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msmercury84 · 2 years

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Arriving in Aldebourne

*Author's Note: Smut warning. Some sections of this chapter are NOT for readers under the age of 18. The section where Bill describes the voyage was taken verbatim from the book written by Bill and Babe.*

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September, 1943

After the American troops arrived in the United Kingdom, a popular British saying at the time was, "They're over paid, over sexed and over here." For the most part, the residents of Aldebourne and the American paratroopers got along well.

Leigh disembarked the Red Cross ship and Bill disembarked the S.S. Samaria in Liverpool, United Kingdom. She rode in an Army transport truck with some other clerical WAACs to the village of Aldebourne.

She knew that Melissa was already working in the Army office and living in a small stone cottage in the village. The house was within walking distance of the office. Leigh also knew that she would once again share a house with her friend and she was delighted to have the privacy of her own bedroom.

The other WAACs she traveled with lacked Spencer's seniority and they were living in quonset huts on the Army base. Some of the NCOs in Easy Company took the option to live in houses. The paratroopers who lacked seniority due to their rank had to contend with drafty and often inadequately heated quonset huts.

All of Adams' and Spencer's possessions were shipped and had arrived on schedule. Colonel Sink sent a few soldiers to move both women's furniture into the appropriate rooms. They unpacked all of the items shipped, leaving them for Leigh and Melissa to put away.

Sue Swart remained in the United States after she became pregnant and married her boyfriend. She was given an honorary discharge from the WAACs. Her husband kept his job as a cook at Fort Benning. The couple lived in a small house close to the Army base and the baby was due in six months.

Leigh was given her key to the house after meeting with Colonel Sink. He also provided the key to her new office. Sink noticed Spencer looking out of the window. He told her that the men from Easy Company had arrived earlier in the day and that they were training with Captain Sobel.

She thanked him for the information. Anyone who knew or worked with Leigh was aware that she and Bill were in a committed relationship.

After she got oriented with the office building, Leigh tried to locate Melissa, but she was unable to meet with her. She was told that Adams was swamped with reports and files from Captain Sobel.

Leigh walked up the road to the village, easily locating the house. She felt at home in the rural setting that was reminiscent of the countryside of Southeastern Ohio.

Spencer was impressed with the cozy cottage. The living room and dining room had hardwood floors. The kitchen floor was white linoleum.

She set about getting her possessions put away in the kitchen and small dining area. Spencer found the ashtray and set it on the coffee table. Leigh put a framed photograph of herself and Guarnere on a small table beside the couch. This was the picture taken by the photographer for The Stars and Stripes on the night she won the USO job.

Looking at the picture prompted her to go upstairs and get her bedroom into order. She was more than ready to see Bill. They had been apart for ten days while they sailed to the United Kingdom. It was the longest they had been separated since they began dating.

Spencer's bedroom was a bit smaller than her bedroom in North Carolina. The window provided a nice view of the countryside. Leigh organized and put away everything she needed in her room within an hour.

She looked in the drawer of one of the bedside tables and was glad to see the extra packets of condoms were still in the drawer. Spencer hoped that the soldiers taking care of moving her possessions weren't curious enough to open the drawers.

Leigh went downstairs to see what was available in the pantry and the refrigerator. She was happy to see that there was a good supply of coffee from the North Carolina house. Looking into a cupboard, Leigh found an unopened box of spaghetti.

She decided to make sauce from her former college roommate's recipe. Since she was in a farming community, Spencer reasoned that fresh produce and meat might be available in a local market.

Leigh got some British currency out of one of the pockets in her dress uniform and put it in her purse. She left the house, locking the door behind her, and she set off in search of a market.

Spencer found a small butcher's shop that had fresh sausage and purchased enough for the sauce and some bacon for breakfast.The shop's owner was very kind and helpful explaining the usage of the currency. She thanked the shop's owner and continued to look for another market.

Leigh found a farmers' market set up in the middle of the village where she bought tomatoes, onions and fresh garlic. Another stall had eggs and some homemade butter for sale and she purchased some of those items.

She also found a stall selling baked goods and Spencer bought two loaves of homemade bread. She noticed, but didn't purchase pastries called lardy cakes.

The cakes, which would become a favorite of the American enlisted men, were made of flour, eggs, butter, sugar, cinnamon and currants or raisins. They were deep fried in pork lard.

