Spec Ops, Spec Forces, Special me, Special You!!!

Aw. Just sooooo special.

What does this even mean?

With my military associations, I can give a hint. Just the tip. :D

Wouldn't want to get anyone's Ranger panties in a big black wad. :)

This is not going to be what you expect because, it's pretty much my special mode of operations to keep you guessing. A regular PITA. *hint* not the delicious Greek food sort.
The type of PITA that's fun, unpredictable yet dependable. Sweet yet sometimes sour so it lends variety. A box of bubbles with a pin!

Having known a few Secret Squirrels, I can tell you, they are a different breed of guy. Just like snowflakes, they may all be beautiful flakes, yet, all of them are completely different. My first encounter with this type of guy was when I was 15. A very good family friend who was also an Army Reserve Colonel, and his wife had me as their favorite babysitter. They often took me with them on outings and family vacations.

First Encounter

The Col had his 2 weeks of annual training in the UP of Michigan, his wife was going to drive up there at the beginning of the second week. A week that would change my world view.

After the long drive, we arrived at the training site, set up the tent, the cook station, etc. We were all good to go.

Now, there was a gathering of all the guys and all of their wives and chilluns.

Oh boy, o boyo!

There was roll call, then the list of activities. I was a very naïve one, at 15. I still played with Barbie dolls, still have them, too.
Occasionally someone would call out:

"When is the wet T-Shirt contest?"

I had no froggy clue what this was. I asked a few people who only shushed me, smiled, as if they were thinking:

"She couldn't possibly be that naïve!"

Ummm. Au contraire. Yes, I really WAS that naïve.

The jokers who wanted to know when the wet T Shirt contest would be, were silenced with the schedule, it would be tonight!

Hmm.

Since no one would explain to me exactly what this was, I deemed that "tonight" would be when I would be spiritualized to the miracle of the wet T shirt contest! Praise, Glory & Hallelujah!

After the assembly broke up I was sitting on a bench outside, enjoying the sunshine when a guy of around 27 came walking up then sat down beside me. He asked if I was there with "the group".
Although his meaning was unclear, I sensed an urgency about him.

Oh, I was minimally aware of how innocent I seemed to many other people. With my large green eyes, strawberry blonde hair, yeah, people seemed to take me for an innocent. By the standards at the time, I suppose I was. Seemed that way to him, anyway.

I told him that I was indeed there with "the group". It was unclear to me which exact group he was referring to, yet, it was fun to play off of his curiosity about me.

We sat in silence for a few minutes. My inexperience, his curiosity as to what to say next, knowing next to nothing about each other.

He spoke up.

Him: Are you from Michigan?
Me: Yes, are you?
Him: Nope. I'm from Colorado
Me: You're a ways from home. Are you in the Army?
Him: Who wants to know?
Me: Mm hmm Mm

He laughed.

"I'm in the Army, Special Forces, up here for training, you?"

Wth was I supposed to say to that?????????? I'm 15? End of talk.

"I'm up here with the group."

He laughed.

He asked me if I was single. I choked back a laugh, just answered his question.

Me: "Yes, I'm single"
Him: "Can I get your number to call you sometime?"
Me: "313 394 0319"

He wrote it down.

I really looked at him, then. Light reddish brown hair, very large brown eyes, Caucasian, muscles in his arms like I had never seen.

He was very quiet, seemed a bit guarded. Very good manners.

I asked him what he did in the Army. His eyes widened almost imperceptibly, except, even at age 15, I was very perceptive.

Him:"You don't know?"
Me: "I know how to tie a knot on a horses saddle strap, I think I know as of  today,  what a wet T shirt contest is, but, no, I don't know what you do."
Him: "Maybe, some day, I'll tell you."

Standing up, he smiled a wide smile, beautiful teeth, handsome face. He walked away.

Later that day, I asked my Army Colonel friend what Special Forces in the Army, is?

His face went pale.

He said: WHY?
Me: I met someone who said he is Special Forces
Him: You don't need to know, stay away from them!
Me: Okay

He was a Colonel in the Army, he would know, riiiight?

My Special Forces buddy did call my parents home phone with the number I gave him. I wasn't home when he called, I followed my friends' advice, stayed away from him.

After enlisting in the USAF, my first base was Hickam AFB, Honolulu, Hawai'i. The Pararescue guys or PJs as they are more commonly known fascinated me! One, in particular, was very fascinating to me. As hard as I tried to talk to him, to get to know him as a person, I finally had to accept the fact that he simply was not interested in me at all. Not as a friend, or otherwise.

Aside from a brief encounter, with him,  it was quite heart breaking for me to have to accept that he just was not attracted to me.
It was a very sad realization, yet, I had to accept it.

Becoming re-assigned to Edwards AFB, Edwards, California, I had only been there a short time, when, one night my PJ crush called my duty phone.
I was so shocked, delighted, happy, to hear his voice.
I asked him to come to Edwards AFB to visit me. It never happened. I dreamed about him for the next 22  years. 

I had occasional brushes with Secret Squirrels, yet, I was a married woman who was faithful to the one I was married to. I couldn't stop the dreams of my PJ crush, yet, I did try to prevent them.

After the divorce, everything revolved around Michael until his death. Such a brief time, yet, it felt like it was longer.

After moving out of my town home into a duplex, I was only 3 miles away from Ft Carson, home to the 10th SFG. Mmm Hmm.

I spoke with some of the Special Forces guys, briefly, here and there. Never got to know any of them very well, personally.
They still fascinated me.

I'm still young, there's still time.

Maybe, just maybe, there will be a SpecOps or Special Forces guy in my future.

For now?

Life is good!

Peace.