Chapter 4: Steel Beach, the Mass Casualty, Etilda and Sophia

Rose: "Sophia, is that a Captain Jack's Seafood Shanty uniform?"
Sophia: "No, Rose. I'm off to discover the Straits of Magellan. Yo ho!"
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Sophia: "Picture it, Philadelphia, 2001. A young medical student embarks on a 4 year journey to study medicine, become a doctor and fulfill a destiny! He also makes frequent trips to Miami with his friend Victor on the side, but I digress. Every day by 4 o'clock, the stresses of med school get to him and he comes home to make dinner and watch an hour of the Golden Girls. For 2 years he continues to do this. He laughs, he cries, he watches the Golden Girls, he studies medicine. He laughs, he eats cheesecake, he watches the Golden Girls, he studies more medicine. He talks to Victor, he quotes Golden Girls episodes, he studies more medicine. Finally one day in May of 2004 he graduates from PCOM a Doctor, knowing that he never would have made it without that hour of G.G. time every day. Three years later, he buys all 7 seasons on DVD and looks forward to their release on Blu-Ray!"

Dorothy: "Ma, what is the point of that rediculous story?"
Sophia: "During my time on this earth, I impacted people in ways you won't even be able to imagine!"

I'd like to take this moment of silence to say a prayer for Estelle Getty, who passed away today at age 84. As gays across the world wheep, I know she would want us to remember her as Sophia, making us laugh. Here are some of the funniest quotes from our beloved Sophia. My blog continues after a few of these passages...Enjoy:

Sophia: [Dorothy opens the door, Sophia's first lines] Hi there.
Dorothy: Ma!
Sophia: Everyone is fine no one died, the home burnt down.
Dorothy: My god - are you all right? How did you get here?
Sophia: I hitched!
Dorothy: Ma!
Sophia: A cab - I took a cab.
Dorothy: Well you should have called.
Sophia: I'm perfectly capable of managing by myself, I don't need help - I'm a very indapendent person!
Dorothy: I know! I know!
Sophia: I need $67.00 for the cab.
Dorothy: $67.00? Ma, ma - this is crazy the home is 15 minutes from here.
Sophia: My cab driver is cute but he says there's an additional tax fee for a bilingual driver.
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Sophia: Jean is a lesbian.
Blanche: What's so bad about that?
Sophia: You're not surprised?
Blanche: Well I haven't known any personally but ain't Danny Thomas one?
Dorothy: Not Lebanese, Blanche. Lesbian.
Sophia: Jean thinks she's in love with Rose.
Blanche: Rose? Jean has the hots for Rose? I don't believe it! I do not believe it!
Dorothy: I was pretty surprised myself.
Blanche: Well, I bet! To think Jean would prefer Rose over me, that's ridiculous!

Sophia: Jean likes girls instead of boys - some people prefer cats instead of dogs. I'd rather live with a lesbian than a cat.
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Blanche: [About Rose's recent behavior] I am abhorred!
Sophia: [Overhearing] We know what you are, Blanche, I'm glad to hear you finally admitting it.
Blanche: Sophia, I said abhorred.
Sophia: A whore, a slut, a tramp - they're all the same.

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Blanche: ...there was a time in my life when I tried quittin' somethin'.
Dorothy: Blanche, you don't mean...
Blanche: Sex, Dorothy. I tried quittin' sex.
Dorothy: Obviously you fell off the wagon.
Sophia: And onto a naval base.

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Ron: [to the studio audience] Any other questions? Ah! Here we go!
[Runs over to Sophia]
Sophia: This is directed to Dorothy's lover: Do people treat you differently because you're a lesbian?
Blanche: Well, most people don't know.
Sophia: Really? I would've guessed right off. Next question to Dorothy: What kind of pain and embarrassment has this lifestyle caused your mother?
Dorothy: I really don't know, but... I'll ask her tomorrow when I visit her at... THE HOME.
Sophia: No further questions.
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Sophia: [Sophia has joined a convent] Hello Reverend Mother, my you look Holier than thou today.
Mother Superior: Save it Sister Suckup!