Spencer returned to the house and turned on the radio in the living room. She was surprised to hear many familiar swing songs. Leigh went into the small kitchen and began chopping the vegetables for the sauce.

She looked in another cupboard and found two bottles of red wine. Leigh added some wine to the sauce and turned the flame down so the sauce would simmer. Then, she got out the appropriate spices for Italian sausage and mixed them into the fresh sausage.

Spencer got a frying pan and cooked the sausage, ensuring that the meat was in small pieces before adding it to the sauce. Leigh put a lid on the pot containing the sauce.

She made batter for pizzelles and made two batches of the cookies. Then, Leigh cleaned up the kitchen.

Spencer decided to go upstairs and take a bath. She was grateful to discover that Melissa had unpacked towels and washcloths. Leigh got a slip, stockings and a garter belt, a bra and a day dress made of cranberry colored material.

Spencer put her dress uniform in the hamper and she made a mental note to take the uniform to a nearby laundry service. She washed her hair, took a bath, shaved her legs, applied deodorant and brushed her teeth.

Leigh made sure that the bathroom was spotless. She put on her clean undergarments minus the girdle she despised and her stockings.

Next, she dried her hair as much as possible with a towel, combed it and used some hair spray. Then she put on mascara, eyeliner and used a pencil to accentuate her eyebrows. Lipstick and powder were also applied.

Spencer got her black sling back open toed pumps and put them on. She put on the silver angel necklace Bill gave her their first Christmas together. Leigh made sure that her identification was in her purse. The last thing she wanted was to be detained from entering the Army base.

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Meanwhile, Guarnere was wrapping up the daily training session with Lieutenant Winters and some fellow Easy Company soldiers. Captain Sobel and his group of paratroopers were overdue to attend their training session with Lieutenant Winters.

Sobel caused the delay by his inability to read maps. As some Easy Company paratroopers waited in the cover of a large bush, the Captain couldn't understand why a barbed wire fence wasn't listed on the map.

His aid told him that he was several grids off from their location. In other words, they were lost. Some of the paratroopers convinced George Luz to imitate a major by the name of Horton. Luz got the men to be quiet while he said,

"Is there a problem, Captain Sobel?" The arrogant leader asked,

"Who broke silence?" The aid replied,

"It sounds like Major Horton, Sir." Sobel was confused and asked his aid,

"When did he join us?" Luz asked,

"What is the goddamn holdup, Captain Sobel?" The captain replied,

"It's a fence, a barb wire fence, Sir." The men with Luz were guffawing and George was trying to keep them quiet. He answered,

"That dog just ain't gonna hunt! Cut the fence and get this goddamn platoon on the move!" Sobel cut the fence that was on a farmer's property. Cows were soon roaming the area.

Winters had his group in place along both sides of a country road. This was also the location for Sobel's group. While the Lieutenant briefly spoke with a good natured local man who was attempting to ride his bicycle on the road, Sobel appeared with his group.

The local man with the bicycle and Winters saw Sobel running up the road, leading his group and shouting,

"Hi, ho, Silver!" The man asked Lieutenant Winters,

"Would that be the enemy?" Winters replied,

"As a matter of fact, it is."

A little later in the day, Lieutenant Colonel Strayer asked Sobel,

"Who is the idiot who cut that barb wire fence?" Sobel answered,

"Major Horton ordered me to cut the fence, Sir." Strayer incredulously asked,

"Major Horton told you to cut that fence?" Sobel replied,

"Yes, Sir." The captain was stunned to hear,

"Major Horton is in London."

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Leigh left the cottage, locking the door behind her. She walked to the Army base. When she arrived, Spencer showed a guard her identification and got in.

She decided to wait outside the PIR Office since it was close to the entrance of the base. This location offered the best view of the road. About a half hour later, she saw Lieutenant Winters leading a group of men through the entrance.

Winters spotted Leigh and smiled. He turned toward the men, saying something to the group that she couldn't hear. The lieutenant's message became very obvious when one paratrooper in uniform left the group with the permission of his leader.

Leigh's smile mirrored her boyfriend's beaming smile as they looked at each other. She thought,

"I don't give a damn if I make a spectacle of myself!" She ran to Bill and wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled her close to him, giving her a very passionate kiss.

