Labor Day 9/3/90

0745 hrs. Good morning, Bun. Happy Labor Day. Time to pack up and say goodbye to the cottage. Well, that’s what we should have been doing today. I'd sure like to be saying goodbye to this place. I'm still working on your letter. Abdullah stopped in to visit last night. He's the younger of the two Kuwaiti's who have helped us here. All the Kuwaiti's stayed home from work yesterday because it was the anniversary date of the invasion. He said they were going to stay home today, too. The Palestinians in this country are working though. They're supporting Hussein. If he wins, this could be their country. I think that was what Libya and Arafat are trying to arrange. I think the Kuwaiti's here are going to start hurting or killing them. They are betraying the Kuwaiti's and also turning in foreigners. I think the resistance here needs better organization, better strategic planning. Abdullah said that the Iraqi soldiers are being housed in the schools in the area. He said there are about 400 in the school by the police station near us. Even the families of the soldiers are there. Abdullah said they don't have homes in Iraq, and that the schools are all air conditioned. I guess that's something worth fighting for in a desert country. The house next to us is empty. John broke into it yesterday, and found tomatoes and a couple green peppers. It will be an extra place to hide, if we need it. Abdullah said that a couple more weeks, and Iraq will be out of some food. I don't really think he has all that accurate of information. Our other friend, Jafar, is older and I think more involved in the political families of Kuwait. His news is usually more credible I think. Miss you still. Not much in the news today. Got to go, Sarah just made us some omelets. Maybe I will miss her when she leaves.

1930 hrs. The women are leaving in the morning. I wrote you a four page letter. Mom is getting a one pager. I'm also sending this journal on a disk. I'm not sure whether our computer will be able to read this disk or not? I guess Mario and John will leave soon also. I'm just having too much fun to leave. Ha! Ha! Take care my love. God bless you. Remember the happiness. Be happy. I am with you always.

9/2/90

1000 hrs. It's Sunday. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

Some women and children have been flown home. George was probably on that same flight with Jesse Jackson. Are you enjoying our vacation? Me neither. We had more fireworks last night. Some pretty loud booms quite a ways off.

What should I do? Sit and wait, or go for the desert again? I want to leave this place, but who knows how long it will take before we'd be allowed to leave. Bush and Gorbachev are to meet in Helsinki on September 9th. I wish Carol and Randy would be meeting by then. Remember me? This is a long time to be apart. How are the girls? I miss you all.

Time to go up on the roof for some quiet. Carrera is having a rough morning, screaming, crying and having tantrums. She really is spoiled. Makes me miss our angels all the more. Do they miss me? I bet they do. I miss them. They shouldn't be without me this long. It's not right, it's not fair. Is Jesse ready to go back to school? How is everyone at church? Have you been going? Have you been out to John and Dee's? How 'bout Mark and Karen? Did they ever come up for a visit? Did you go to the Haslam reunion? Am I missing anything? I'm missing you. To paraphrase an old Graham Nash song:


Thinking to myself today,
I'm sorry that I went away.
I'm feeling down, what can I say,
I miss you.

The second line is really "I'm sorry that you went away." Guess I'll go to the roof and continue reading Hanta Yo. It's a story, a saga, about an Indian tribe. It's 812 pages. I'm on page 91. I surely don't want to finish reading it in this country, but my hopes aren't too high right now. Later, Bun.

1730 hrs. I didn't end up doing any reading. I wrote mom a letter. I’m writing you one also. Sarah is really doing some serious packing, putting her whole house in a box. So, the women may leave within the week.

     As the sun is setting on another day,
     seems like we're never going to get away.


     Think of the hand
     at the end of your arm.
     Fingers to touch,
     to hold,
     to squeeze.

I better stick to writing your letter, and also that wonderful ditty I've been working on, "Another Lovely F@#ing Day In Kuwait City." Attitude time. What's for supper? If it's soup, then this must be Kuwait. Wasn't that a movie?

9/1/90 - Saturday

0945 hrs. Well, here I are. There you are. Seven weeks since I left. We had a lot of fireworks last night. It started about 2140 hrs. Red tracers from the direction of the Persian Gulf, red tracers from somewhere to our right, a big explosion, machinegun fire, pretty exciting stuff. Danny got some of the tracers on video. He also picked up sounds of machinegun fire, and me passing gas. I guess I'd give myself away if I were in combat. Of course we did have chili for lunch yesterday. I'm still gassy this morning. What's new? No big breakthroughs reported on the news this morning. We're still worried about house searches. Today is my day for dish washing duty again. We're supposed to be having omelets for lunch. They don't fill me up very well. Hope to continue my letter as long as I'm here. Don't know what will happen if they take us from this house. I doubt if I'd be allowed to bring this computer.

