Buddy System

When military men/women go ashore, or go on liberty in any port they are briefed on rules of conduct, and the culture of whatever port or country they are in, and what they should or should not to do.  

It is always strongly suggested that they use the buddy system.  Never go anywhere alone!  Sometimes they just don’t listen to good advice and many wind up in trouble of some sort. 

Many a serviceman/woman has been headed back to the Base alone, having had too much alcohol to drink, or just not being aware of their surroundings, and have been mugged and rolled. 

Many have had to be hospitalized for long periods of time because their injuries were so severe.  And some have been crippled or even died from injuries of one sort or another.

Chuck had been out partying with some of his buddies one night and decided to go back to the Base.  His buddies were not ready to leave, and so he went alone.  He was a fairly short distance from the base and decided to walk back instead of hailing a cab.

He was walking along and got a weird feeling that he was not alone. When he looked around he realized he was being followed.  There were three guys coming up behind him, and two were on the opposite side of the street, coming up faster than the three behind him.  

He was in a part of town that had the alcove or recessed store fronts with the sides angled in on each side to the front door, which was set back deep inside.

He came to one that was ideal to duck into, it angled sharply and was deep enough he could back up to the front door and they could only get to him one at a time, if that was their intention.  He figured it was, and he figured it right. He quickly snatched off his jacket and wrapped it around his left arm, as a small measure of protection in defense.

Switchblade

He always carried a pearl handle blade and he did know how to use it effectively in defense of his life, if he had to.   He kept it sharpened, and ready to use, if the need ever arose.

He jerked it out of his pocket, and snapped it open, and then assumed the stance.  When the guys approached the store front, they were about to rush in on him, but the Leader of the gang saw the knife. 

He stopped short, not in as much a hurry as he had been.  He was not expecting a lone sailor to be armed, and ready for an attack.

He backed up a little; the other guys were pushing him from behind; encouraging the Leader, let’s go in and get him.  The Leader said “No let me think about this.”

 

He said to Chuck, “You hold that knife like you really know how to use it.”  Chuck answered, “There’s only one way for you to find out, he beckoned come on in, you can only get to me one at a time, so if you want me you’re gonna have to come in and get me.”

The guys were urging to rush him, but the Leader said, “No we’ll wait him out, he’ll have to come out sooner or later, and we can take him easy then.”

They did a standoff, thinking Chuck would yield first because they thought he should be nervous and scared enough to make a wild run for it, but Chuck told them, “ I've got all night, no place else I have to be for quite awhile.”

They eventually decided they might give it a try and were about to make another rush, but the cops pulled up, and the guys ran. The cops gave Chuck a lift back to the Main Gate, and some more good advice about not going it alone.  He never traveled alone again!