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Reenlistment Time
The end of my
enlistment date fell in March of 63. I think the ship was scheduled to be away from port. I was leaning toward leaving the Coast Guard. I did not like the
ships captain, and I knew the feeling was mutual. I would not re-enlist unless I could work a deal to be re-assigned. I left the ship to be discharged.
Once assigned to base I would see how badly they wished to get me to “re-up”. I also had four molars that were bothering me so I
saw the base dentist. He agreed that they must come out, and I should wait no longer. I explained that I had a resistance to Novocain and that two shots top
and two shots bottom would not be enough.
He explained that he
could not give more than two shots total at any one time. I suggested that another appointment would have to be soon as I was not sure I would still be
there. He said if he did two now, I could have the other two done as a civilian. I told him to do them all, but two shots of Novocain was no better than none
at all.
He prepared me for
the procedure. He then pulled all four without Novocain. I passed out before he got to the last. My attitude had never caused this kind of pain before.
I was in pain for
days. When it came time for my re-up, I wore the same dress whites I had visited the dentist with. I’ll bet that the CPO I interviewed with remembers the
interview better than I. If the blood spattered white jersey did not stick in his mind, one pissed-off Sonarman slurring his reasons for getting out of the
service did.
A few days later I
was a civilian. I did not go back home right away. I hung around in the big city for a while. I thought about the Navy, but realized that my attitude would
need some adjustment before I returned to serve my country.
I missed my
shipboard friends. I missed the protection of having three square meals and a roof over my head. I missed having someone telling me what to do when I
wasn’t sure.
No, I didn’t
re-enlist. I went home to grow up.
Damn, it took a long
time.
Thank you Honey.
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