They paused kissing for a moment when Guarnere broke the kiss, telling her,

"I love you." She gave him a passionate kiss, breaking the kiss to tell Bill,

"I love you, too." They smiled, looking into each other's eyes and sharing another kiss before Guarnere took off his helmet, setting it on the ground beside him. He told Leigh,

"Baby, it's so goddamned good to see ya! You look beautiful!" She replied,

"It seems like at least a month since we've been together. I'm so damned happy to see you! Thanks, Honey, you're looking handsome as usual."

Guarnere smirked, saying,

"It's good of ya to notice, Sweetheart." Leigh laughed and said,

"Smart ass." Bill chuckled, replying,

"That's my sassy angel." He kissed the top of her head as he held her close, saying,

"Sweet Baby, I've missed ya so much." She replied,

"I've missed you, too, Bill. It feels so good to be in your arms again. If you're done for the day, come back to the house with me. Supper is cooking, well, simmering, as I speak."

Guarnere told her,

"We're through wit' trainin' for the day." He kissed her neck, whispering,

"Baby, let me show ya how much I've missed ya." Spencer replied,

"I'm more than ready. I can't wait to get that uniform off of you." Guarnere nibbled on her ear lobe, telling Spencer,

"Let me go grab some stuff an' I promise I won't take too long. If I don't go now, we'll both get arrested by the MPs for doin' somethin' indecent in public." Bill gave her another passionate kiss and hurried toward the barracks.

True to his word, Guarnere soon returned with his duffel bag and his garment bag. Bill put one arm around Leigh, telling her,

"Lead the way, Sweetheart." Spencer whispered to Bill,

"I have a little surprise for you. I'm so ready to make love with you, that I'm not wearing panties." Guarnere replied,

"That so?" He let his hand slip down to cup one side of her ass. When Bill failed to feel the tiny elastic band on the leg of her panties, he said in a lower, husky voice,

"Oh my God, Baby! You really ain't wearin' your underwear. I thought you were bein' playful. Christ, Leigh, you have no idea what this is doin' to me." She grinned at his reaction, replying,

"Am I getting the handsome man I love worked up a little?" Bill told her,

"You bet your sweet, sexy ass that I'm worked up." Spencer told him,

"The house is around the next curve in the road. Let me get the key out so I don't have to waste time looking for it." They walked around the curve and up to the front door of the cottage.

Spencer opened the door. Bill held the door open for Leigh to enter the house and he followed her. Once the door was shut and locked, Guarnere picked her up, walking up the stairs.

Leigh had her legs wrapped around Bill's waist. She unbuttoned the shirt of his uniform kissing his neck. He asked Spencer where her room was located. She told him,

"It's the next door on your left. The door isn't locked." Bill held her with one hand while he opened the door. He gently placed Leigh in the center of the bed. Guarnere asked her,

"Will ya lay on the bed, Baby?" She removed her shoes. Bill took off his boots, socks and his uniform shirt before getting on the bed with her. He stayed at the end of the bed and told her,

"I've been wantin' to do this since ya told me what you weren't wearin'." Bill pushed up the skirt of Leigh's dress. He started to trail kisses up her legs. Spencer opened her legs a little more to give him easier access.

Guarnere grinned, and he pushed her dress up higher, revealing the tops of her stockings. Bill took his time kissing and gently sucking on the soft flesh at the inside of both of Leigh's thighs.

Spencer softly moaned. She was already wet and she parted her legs hoping Guarnere would take the hint. Bill moved up until his face was inches away from the area he sought.

He pushed her dress up once more to completely expose her sex. Bill looked at her, commenting in a husky voice,

"My beautiful baby is already wet. Christ, Leigh, you're perfect. Guarnere used his tongue, lapping at her clit. He carefully and gently sucked the small nub of flesh into his mouth.

Spencer gasped and her hips thrust forward involuntarily. Bill said,

"You're goddamned beautiful, Honey, an' ya taste so good. I wanted to stop right by the side o' the road an' push up your dress so I could do this."

Bill sucked on her clit as he worked one, then two fingers into her wet interior. Spencer cried out as she started to come. Guarnere continued what he was doing until her orgasm had ended.

He got up and quickly removed his trousers and underwear. Leigh made fast work of removing her clothing. Bill asked,

"Do ya still have the protection in that drawer o' the table by the bed?" Spencer told him yes. She watched as Bill went to stand by the bedside table.

She moved to the side of the bed and sat up, encircling his cock with her fingers, moving her hand up and down. Leigh gently squeezed Bill's cock. He groaned and she noticed a few beads of pre cum on the tip of his cock.

