Marine Corps Stories: One Night in the Desert

Exhaust from the pipes of the SUV funneled upward. Sand blanketed the land. The driver, Sergeant Avery Amos, looked at his front passenger, Sergeant Venus Fiore, and exchanged glances as Lance Corporals Edwin Black and Cate McGuinness looked down at their phones.

“You’re both missing the sun go down over purple mountain’s majesty,” Amos said.

Without missing a beat, Black said, “And you’re too focused on Venus than on the ground in front of you, Avery.”

Cate laughed wryly.

The vehicle sped through the cacti and brush. Then, flashing lights filled up the rearview mirror.

“Alright everyone stay calm. He’s probably a retired Marine and will let us off this one time. Watch me work,” Amos said.

“License, registration, and proof of insurance please, sir,” Officer Elana Payton said.

“Of course, officer,” Amos said reaching for his wallet and displaying the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor and his sticker chevrons along with his ID. She took the information back to her cruiser and input the data into the computer system.

“I pulled you over because you were speeding. Do you know how fast you were going?”

“No, officer,” he sounded dejected because the cop seemed to either not notice or care about all of the Marine decal that he presented to her.

“You topped out at eighty one. I’m going to reduce the speed down to sixty five.” She ripped off a piece of paper and handed it to Amos. “You’ll take this to court. Take it easy in this country. There may not be a lot of people but there are plenty of coyotes and other critters out here that if you hit at the rate you were going, you’d be in bad shape. Understood?”

“Yes, officer.”

“You have a good night, Marine. Oh, and in case you were wondering, I was Navy for eight years.” She then straightened up her cover and again walked back to her car.

Once the police vehicle had sped away, Amos looked at the ticket.

“Son of a bitch,” he said.

Venus looked at him with concern. “It’s just one little stinking ticket, babe.”

“I know but she could’ve just let us go. Oh well, we’ll just have to carry on with our trip as if this didn’t happen.”

Once the SUV had reached a clearing amongst the vegetation in this part of the desert, plenty of room remained to roam. Amos parked it and allowed his passengers to spill out onto the sandy floor.

“I’ve got the campfire,” Black said gathering up dry wood and building a perfect pyramid fire.

“I’ll get the food and blankets and chairs,” Venus said. “We’re going to be sleeping in the truck so we might as well start laying out our beds, too.”

Amos brought out a chest full of ice cold beer from the rear of the vehicle.

“Are we going to party or party party?” Cate asked.

“Let’s just keep it at ‘party.’ We’ve already had enough excitement for the night. Let’s just sit back and relax and enjoy this stellar fire that Edwin made.”

Black looked around at the faces all glowing in the light that he produced like he was some modern day Prometheus. He then furrowed his brow.

“Hey Avery, that lady cop said that there were coyotes out here didn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“I haven’t even heard one. There must be, though, if she said it. And they already briefed us on the scorpions and tarantulas.”

"Look, Ed, just try to have a good time. Don’t worry about the fauna."

“You’re right Avery. I’ll just relax and allow the venom to course through my veins.”

“You wanted to be out here. Gunny cleared you and everything. So stop your bitch fit and take in the scenery.”

Ed bit his tongue. He was cool with Sergeant Amos but he wasn’t about to let that tight friendship go to hell over one night in the desert.

“I’ve brought hotdogs that will go great with the beer,” Venus said.

Cate handed out roasting forks.

While the dogs fizzed and blackened near the flame. Black couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Avery, we’ve got to talk.” Amos closed his eyes and took a sip from his beer. “Alright. Ladies, would you please excuse us. You both sit tight. This will only be a few moments.”

Amos and Black made their way a few yards from the vehicle. The moonlight remained brilliant over the sand.

“What’s up, Ed?”

“I’m going to be picking up corporal pretty soon.”

“Yes….”

“And I’m going to need someone to teach me the ways of the NCO. I mean this is fine and all, but I’m going to need someone like you who is inches away from staff sergeant to guide me on this glorious path.”

Amos turned down his lips. He shook his head and took another swig of beer.

“I appreciate you thinking so highly of me, but I’ve got three NJP’s and this ticket tonight is not going to help matters. It’s amazing that I’m even sergeant. But I do appreciate you regarding me that way.”

Then, a rustling in the brush arose.

“You don’t think that….”

“Goddamn coyotes.”

“And no rifles or pistols. Goddamnit,” Black said.

She was right. "C’mon lets go grab the girls and get them out of here.”

“I’ll put out the campfire and gather up the gear,” Black said.

The men both ran back to the campsite and Black extinguished the fire with sand.

“C’mon, baby. We’ve got to go,” Black said to Cate.

“Why? What happened?”

“We’ll tell you all about it once we get into the truck,” Amos said.

Once the fire had died down and their belongings had been properly stowed, the four Marines piled into the SUV.

“You better drive, Ed. I think the alcohol gods are frowning on me right about now. I can’t get a speeding ticket and a DUI in one night.”

“Why, that would be unsat,” Cate said.

“Right,” Amos said.