Training

``Haul it you loser!''

``Yeah, haul it! Are you really that slow, you loser?''

Huffing and puffing, Jim found himself struggling with the rest of the recruits, heaving that 10-foot log way above their heads as they were walking through the muddy grounds of the training centre. It was among the worst things that they had to go through, considering the fact that the boot camp was known for its gruelling and often times demeaning ``traditions''.

```Move it! Do you think that we have all day, eh? Goddamnit, haul it! Move your slobby ass along!''

Grunting, Jim and 9 other recruits gave a last heave-ho and struggled to maintain their balance in the muddy grounds. Trying to concentrate on the task rather than cursing at the drill instructors, Jim suddenly found himself stepping into air, and falling, face-first into the mud below.

``Recruit Jim! What the fuck do you think you are doing? Well all you fat slobs, thanks to ol' Jimmy here, all of you will have to start over!''

Groaning and muttering insults, the other recruits turned slowly around and staggered back to the beginning of the route with the log on their shoulders. And each of them who passed Jim by either gave him the eye or spat at him in disgust, for wasting all their efforts in the task.

Frustrated with himself and the futility of the task at hand, Jim picked himself up and hurriedly joined his section-mates and took his place below the log. All of them glared at him from the corner of their eyes, muttering all manners of insults and curses that they could under their breath to avoid the drill instructors' admonitions.

With about another half-an-hour's work, the team successfully navigated through the obstacle course with the log and with great sighs of relief, they tossed the log back into the pile that they picked up from. Of course, the drill instructor was not going to let them off that easily.

``Hey slobs! You've made yourself so dirty now; you have exactly 5 minutes to change into clean fatigues and report here. Go! Go! Go!''

They rushed off towards their barracks which was about 100 feet away and ran to their rooms to obtain their gear.

Jim ran along too, afraid of being the black sheep again. But in his mind, he knew what was about to happen---they were not going to let him forget about the idiocy that he committed during the training.

(Based on an exercise generated by WriteThis - 10 Mar 2008 12:17:24)