SLPAD - 56

[Michael Bailey]

“Re-up,” Rizzo said, “ you still got time, you can
               still be eligible. I got 382 goddam days. Christ, I’ll never
make it.” Levine smiled. “Shucks,” he said, “you’re just bitter, is all.”


Does this mean Rizzo has to make it thru 382 more days of his current
enlistment before he can re-enlist?

What would keep him from completing them? Does he have similar discipline
issues to Levine?

Or is he approaching an age limit? That doesn’t square with apprehension
about too many days, though.

I don’t understand this.

True, Rizzo’s comment about their mission being to find the eye of the
storm has already provisionally marked him as a source of misinformation.

Also, they’re drinking.


Since Pierce hasn’t yet arrived at the rendezvous point, Levine addresses
_Swamp Wench_ again while they wait in the truck “listening to rain bounce
off the roof.”

Bouncing off the roof - seems non-threatening.

“Bounce off” while I don’t want to read too much into it, there’s what
seems to me to be a worthy connotation that Levine et al feel secure in
their persons by virtue of being in a vehicle (the truck, or more
generally, the Army) off of which many threats bounce.


Rizzo echoes Levine’s earlier jape to Picnic:

“The general’s coming,” he
               said, pointing down the road.


- perhaps further characterizing his contributions as inaccurate,
facetious, or both.



Through the rain they could make out a jeep with a muddy figure in khakis
driving. The jeep pulled up alongside Rizzo’s truck and the driver got out
and ran shakily over to where Rizzo was standing. He was unshaven and
red-eyed.
               His khakis were ragged and filthy and his voice had a slight
tremor in it when he spoke. “You guys from the National Guard?” he said,
louder than he should have.

Their first encounter with another responder, who seems “really shook.”