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Blanche: Ooh... I've got goosebumps. Mel will be here any minute.
Dorothy: Honey, why are you so jumpy? You've been out with Mel a thousand times.
Blanche: I know but now there's more at steak - everything's changed. It's all new and exciting. In many ways I... I feel just the way I felt when I was a virgin.
Sophia: You mean the feeling isn't gonna last long?
Blanche: Are you implying I lost my virginity at an early age?
Sophia: I'm just saying you're lucky Jack & Jill Magazine didn't have a gossip columb.
Dorothy: Ma!
Sophia: Hold it, Pussycat. I'm on a roll.
Blanche: I'm sorry, Sophia. But I'm not gonna let your skepticism ruin my entire evening. Mel and I were ment to be together.
Sophia: I wish I could say the same for your thighs.
Sophia: God, I'm hot tonight!
Blanche: I'm not gonna stand for this.
Sophia: Take it, Dorothy.
Dorothy: But I'll bet you'll lie down for it.
Sophia: Well, that was just plain rude.
Blanche: Some people just don't know when to quit.

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It seemed to be the beginning of a typical day on the BHR, 0600 and revelry was called over the ship wide intercom, lights up, off to stumble to the shower – 6 metallic partially divided shower stalls all crammed into the size of a closet – but they just replaced the 6 moldy shower curtains with 6 brand new vinyl ones, and I love the smell of a fresh vinyl shower curtain, you know that smell? Mmmm, but I digress. Right, a typical start to the morning…after another flawless shave and a couple of winks and flexes in the mirror, I donned my dog tags and flight suit and headed for chow. On the way to chow, a Navy Commander I didn’t know gave me a peculiar smile. I just thought he was queer like half the other people on board, but when a Marine Lieutenant Colonel passed me and said “Looking good there stud muffin”, I knew something was array. Could there be shaving cream on my face or perhaps a booger that I had missed? Nah, I’m too sharp for that and I look in the mirror way too much to miss such a detail. Nope, something was definitely up.

I entered the Officer’s Mess and joined my squadron for a typical RJ breakfast – 4 hardboiled eggs (just the whites), 2 waffles, a bowl of Cream of Wheat, a plastic tin of Smart Start cereal, 1 pineapple yogurt, a glass of OJ and 2 Mega Men vitamins (the breakfast of champions). I sat next to my CO (Commanding Officer of my squadron) and he immediately grinned. I said, “Alright, what’s going on?” He proceeded to tell me that at this morning’s Operations & Intel meeting, attended by the ship’s senior staff including the ship’s Captain and delegates from all the countries on board from the military exercise we’re engaged in, the Australian Public Relations Officer/Journalist gave a brief on an article she was doing for an Australian newspaper and what does she put up on the screen but my smiling face. To boot she makes the comment “We’ve got some great shots so far, like this one of the squadron’s Flight Surgeon – BonHomme Richard’s own heart throb, the guy every girl on board is fancying. Boy, if only I were younger, yes?” Of course, my CO (in attendance) said, “Oh man are we going to give him shit for this”. And while I’m getting comments like “Nice photo shoot” every 2 minutes, I figure: 1. It’s a great picture and 2. There are a lot worse things to be on board than the ship’s heart throb. Too bad none of those girls will ever have the chance…lol.

By the afternoon time, things had slowed down, but when I heard a cover band playing on the Hangar Bay I was confused. Then I heard the announcement “Steel Beach will commence at 1600”. Apparently every few months the ship has a “steel beach” or festival on the flight deck where people can wear PT clothes (vice their uniforms) and they have various activities to engage in. There was life size chess, sumo wrestling, a live band from Australia, dancing, a bean bag toss and I even got to drive some golf balls off of the Port Bow. I never thought I’d get the chance to do that in my life.














The first shot below is of one of my friends CPL King, on a side note, his last name is King and his first name is Dick, so my boys call him "King Dick", but being as I have never done a physical exam on him, I cannot verify if this is true, anyway, I digress – he was my workout partner in Iraq (they called him “Hulk”), he’s a big guy. The next shot below is of 3 of my Aircrew men posing for the camera – 3 bad ass trouble making Marines, you can see why they get away with a lot. The next shot is of CPL Toledo and I, another workout buddy and one of my friends in the squadron. He’s a good guy. Finally is the Australian reporter that I made peace with by the end of the day.