Spencer licked the head of his cock, saying,

"You taste good, Baby. You're absolutely perfect. Will you show me how to make love on top of you?" Guarnere groaned again as he felt her tongue licking him. He opened the drawer of the table and selected a condom from the cardboard pack. Bill carefully rolled it on and pinched the end of the condom to get the air out.

Leigh had the bedspread, top sheet and pillows removed from the bed. Bill reclined on the bed, telling her,

"Straddle me an' then lower yourself down onto me. Spencer helped him guide his cock inside her. Leigh made a throaty sounding moan as she felt him fill her completely. She told Bill,

"Oh, God! This feels so good." Spencer began to move up and down. She picked up the pace and Bill got a firm hold on Leigh's hips and began thrusting into her.

Guarnere loved the sight of her full breasts bobbing as she rode him, circling her hips. She leaned down closer to Bill and he began to suck on one of her nipples.

Spencer moved faster on top of him, feeling the beginning of another orgasm. Leigh moaned louder. Although she didn't know what was causing the enhanced sensations, Bill was stimulating her g-spot.

Guarnere knew that he would come soon and he used the fingers of one hand to rub Leigh's clit. Spencer cried out and her body trembled as a very powerful climax took over her body. Bill felt her contracting around his cock and he thrust harder into Leig. He groaned loudly as he came, saying,

"So fuckin' good!"

They kissed and Bill held Leigh close to him as he turned on his side, gently placing her on the bed. Guarnere withdrew from Spencer and turned away from her for a moment as he disposed of the used condom, putting it into a wicker trash basket beside the bed.

He grabbed the pillows and the top sheet, placing them on the bed. Bill covered himself and Leigh with the sheet. Then he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and saying,

"All I thought about on the way over here was makin' love wit' ya again. She smiled, saying,

"I thought about the same thing, Honey. There's something about that position that feels amazing." Guarnere grinned, telling Leigh,

"We can do that whenever ya want, Sweetheart. How about we take a bath an' get somethin' to eat?"

"That sounds good to me. I'll leave the decision up to you as far as bathing together is concerned. I don't know if we'll both fit, the bathtub is kind of small." Guarnere replied,

"If it's small, we're probably better off bathin' by ourselves. It would be embarrassin' as hell to get stuck an' have to have someone get us out o' the bathtub. Leigh, I've gotta ask, did ya go wit'out underwear all day?" Spencer laughed and replied,

"No. I removed the panties before I went back to the base. It was windy earlier in the day, and I had to do some shopping in the village." Bill chuckled at her remark, commenting,

"It would've been embarrassin' for ya, but somebody would've had one hell of a view." Spencer gave Guarnere a smirk similar to his, asking,

"Are you saying that you wouldn't mind having me exposed like that for other men to see?" Bill quickly replied,

"Oh, hell no! Yes, you would look beautiful, but I don't want other guys seein' you like that, ya sassy dame." She said,

"That's fine with me. I only want the man I love to see me that way." Guarnere asked,

"Baby, is it OK if I bathe first? I shoulda cleaned up before I got here 'cause we were pretty active during training." Leigh replied,

"That's fine with me, Honey. Let me get a towel and wash cloth. I'll set out a new bar of soap, too. I'll check on supper while you're bathing. " Guarnere thanked her, adding,

"Are ya cookin' somethin' wit' Italian Sausage?" Spencer said,

"Yes, I got fresh sausage from a local market and then I added a mixture of spices. The last time we visited your parents, I asked your mom how you like to have different things prepared.

I wrote down what she puts in sausage and I'm using that in sauce for spaghetti. My former roommate from school is Italian. She quit school to get married. Before she left, I got this recipe from her. I remember she would say,

"It isn't sauce, it's gravy, at least that's what my Nonna calls it." Bill grinned, saying,

"She's right. That gravy smells damned good. You're somethin' else, Sweetheart, askin' Ma how to cook things the way I like 'em." Spencer replied,

"I told your mom that I needed to know how to cook for you if I ever got the chance." He told her,

"After tryin' to eat the horrible food on that stinkin' ship, I'm lookin' forward to some good home cookin'." Spencer got out of bed and put on her clothes. She told Bill,

"I'll get everything ready for you in the bathroom, then I'm going to check on that gravy." Guarnere got up and put on his boxer shorts, shirt, and uniform trousers.

