking, that could house thousands of sweating recruits.  And then, as the sun set, and our public enemy number one came to visit ( also known locally as the sandfly, but better known by the crew of the Osprey as P.E.N.O.), the tiny, biting, blood-sucking little varmints everyone here calls gnats.( By the way, I refuse to call them gnats, the moniker "gnat" makes them sound just a little annoying but generally harmless. They are anything but). After we swatted at the devilish things, and I scratched at numerous welts, drawing blood (but it felt SO GOOD) again, a realization hit us.  Imagine spending three months in this place, the gnats always on the ready to suck your blood, standing at attention for what would seem like hours, when all you really want to do is slap those silly bugs to death. And then scratch the bite until it hurts, all the while hoping for some relief from the itching.  I would rather run all day, in the feeble hope that I could outrun those annoying things.

After we left Parris Island, we visited Beaufort, which is just a few miles north of Parris Island. We not only visited a quaint little town, we met people who told us more about the weekly graduation ceremony that takes place for each graduating boot class.  So we now better understand the importance of the  Marine Corp "culture".  The graduation ceremony is a very big deal, for the recruit, the local community, the Marine Corp, and the recruit's family.  We are very glad Claire stressed how important it will be for us to be there for her graduation ceremony, after visiting Beaufort, we now know we should be there two days ahead of the actual graduation day, so that we can participate in other, special activities given for the benefit of the visiting family members.  We have invited Patty's Aunt Yvonne, who lives only a few hours away, and who's husband was a career Marine Officer to join us..  Before his death he was always happy to talk with Claire and tell her what she could expect if she joined the Corp. We hope she can come.