Monday was the multi forces Mass Casualty Drill. I was instrumental in its coordination and execution as the medical liaison between our ship and Tripler Army Medical Center. It proceeded as follows, at 0800 the USS Okane, a nearby ship about 20 miles away reported they had an explosion on board and had 75 casualties, which were being medically evacuated to our ship for triage and disposition. As they arrived, the critical casualties, who were all dressed up complete with make up, bandages and squirting blood, were sent to Tripler Hospital on Oahu via our CH 53 Delta Helicopters. I coordinated their safe boarding, transport and delivery to Tripler, in addition to maintaining accountability for each passenger and giving them further instruction.







When we landed at Tripler on Oahu, I escorted them out and the ER team came rushing on scene. Of course there were photographers and news reporters, so I stopped to pose for a shot or two before returning to the helo. LOL.



The aerial shots of Hawaii were amazing. In order from top to bottom the shots show: 1. The USS BonHomme Richard as we were flying away, 2. Honolulu, 3. Hawaii Kai and Koko Head, and 4.Waikiki Beach and the Ala Wai Canal. You can click on any of the pics below for a blow up shot.









It’s been a very exciting past couple of days and I’m really enjoying my time on board. Being on deployments makes you forget about everything else and forces you to focus on just one or two tasks – taking care of my Marines and going to the gym. I love the fact that I can leave all of my other stress behind, relationship drama, bills, conflicts and Oahu. Being on this deployment has given me the chance to have a lot of "me time" and to reconsider what I want. And here comes the shocker – I don’t want to stay in Hawaii. I’m not happy on this island anymore. Every time I leave it I get excited and that tells me that I’m ready to move forward. Furthermore, I don’t want to be in Atlanta or Miami either. I’ve decided to withdraw those applications as well. So where am I applying now? 3 places – San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles. I feel so good about this and I feel like I belong in California. I’m going to finish my 5 months left here then say “Sayonara”! As Karen Yamada very obviously pointed out – “a lot of really bad things happened to you on that island – between the failed endeavor with Sheri, your roommate Chris robbing you and the abusive relationship with Billy, the Hawaiian guy I was with for 16 months or so, it’s no surprise you’re ready to move on”. Thanks Karen. That should have been obvious to me, but sometimes it takes a friend to point stuff like that out. So Angelina and I are headed back to the mainland!!!

So in other news, Tropical Depression Etilda is wrecking havoc on the seas and today they are as rough as they’ve ever been. I’m literally rocking and rolling back and forth in my rack. It’s awesome! It’s like being rocked like a baby, it’s very soothing. It’s kind of funny watching people walk down a corridor and stumble left then right and grab the walls. (You know me and weather phenomenon, I live for this shit!) Otherwise, I have just one week left, but I could stay on here longer. I do miss hearing some of my friends’ voices though – like hearing Mike’s laugh (we’d talk almost every day), and hearing Victor say “Airay-Jota!” and hearing my sister say “How’s my Bruder?” and hearing Jan say, well, shit, what do you say to me Jan? Well, I miss you none the less. Some of you have asked how I've been doing with “the Mike thing” – let’s just say I’m not a mess anymore, I feel great about building a friendship with him and I’m happy we’re communicating again. Like any recent end of a relationship, there are moments when I still get,…nostalgic let’s say, but overall, I’m smiling like RJ should be. And I think he is too. And bottom line, last year at this time I was a wreck over Billy - dealing with his bullshit, not being able to let go, tolerating his abuse, etc. I'd much rather be a little sad that someone wonderful who treats me great who will probably be a good friend for life has entered my life. So I am gratefull for you Mike Clausen. :)

Alright, I gotta go shower. I just had a great workout and I probably smell like a dirty ostrich. Thanks for everyone’s comments. I love hearing from all of you and appreciate your support. My next posting is going to be my personal statement that I’m submitting to all of my Residency Programs. I’m posting it because it’s a good snap shot of my life and how I got here, and if I ever look back at this journal in 10 years, I know I’ll want to read it.

Take care everyone. Another week or two until I get pinned a Lieutenant Commander!!! (O-4)

-RJ