Common Sense Vs The Righteous

Just read this post over at Ambush Predators place. It reminded old CSR of a time when he himself bumped into a righteous one.

I met my righteous one in a hot and sandy place many years ago. He was a Captain in the Int Corp who'd popped up from the rear to 'have a peek' at the Battlefield.

One of our (highly stressed) Toms was searching a body, when he found some ciggys. 'Don't wanna smoke these mate' he said pulling the packet of smokes out of the the bullet riddled dead chaps pocket 'They're bad for your health'

It was a moment of gallows humour, intended I believe to help the very frightened teenagers around me to cope with the insanity we were in. I knew in an instant it was in no way meant to humiliate or degrade the dead soldier, nor was it a sign of psychosis from the lad tasked with the shit job of searching his corpse. It was a coping mechanism. Our brains become very astute at looking after us in times of high stress.

I laughed like a drain as did the others around me but Captain Righteous... ...Oh no he became outraged - 'I shall have you charged' he said to the Tom. 'You're a disgrace'

I put a round up the spout of my rifle, pointed it at the Int Corp Officer and told him to fuck off at the quick time. Which he did. I got a bollocking later on in the day. My Troop Commander demanded to know why I hadn't shot the sanctimonious twat.

Common sense can on occasion appeal to the higher senses of the righteous - especially when backed up by a 7.62mm round

I spent a lot of time after the war reliving that day. I became wracked with guilt. But after many many periods of intense counselling I came to realise we were in fact in the right on that day. The righteous one was out of kilter not us.

My only regret today is having not pulled the trigger, because the world is a better place without people like him in it.

Stories like the one Ambush Predator has told me of annoy me, a lot.