Dark Chronicles of Nooria 17

Friday brings lousy weather, so I give Shauzia another English lesson. As always, it's communal, as the crowd gathers. They admit they hear better English from me than the teacher.
As we take a break, one of the girls Nabila asks, "want to be an English teacher when you grow up?"
"No, sort of had my heart set on technician."
"So, you prefer patrolling? I mean compared to being around camp."
"Yeah, feel alive out there, fresh air, wind, sometimes sun, magnificent ocean, stupendous cliffs, terrain so ugly it's beautiful. Here, lacks any zing, life."
"Yeah, I hear you. Very artificial. Still, back home kids miss class for lots of reasons: family trouble, weather, work in field farm or shop, weather, or father forbids the daughter to go. Here they brag of 99.7% attendance, and they're probably correct. No wonder this camp does so well in education, an education greenhouse."
"Good analogy, ever think of being a writer?"
"God willing, I'd like to write for a magazine."
"What sort of stories?"
"Anything that helps people in any way. Health issues, politics, even fiction."
"Sounds like a good idea."
"Take yourself for example. Want proof of the power of the press? After the donation story, donations as a whole went way up. People see a tiny ten-year-old girl drop in all she has, they think, donate themselves. Makes you a hero and the writer of the story."
"Also left a lotta egg on the CO's face."
"Part of the catch. Humor gives a story more punch. They laugh at her, but still donate more."
"You wanna write in English or Dari?"
"Both, that's why I like listening to you. Good example. Do you mind when the group listens in, when you tutor Shauzia?"
"Actually, feel proud. So gonna write for the AAW newsletter?"
"Freedom of the press is sadly lacking here, like Albania before the thaw. Prefer a more open environment. Still, if it's here or nowhere, I'd write here. Lot can change over time. Never push any one issue too much, but can do a lot slowly."
"I certainly wish you the best of luck."
"Funny, your face rings a bell. Like a mirage in the desert, never get there. And you, I saw that flash of recognition when you saw me the first day. So?"
"Long story, take days in the telling, no privacy here."
"Just one hint."
"Number 83 mean anything to you?"
And then it comes, the wave of recognition on her face, she gasps, then whispers, "Poland, Hungary, Yugoslavia. Those were the days. Our convoys rolled, the very earth shook. Now look at us."
"Friend, considering everything we did, we got off easy. Think leprosy colony in Bangladesh or untouchable sweeping the road in India."
"Yeah, guess we did. Ironic, you led the way playing bad. Now gotta lead playing good."
"Hindus call that the circle of life."
"As I recall, you were the sane one. Pulled people back from the ragged edge of insanity. Some of the people, some of the time. Without you, things woulda been lots more sinful. Guess I owe you. Like some help with Dari compostion?"
I smile, "your kind offer is cheerfully and gratefully accepted. I'm a bit weak."
"Yeah, must be all that chipping up bodies, missed school. Once you're an officer, lotsa paper. Gotta at least be able to spell."
"Or have a sgt who does."
"No such thing, no sgt anywhere who can spell. So, let's get to work. Try page 17 ..."
And so it was, Nabila and I started as friends.

Dari teacher starts, "last story assigned, lotta you girls need help. Maybe talk with your friends a bit. Now here is how writing should be. Nabila, read your story to the class."
It's funny, yet touching, on the gay teahouse crowd in Kandahar. Characters alive, real, good setting, runs circles around anything I could do. I thank the fates Nabila is now my friend. If even 1/10 of her talent rubs off, I'll be a better person.
Loud applause as she is done.
Teacher smiles, "Shauzia, Bobogal, Fereshta, Nooria, front and center. Now you girls are distinguished by one trait, way too repressed. Isn't just spelling, grammar, punctuation. Gotta put yourself in the story, open up. Now, a practice to do just that. Takes these scripts. You're now all playing gay men in Nabila's story."
I gasp, "you mean, here and now, ma'am?"
"Sure, improv is good for you. Shauzia sit. Nooria, on her knee. Fereshta, that chair. Bobogal, on her knee. Well, roll em, girls, show time."
I don't think I've blushed more ever, but we get lotsa laughter and applause.
After it's over, teacher says, "Nooria, truth is, your writing was the worst. Now see what a little play-acting can do. Loosen you up. Next paper, take a chance, let those characters have a little fun."
"Yes ma'am."
"And you other 3, wipe those superior smirks. Your weren't far behind Nooria."