1220 hrs. Sarah just heard that six American males were allowed to leave because of health problems. We think that means that George got out. Praise God! Maybe there's hope for us yet. Oh yea, dish washing sucks! I had to get that out. You're getting a dishwasher, like it or not. Whenever that may be. I wonder if you've gotten my letter yet? How are the girls? Our (planned) vacation is almost over. Jesse starts school Tuesday, doesn't she? Have you gotten her some pretty school clothes? It's sure been a wonderful summer, hasn't it? Mario and Sarah have been doing a lot of packing. They must be planning to leave here soon. For them, it seems that women, children and Maltese will be able to get out. I'm jealous. I'm angry!

8/31/90

1030 hrs. It's Friday. So what? I don't feel good. We're into week five. Tomorrow is the first of September. Will I miss your birthday too? It's looking that way. [insert profanities here!] Think I'll go express myself, and take a dump. TTFN!

1930 hrs. Still not a damn thing to say! Phil just called me a "c#@t." He did it just so I'd have something to write about. Isn't he a butthead. (He said something like that too, but I’m trying to keep this clean) I think tonight is charades. Oh boy! And tomorrow will be Trivial Pursuit, and then....you guessed it, we'll play charades again the next day. Arghh!

8/30/90

0920 hrs. Four weeks today. Javier Perez de Queyar (sp?) meets with Iraq's ambassador today. The VOA news reported that Hussein was on CBS news last night, and denied rumors of secret peace negotiations with Washington. They also proclaimed that an American newspaper reported that Iraq would leave Kuwait if they had guaranteed access to the gulf, and control over an oil field that originates in Iraq. The Iraq ambassador to the US said males could leave too, if the US would promise that they would not attack Iraq. Hussein said on CBS, that the US would lose the war. God is on Iraq's side and Satan is on the side of the US. I almost could accept that based on the decline of morals in America. I think ‘real’ Christians are probably a minority in the US, but would God really back an oppressor? I think the Bible indicates maybe that is possible. It also says that His ways are not our ways. Are we being punished? Am I? What do I know? The VOA just had a note about journalist, Carol Murphy, who made it to Saudi yesterday. There must still be a path through the desert. Less than 200 miles to freedom I think. What will the day bring? Peace? Withdrawal? For me, probably just more boredom.

1250 hrs. I was up on the roof again, earlier. I finally finished that book, Voice of the Planet. Quite interesting. Just took a shower...and I shaved! I decided that the reason I was not shaving, was depressing, and I didn't want to feel that way. I also figured, if I was getting some sun, I would want my chin tanned as well, and also because I would shave it off for you when I got home anyway. So now I have to shave every day again. Nothing better to do here anyway. If you were here, I would.... Change subject. I really enjoy the peace up on the roof. I actually took off my pants for a few minutes up there. The air felt good. A darker body would be more convincing as a Spanish national. Before I shaved, my chin actually had quite a few gray hairs in it. Getting to be an old fart. See you soon, God willing.

1925 hrs. Remind me, never to watch Dan Rather. His interview with Hussein is on TV right now. He asked some stupid flippin’ questions. "Who is Saddam Hussein?" How f@#%ing stupid? Hussein won this interview. It's still on. He can really talk around a question, without giving a straight answer. Hey, tell Jesse I had cheese and jam on pita for supper. It wasn't half bad. Made me think of her. Makes me sad. I miss you all so much. Great way to spend a vacation. Dan Rather just told Hussein that Americans don't understand why he keeps hostages. Hussein won't concede that we're hostages. He says he has not asked for anything in exchange for their release. Let us go then! Now he's bringing up the Japanese detention camps again. America screwed up, so what? It was done out of ignorance, therefore, Iraq is ignorant. Hussein can really screw up the logic of an argument.

8/29/90

Hello again! Hell again! Just finished vacuuming. Doing my part to battle the Iraqis. We heard that more people were taken from a block of apartments, this morning. It was a known location for Kuwait defense support personnel, IDI I think. I keep telling myself that this place is safe. I almost don't care anymore. Hussein has said that all women and children may leave Iraq. That would be a tough decision. With you not being here, I would say that I would tell you and the children to get out. If you were here, I don't know if I could still say that. I want to get out of here, but I fear the consequence of failure. I keep thinking about the water. Could I get out in the gulf and just float down to Bahrain? Could I go out to the desert and hitch a ride on the fastest camel? We were so close that day we tried to leave. Bahrain looks so close on the map. Saudi looks so close. Only a couple hundred thousand Iraqi troops between here and there. F#@k! We played charades last night. I'm going to go up to the roof now. Quiet time for reading, reflecting and praying. Time to be alone. Feels like I am alone, even with the other people in the house. I miss you.

