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T2C
04-12-15, 21:26
The wife spoke with a Navy buddy who called the house the other night (Asshole!). He was drunker than a goat, normal behavior, and bent her ear for over an hour after she told him I was not at home. He told her a story I had never shared with her. The rubber swab handle told the wife I danced with his grandmother and I was called to task when I arrived home.

Background: In June of 1983 I was invited to a shipmate's wedding up in Maryland. Nine of us were invited and J.C. Penney at Military Mall in Norfolk, Virginia was besieged by the lot of us who were shopping for appropriate attire to attend the wedding. A few of us bought suits and ties that would make Herb Tarlek from WKRP in Cincinnati blush. I came up empty handed.

A day later we were packing our gear for the road trip to Maryland. I announced that Paulie was a Navy man, I was wearing my Cracker Jack uniform to the wedding and the rest of the work party could pound sand. I was immediately identified as a "lifer asshole". The conversation ended there.

The following day we piled into two cars and headed for Maryland. The day of the wedding I donned my Cracker Jack uniform and went to the motel lobby to wait for the rest of the guys before we headed to the church. The other 8 members of the work party arrived in the lobby wearing their Cracker Jack uniforms and said "let's go you lifer asshole!" I was almost in tears, but I figured it was because my shoes were too tight. I found out later that they returned the God Awful clothes they bought at J.C Penney.

The Wedding: We went to the Catholic church where we spent a few hours hearing the Priest say stand, pray, kneel, pray, sit, stand, pray, kneel, pray. All the while the women in the church were giving us the long eye, because there in one row were 9 fleet sailors wearing their Cracker Jack uniforms. I figured they were trying to determine how many Cops they were going to call to throw our sorry asses out.

The Reception: Everyone was drunk as hell and impressed that 9 of Paulie's shipmates showed up for the wedding dressed like a bunch of WWII Sailors. I don't dance and sat out the first several dances at the reception. I noticed a lady in her mid to late 70's sitting by herself at a table watching the rest of the work party dancing with women they met at the reception. I asked one of Paulie's aunts why she was sitting alone and was told that she married a guy in the early 1940's who enlisted in the U.S Navy and never made it home. He was buried at sea in the Pacific. I walked over, past a few horny drunken women, and asked the old gal to dance.

To make a long story short, Paulie has a picture of me dancing cheek to cheek with his grandmother with my Dixie Cup hat cocked on the back of my head like a WWII Sailor on shore leave. His grandmother ate it up. Some of the older people at the reception said they had not seen her that happy in 40 years.

I thought I could keep my encounter with another woman a secret, but a Navy buddy (asshole!) spilled the beans. The moral of the story is that I was busted with another woman the wife did not know about. I am still trying to get a copy of the picture.

Lesson Learned: Keep you liquor cabinet and your grandmothers locked up, if the Navy is in town.

There is too much gloomy crap going on in the world, so let's hear something positive for a change.

Let's hear some similar stories from you Marines and Army. We won't tell anyone, at least until after the first few drinks.

HKGuns
04-12-15, 22:00
Good story, sounds like we were in at the same time. Hope your wife wasn't too sore over you being a nice squid. I hate those damned uniforms to this day.

T2C
04-12-15, 23:02
I loved the Cracker Jack uniform. Regardless of what I did and where I worked, I did not feel the need to wear any other uniform for social events.

The wife was very understanding about this incident. I still have to mind my P's and Q's if I want to live indoors.

Shorts
04-13-15, 06:16
T2C, I wouldn't refer to your dance as "an incident" really. Personally, I think every woman ought to be proud that she's married the kind of man who would do what you did. I'm certain your simple act was, is and always will be reflected upon with fondness.

Eurodriver
04-13-15, 07:09
I'm sure I'll take flak for this. After all, the SEALS wear the same uniform, but I wouldn't wear that thing if you Paid me. Bell bottoms and a cereal bowl cover? Looks like something Cher would wear.

Abraham
04-13-15, 14:43
Uniforms are slow to change.

Ever noticed how dated the Marine dress uniform is?

It looks like something from 1900 or so...

T2C
04-13-15, 15:08
Uniforms are slow to change.

Ever noticed how dated the Marine dress uniform is?

It looks like something from 1900 or so...

If it looks sharp, why change?

Eurodriver
04-13-15, 15:11
Uniforms are slow to change.

Ever noticed how dated the Marine dress uniform is?

It looks like something from 1900 or so...

1900? The enlisted man's Marine Corps dress blue uniform's pin striping goes back to the British Royal Marine uniform of 1755. The high collar, quatrefoil, and blood stripe are all traced back to the late 1700s and early 1800s. Tradition is a big part of the Marine Corps.

The EGA isn't a new kid on the block like the Ranger tab or the Budweiser.

Caeser25
04-13-15, 16:39
T2C, I wouldn't refer to your dance as "an incident" really. Personally, I think every woman ought to be proud that she's married the kind of man who would do what you did. I'm certain your simple act was, is and always will be reflected upon with fondness.

Agreed. She be more proud than mad.

SteyrAUG
04-13-15, 17:42
If your wife, or anyone else for that matter, see's this in any kind of negative light you need to rethink your relationship with that person.

T2C
04-13-15, 18:34
If your wife, or anyone else for that matter, see's this in any kind of negative light you need to rethink your relationship with that person.

The comment was made in jest.

SteyrAUG
04-13-15, 20:15
The comment was made in jest.

Ok. I read it wrong.

Hank6046
04-13-15, 23:50
It's all funny now, the stories of my time as a Marine doing what Marines do. But if my wife ever found out the stories of Vegas as a Marine, or A school in Mississippi, I'm not sure she would agreed to the second date. I've got some good stories of me as a high school age civilian, but Marines being Marines in off duty antics could put the Hangover movies to shame. Thanks for sharing, most of my friends are Veterans, and they love to tell all the great stories of how they spent hard-earned tax dollars on almost being arrested. Much appreciated.

Abraham
04-14-15, 09:36
Eurodriver,

You know your uniform history.

I grabbed a time out of thin air...

T2C,

Well, that's my point.

It no longer (to me) looks sharp, the uniform looks extremely dated.

Heck, why did the Germans stop wearing the helmet with the pickelhaube or great plumes of feathers, or the Roman soldiers wearing skirts with sandals that lace up to the knees?

Because uniforms need to evolve with the times.

Taking the time to dance with the elderly lady is something I'm sure your wife would be proud of... I think it was very thoughtful.

ramairthree
04-14-15, 18:35
OP, you are a good American.

SeriousStudent
04-14-15, 21:28
That was a kind and thoughtful thing you did, T2C.

IZinterrogator
04-19-15, 11:31
Heck, why did the Germans stop wearing the helmet with the pickelhaube or great plumes of feathers, or the Roman soldiers wearing skirts with sandals that lace up to the knees?

Because uniforms need to evolve with the times.
Combat uniforms need to evolve with the times. Dress uniforms are where an organization's heraldry is preserved and imprinted on those that wear it.

ramairthree
04-19-15, 22:18
True.

I retired in my green Class A's last year.

I had Blues,
and had them modified to be new A's.

But ever since I was a little kid Army guys in dress uniform were in green As.