As we exit, Fereshta jokes, "I been cheated. Wish it was Nooria sitting on my lap and not Bobogal."
Shauzia laughs, "we were playing men you know."
"Wonder what the gay men would think of us?"
"Too busy with their own stuff to give a hoot in blazes."
"Gotta be a better way than the whole man-woman thing. Maybe God made a mistake. Nooria, you're awful quiet. Your view?"
"I agree, gotta be a better way. Eggs or laboratory or such. Whole man-woman thing is so ridiculous."
"But there's already too many people in the world. World could stand a few years of no kids."
"Yeah, but all is habit. Once people get used to money for dope or travel or scooters, maybe they never wanna have kids again. Human race may die out."
"You make that sound like a bad thing. Nooria, awful quiet again. Your take?"
"Human race will hafta go on without me. Don't plan to contribute."
"For every one of you, there's also a guy with 2 wives and 14 children. You won't be missed."

Early Thursday morning, MP sgt joins Amina and me. Huge smile, "our illustrious CO now has 2 options. If she proclaims CO orders, she can do it anytime. Drawback, only valid during her tenure in officer. Her successor is then free to cancel or change. But if she goes for a Bylaw, hasta go through the HQ Bylaw Committee. Advantage, it's in force til this same committee amends or cancels it. Understand so far?"
I nod.
"Well, it's on its way, HQ."
I grin, "meaning lucky if it gets looked at in a year, let alone actioned."
"Amazing how you grasp these things. Such a contrast you are Nooria. Some stuff so wise, so savvy, so grownup, other stuff so naive, so little girl."
"Sarge, you could say the same bout every 10-y-o on the planet."
"Yeah, but you take to more extremes than any others I've seen."
Amina shrugs, "into our little world of insanity, more comes. Think school experiment, electromagnet and iron filings. HQ is the electromagnet; ordinary members the iron filings. But don't be disappointed, Nooria, I'm sure the Foreign Legion is just as crackers."
"I sure hope so," I assert, "I don't do boring well."
MP sgt grins, "I guess they're more nuts. More money to splash around."

I hear the B14 door open. Arifa calls, "girls, everyone stand." It's the CO and doctor, a Captain.
CO asks, "anyone here ever heard of the Special Air Service Survival Manual? Publication by the British forces, 2 versions, internal one and external, available to the public."
I have, but would rather not say. CO and I seem to have a star-crossed relationship.
Nabila the aspring writer is more bold, "I have ma'am."
"Good, now what exactly have you heard of it?"
"Ma'am, they say it's best, most complete in the world."
"Seems to be the consensus. May I ask where you heard of it?"
"Friend back home, ma'am, her uncle was in the British Army."
"What group and specialty?"
"1 Para, ma'am, First Battalion, Parachute Regiment."
"This para, an Afghan in the British Army? Or a Brit who just happened to marry an Afghan?"
"He's British, ma'am."
"What exactly did this para say of the manual?"
"Ma'am, said stuff so bad in there lots of guys would rather die than do it."
"Doesn't that seem strange? Why not go all the way? Isn't survival a fundamental instinct?"
"Ma'am, any number of reasons. Addiction, troubled relationship. Envy, depressed they're sort of outcasts in British society. Yet being sort of Christian, they couldn't suicide. But this is the gray zone, where people decide."
"Everyone who believes they're better off than the British Army, raise your hand."
Not one hand.
"Everyone who believes they're worse off than the British Army, raise your hand."
Forest of hands, everyone, including Arifa.
CO smiles gently, "contradiction. All those better off people setting all kinds of limits. They'll do this and not that. Yet everyone here went all the way, right out to the ultimate limit. Guess the girls in B14 are tougher than the guys in 1 Para."
Huge smiles all around.