1820 hrs. Our love is special. Our love is blessed. Our love is forever. Can you tell that I miss you? I was on the roof for a good hour and a half today. Thought about you. Prayed. God will bring us together again. Don't know when or how, but it will be. It must! We had fish and rice for lunch. It was pretty good. Still hearing complaints about the lamb. The women may be leaving. I think Mario and John will leave too, since they have Maltese passports. If all that happens, maybe the remainder of us will get desperate and try to escape in Danny's boat. Maybe the war will start and I can just walk out of here. Maybe Scotty will just beam me up! I am trying to be optimistic and positive about all this. It's hard. Hope you are holding up okay. How's the moms? How much longer? Did you get blinds for the front room window? I heard about the tornado in Chicago, on Voice of America this morning. Did the storm hit our house? Damn it, I miss everything back there. We have such a wonderful life. There is so much to be thankful for. So much happiness, and now this! How's the lawn looking? Guess I don't miss cutting grass, or picking up dog poop. But I wouldn't complain if I could be doing both right now. I wonder if my correspondence has gotten to you. The Austrians got out. That's who we all sent letters with. Hope this diary doesn't upset you too much.

8/28/90

0930 hrs. Tuesday (so what?) Good morning Bun. Miss you. There was a lot of shooting going on last night. Three weeks ago, we would have been huddled up on the landing. Last night, we just kept on watching a video, and drinking wine. Sarah, Mario, John and Claudette were next door for an evening out. The 'Bobs' had invited them over for dinner. Claudette said since she was supposed to be on vacation, they wanted to show them a nice time. I wanted to puke when she said that. God, please get me out of here!

1530 hrs. Spent an hour on the roof today. Boy, was it hot out. I was feeling a little weak up there. Maybe because I skipped breakfast. We had fish sticks, french fries and beans for lunch. We heard that there were house searches in the city. Everyone hid their passports, hoping that these fake Kuwaiti driver's licenses will be enough to keep us from getting dragged out of here. I pray it does not come to that. I don't know if my Spanish is convincing enough for me to be a Spaniard. I guess my cover is that I'm a teacher at the Sunshine School here in Salwa, for ten year olds. God, please just make this house invisible to the Iraqi forces, to chemical weapons, to bullets and bombs. Please shield us from the dangers of this war. I don't like not having my passport on me, or any of my plastic money, or other ID. This whole thing sucks!

8/27/90

Monday 0930 hrs. Good morning world. Hi bun! (False cheerfulness) It's another beautiful, bright, sunny day outside. Another dull gray day inside. Wanda said the news this morning mentioned something about the Turkish border not allowing the men through in the US diplomatic convoy. Damn! I'll bet George is still trying to get out. Hopefully, he has been in touch with his wife since he left here. I was in touch with you, last night. I dreamt about you. I dreamt about my homecoming. Maybe it will come true. I pray to God that it does. The UN guy is supposed to meet with the Iraqi guy on Thursday. That's our four week anniversary here. I miss you. I told God that I didn't want our kids to have to grow up without a father. I don't think they'll have to. I'm not sure what God is trying to teach me here. I've always said you, Jesse and Jenny, your love, were what mattered in my life. It may be hard after I get back, but I don't think I can work at Gage anymore. I'll stay as long as I have too, but I hold no respect for that place anymore. I don't know if any courts would support my stance on the pain and hardship that Miller's poor decision caused us, but.... we'll have to see. Today is my dish washing day. Oh boy, something different to do. It was nice to see you last night, to be holding you again. I love you.

1500 hrs. Just finished the dishes. Aren't I wonderful! Wanda and Sarah both said I was slow. What's the rush? Sarah and Claudette are still moaning and groaning about the lamb we had yesterday. Wish they'd shut up already.

Hi! Miss me? We had boiled chicken and potatoes and green beans for lunch today. Wanda cooked. It was pretty good. Adrian (the other one) and Minuo brought some supplies today. I'm not sure what they brought, I was indisposed when they arrived. I spent over an hour up on the roof again today. It's very relaxing up there. Kind of like sitting in a sauna for an hour. Sure would be nice if there was a pool to jump into afterward. Something else to look forward to when I come home. That and soft toilet paper, real food, cold beer, friends, cold beer, my own house, a real bed (I sleep on a mattress placed on a table), cold beer, ice cream, Vernors, more real food, and more cold beer. And of course, you and the children with plenty of hugs and kisses sprinkled throughout.

1945 hrs. My hands are breaking out in some type of rash. It itches, too. Maybe the soap upstairs. Will use my Zest tomorrow. Maybe from splinters I have gotten here. Who knows? Who cares? Aren't we having a lovely vacation? We heard some more people were taken from their private residences. Some Palestinians turned them in. When will this bulls#@t end?