He thanked her for getting the items necessary for a bath. Leigh went into the bathroom, laid out everything Bill would need and went downstairs.She walked into the kitchen and lifted the lid of the pot containing the sauce, stirring it and sampling a bit with a spoon she got from a drawer in the kitchen.

Leigh was happy about the way the sauce turned out and she hoped that Bill would enjoy it. Guarnere bathed, applied deodorant and quickly shaved before getting dressed. He went downstairs and found Spencer in the kitchen, saying,

"The bathroom's all yours, Sweetheart." Leigh thanked him, asking,

"Honey, I hate to impose, but would you keep an eye on the gravy for me?" Bill replied,

"You ain't imposin', Baby. I'll take care o' everythin' while you're takin' a bath." She kissed him, saying,

"Thanks, Bill, see you soon." Spencer went upstairs, stopping by her bedroom to get silk panties, stockings and a rose colored day dress. She entered the bathroom and saw that Bill left the room as clean as he'd found it.

By the time Leigh finished bathing and returned downstairs, Guarnere had set the dining room table. He emerged from the kitchen saying,

"You have perfect timing, Sweetheart. I got everythin' ready. All ya need to do is grab a plate an' pour the red wine. I cooked the pasta an' I made garlic butter for the bread." Spencer told him,

"That's really thoughtful of you. I didn't intend for you to literally get everything ready." Bill said,

"I enjoy cookin'. Do ya want me to show ya how to make pasta some time? I learned how to do it from helping Ma in the kitchen." Leigh gave him a saucy look, replying,

"I've enjoyed having you show me how to do it. Seriously though, I'd like to learn how to make homemade pasta." Guarnere laughed at her remark and her saucy expression, replying,

"There ain't nothin' to it. Next time ya want pasta, just let me know. Baby, that gravy really is delicious. I tasted it an' that recipe is as good as Ma's."

Leigh was pleased that Bill enjoyed the spaghetti and the pizzelles. After they washed the dishes, Guarnere and Spencer went into the living room to listen to the radio.

They discussed their trip to the United Kingdom. Both the Samaria and the Red Cross ships were escorted by the Navy. A careful watch for enemy submarines was a daily event. Bill told Leigh,

"It was scary goin' over, bein' out there on the ocean wit' nothin' around for thousands of miles. When we got out on the ocean, the boat started goin' up an' down. Everyone turned green.

I thought, 'What the hell am I doin' out here on this ocean? Jesus Christ!' I was cursin' everybody, everybody was cursin'. It was so bad, I tied my bag an' everythin' else to the deck of the ship an' never went down below.

Sobel got us doin' calisthenics every day. We gambled, too. It got our mind off the rancid boat. Baby, I missed ya like hell, but you were better off on that Red Cross boat. The boat stunk, we stunk. Limey food. We weren't used to it.

When we got off the boat, they told us not to wear anythin' that would identify us as Airborne so the Germans wouldn't be alerted. We had to take the eagles off our shoulders, take off our boots.

After all that, the Germans still welcomed us. Over German radio, they said, 'Welcome, the 101st Airborne.' They knew we were comin', but they didn't know our plans."

Leigh told Bill,

"I'm sorry that your trip was so miserable, Honey. For the most part, the other women and I had an uneventful trip. I can relate to being seasick. There were days when my bunkmates and I barely made it out of bed.

The food wasn't bad, but it wasn't the best. One funny thing happened. Right before we docked in Liverpool, someone in the radio room intercepted a message on German radio.

They were broadcasting that we were prostitutes sent from the United States to service the Army, the Airborne in particular. We got a good laugh out of that.

A ship load of mostly seasick women who were in dire need of fashionable clothing, a hairdresser and a good, hot bath as opposed to showers using tepid sea water are not going to be in high demand to service anyone." Spencer added,

"So, should I charge you for my service, or do you want it put on your tab?" Bill laughed, telling her,

"Baby, just put it on my tab. I'd owe ya a million dollars by the time the war is over if you really were a 'workin' girl.' Sweetheart, I hope I didn't say that the wrong way. I know you ain't one o' those women who do that for a livin'." Leigh laughed, telling him,

"I'm not the least bit offended, Bill. Besides, I wouldn't charge my best and only customer because I happen to love him very much." Guarnere grinned and kissed her, replying,

"I love you, too, Leigh. I've missed your laughter an' your sense of humor. Are ya ready for bed? I'm about to go to sleep sittin' here." Spencer said that she was ready to call it a night.

