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Spreading the Love

It was a pretty typical day for your friendly neighborhood Geek, sitting for long hours at a computer monitor wishing the words would just appear for me. (Someone really does need to invent a machine that can read my mind and then translate said thoughts in fully fledged characters, plot, and dialogue; and then, find me a publisher). When the words won’t come I often go for a walk to clear my head. I try to wander a different path each time, although each path always seems to send me to my local game store. This time was no different. I walked in, the friendly folks at the counter said “hello” and did their best to hide the “great here comes that guy that never buys anything” look. They’re getting better at it; I like to keep them on their toes though, so I buy an occasional magazine or shiny D8…

Anyway.

Looking up from the new release table I glanced up and saw a man in a US Army desert fatigues pacing up and down the Dungeons and Dragons section of the gaming wall. I generally leave people alone when they are looking over game books. Something about this guy seemed different though. So, after watching him grab a book and then putting it back at least seven different times I decided to ask him what he is looking for. His first response to me was: “So many new books have come out, I got no clue what to get”. He was with the group of Oregon National Guard troops who recently came back from Iraq and like many of his comrades; he was choosing to return in a few weeks. Some of his fellow troops back in Iraq gave him a simple mission: Bring back new D&D books. I looked a little confused as I kept hearing stories about how anything available in the states could be ordered on base. He grinned, “Yea, but it takes forever and we want a whole pile of books to keep us going.” He had a $235 to spend and wanted to make sure he got the best material for his money. We then spent the next hour going over various books and pointing out which material would get the most use. The only one he completely and utterly shot down was the newest D&D book, Sandstorm:

“I don’t care how good the book is, I don’t want to game in a place that reminds me of where I am, but hand me that there Frostburn book.”

Fair enough.

I’ve had a good number of family and friends who have served in the military. Each one has told me the same thing. Life in the military exists between two phases: Weeks upon weeks of complete boredom intermittently broken up with minutes of complete and utter terror and danger. I can’t help out with the danger, but if my Geek knowledge can help out with the boredom, then great.

After making his purchase he headed back to his car, I started walking back home. He asked me if I wanted a ride to wherever I was going. I gratefully passed on his offer. Just as his door was closing I shouted out, “Don’t go rolling any 1’s over there”. He sincerely smiled back…

“Do my best”.