Alcohol, girls, and moral injustices (815 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.44 on 11 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Parkinsuns (View user info) at 2005-02-12 11:06:03 EST
Alcohol, girls, and moral injustices. To some readers, it may sound like an interesting enough title amongst the cornucopia of others to deserve reading. I however do not wish to waste any of your time by not delivering on what my title suggests. This post is a somber confession of a man trying to grow past deficiencies that he and so many like him suffer(ed) from. This is also a story of a society hinted at in mainstream culture but seldom brought to light in a personal manner. If this does not sound like your particular cup of tea, check out one of my other posts.
Like in most normal situations, soldiers look forward to Friday. It is not only the end of the workweek; it is the start of the weekend. My first real weekend off happened more than a year ago. I remember seeing the glimmer in people's eyes as they planned the upcoming events. Everyone shifted around uncomfortably as if they had somewhere to go and were being held up in an army-spawned traffic jam. This was especially true for my roommate, John Brennan.
I never saw John run quite as fast as he did when he was released from work. He bolted upstairs and cracked open that first Budweiser of the weekend with a grin that damn-near spanned his whole face. Who knows what the future holds? Perhaps he would win some money playing pool. Maybe he would pass out drunk. Who cares? All he wanted to do was get it started. By the time I had walked up to the room, John already had ripped off his uniform and changed into appropriate attire for the night.
I was not so quick to get excited. Fresh out of basic and a three-month long cramming session of medical knowledge, I had only joined the unit a little over two weeks ago. Sure, I had survived the hazing, but a full member, I was most definitely not. I knew this weekend that I was going to be dragged along to whatever the more experienced amongst my peers found so amazing. To be honest, I was more nervous now than when I had first arrived.
John put on deodorant and sprayed himself with cologne. He did not wear cologne.
"So you 'are' going to the drunkie clubs with us aren't you?"
If the IM-speak of "..." was pronounceable in the English language, it would have appeared in this dialogue. Instead, I gave him a confused look.
"You know, drunkie clubs, you buy the girls a drink, and they talk to you. Buy `em a few, and who knows." He was almost ready to leave; I was still untying my boots.
"Hurry the fuck up, new guy."
The sun had set by the time we walked out the gate. Our camp was an isolated male-only operation in the middle of Korea surrounded only by shops and services geared towards making money off the military presence there. We did not have to walk far until I heard the unmistakable sound of club music coming from several locations. Compared to the Korean symbols of meanings unknown to me, the names of the clubs stuck out like a sore thumb. Signs for "The Country Club", "The V.I.P.", "The Kings Club", "Blue Angel", and a few others cast their neon glow into the night. The group of five that had now gathered found their way into the traditional starting point of the night, "The V.I.P.".
I was not two steps in the door when someone grabbed my arm. As a reflex, I jerked back to free myself, and confronted my assaulter. What should in front of me was a five foot and few inch tall Filipino girl, perhaps as old as 22. She wore a shimmering gold miniskirt, a matching tank top, and sported high enough heels to make anyone's ass look good. After further inspection, I found at least six other lookalikes of her standing around or talking to members of the group that had walked in with me. All of them wore the same clothing. Someone had definitely left me out of the loop.
That night I got a lesson as to what had all my coworkers so caught up. The girl who had attached to me was an employee of the club. I use the term employee loosely. They had signed up to become entertainers, servers, bartenders, or various other jobs and made contracts to come live and work in Korea. Common knowledge holds that the Korean mafia bought some of these contracts out. Finally, they were sold to club owners. The club owners then gave them food, the kind of clothing they were displaying, and kept them very literally caged up in the back. The club owners then put them to work. Their job was to keep the customers busy, and make money. Make money by convincing the GI's by whatever means necessary to buy them a "drink" (which I found out not so much later was nothing more than pineapple juice) for ten US dollars. The girls received about one dollar for every ten, but mostly they earned no money at all. If you asked one why they stayed, they would tell you:
"No matter how bad it gets, it is still better than my home country."
Alcohol overruled the inhibitions I had automatically felt about the situation. I saw how much fun everyone else was having, so why not have some for myself? More alcohol killed whatever other feelings I had. Soon everyone clapped and cheered as the "new guy" slipped some tongue in the drinkie girl's mouth while she rubbed the bulge in my pants. John shook my hand after she got up. He had sex with that same girl later that night.
User Reviews
Submitted by c1ndy (user info) at 2005-02-26 06:23:06 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
No Comment
Submitted by Val (user info) at 2005-02-19 20:02:18 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This needs more hits.
Submitted by badassmofo (user info) at 2005-02-14 13:12:44 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Forgive my need to rush through reading posts as I read them mostly at work and still try to get things done. There is a VIP club I think around just about every base over there. Camp Gary Owen hu don't think I ever stopped there but maybe you can help me out. We ran a MARK-19 range way up north there and we stayed at a little camp just across Freedom Bridge. Any idea what that place is called?
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2005-02-12 15:34:54 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Watch out for strange VD's that'll rot your dick off. They have that shit over there.
Submitted by Wazza (user info) at 2005-02-12 14:46:09 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
mmm well if you feel that bad about it , you should have got her a green card!
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-02-12 14:32:56 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Informative!
Submitted by BillsSBChamps (user info) at 2005-02-12 14:15:52 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
What should in front of me was a five foot and few inch tall Filipino girl, perhaps as old as 22. She wore a shimmering gold miniskirt, a matching tank top, and sported high enough heels to make anyone's ass look good.
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That description gave me wood, I love high heels and skirts, well actually I just love whores who dress like whores.
Submitted by hungovermondays (user info) at 2005-02-12 14:13:56 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
I've heard about these clubs in japan too.
I don't think i like the idea too much, but sometime the booze does the thinking..no?
Submitted by Tigre (user info) at 2005-02-12 14:00:10 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Pictures man! Take pictures!
Submitted by Parkinsuns (user info) at 2005-02-12 11:57:25 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by badassmofo (user info) at 2005-02-12 11:31:11 (#)
Ranking: 1
Is this the VIP in Soeul? The clubs in Soeul are notorius for this type of woman. Try some of the clubs in Teague around Camp Henry. The girls there are just girls out looking for fun you don't have to buy them anything in fact they may go ahead and buy you things (including paying for the hotel room) Good luck FNG.
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It is good to know there is someone out there that understands where I am coming from in the story. I however would appreciate it if you actually read the post before ranking it.
No, the VIP is not in Seoul, It was just outside Camp Garry Owen. I wrote: "Our camp was an isolated male-only operation in the middle of Korea surrounded only by shops and services geared towards making money off the military presence there." I do not think it takes much to say this is not describing Seoul. The camp is located about 5 miles south of the DMZ and it is a good hour and half drive south to reach Seoul.
I am not an FNG (Fuckin New Guy). I wrote: "My first real weekend off happened more than a year ago." I have been in country almost 15 months, minus 4 months in Kuwait/Iraq.
More likely, it is my lack of skill with English that made you miss these facts. Guess I just need more practice ;p
Submitted by badassmofo (user info) at 2005-02-12 11:31:11 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Is this the VIP in Soeul? The clubs in Soeul are notorius for this type of woman. Try some of the clubs in Teague around Camp Henry. The girls there are just girls out looking for fun you don't have to buy them anything in fact they may go ahead and buy you things (including paying for the hotel room) Good luck FNG.