They walked upstairs hand in hand. As Leigh changed into her nightgown and put her clothes into the hamper, Bill went to brush his teeth. When he came back to her room, Leigh left to brush her teeth and wash her face.

When she returned, Guarnere was already in bed. After Spencer turned off the bedside table lamp, she snuggled close to Bill, putting her head on his chest. Guarnere wrapped his arms around her. Leigh told him,

"I've missed going to sleep in your arms. It may sound crazy, but I can't get a good night's sleep if you're not in bed with me." Bill kissed the top of her head, replying,

"It ain't crazy, Baby. I had the same problem. I'm lookin' forward to gettin' up a little earlier than usual. Early mornin' is my favorite time o' the day 'cause I enjoy watchin' you sleep. You look so peaceful an' beautiful. I swear to God, Leigh, ya look like an angel."

Spencer kissed Bill's chest, saying,

"That's so sweet. Good night, Honey. I love you." Guarnere told her,

"I love you, too, Baby." They drifted off to sleep.

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#how-are-those-nuts-sarge #billguarneresmut

#how-are-those-nuts-sarge #ethereal jumpwings

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jdgo51 · 1 year

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Mary, God’s Humble Servant

Today's inspiration comes from:

The God of the How and When

by Kathie Lee Gifford & Rabbi Jason Sobel

Bible Verses

"My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;

For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.

For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. — Luke 1:46–49 NKJV

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage. — Philippians 2:5–6 NIV

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. — 1 Peter 5:6–7 NIV

Devotional

RABBI JASON

God chose perhaps His most unlikely vessel to set into motion the salvation of mankind: a teenage girl named Mary. Mary thought she was waiting for a wedding to a carpenter named Joseph, but something came to her that was far different — an improbable event she never would have dreamed of. A holy interruption. Much about Mary and her relationship with God is revealed when we read about her response to the angel when she was told she would give birth to the promised Messiah (see Luke 1:26–38). Mary showed tremendous humility of heart — the same humble quality we find in Yeshua (see Philippians 2:6–11).

A characteristic of humility is receiving. Probably understanding some, though not all, of the misunderstanding and scorn that would surely come, Mary embraced God’s new vision for her life without complaining or sarcasm. First Peter 5:5 tells us that

God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. — NKJV

You want God’s grace? Become humble. Mary was humble in spirit.

Being willing to decrease so that others can increase is the essence of humility (see John 3:30). It’s important to note, however, that I’m not talking about self-abasing. A truly humble person is secure and confident in God’s love. They know who they are.

Genuine humility is not thinking less of ourselves. It’s thinking of ourselves less.

It also takes humility for us to be completely transparent before others, allowing them to speak into our lives, encourage us, sharpen us if needed, and help us in our own journeys. Notice that when the angel ended his time with Mary, he said,

Nothing will be impossible with God. — Luke 1:37 TLV

Genuine humility is not thinking less of ourselves. It’s thinking of ourselves less.

Mary needed to be transparent to receive that word and then live by it. She responded by humbly worshiping and magnifying the Lord (see verses 46–55).

Think of what obedience meant to this young girl. She needed to confront Joseph and risk a divorce. She had to face her neighbors, whose imaginations must have run wild. She had to confront her parents and Joseph’s parents. But through all this confrontation and gossip, she was able to cling to the angel’s promise to her and to Joseph’s loyalty to her after his own angelic visit (see Matthew 1:18–25).

I find it interesting that Mary obeyed without hesitation. Obedience was her delight. Looking back at the times God has called me to do something, I have to ask, Did I react like Mary?

Not all the time. There were moments of hesitation. I wonder what blessings from God I lost. Today, we often regard obedience as a weakness. Mary’s example should correct our thinking. In Scripture, we can almost see that His will became her will. She willingly yielded to what God wanted for her instead of fighting for her self-defined life direction.

As in Mary’s experience, faith and humility together will lead us to God’s favor. To walk in our divine assignments and sing our unique songs, we will need to seek God’s presence, understanding that He is the source of favor to open the doors that only He can open — doors that no man can shut. Humility is knowing that you are in God’s control and, when the situation calls for it, having the bold faith to do what God has asked you to do.

Respond

How can following Mary’s example of humility transform your relationship with God?

What has God asked you to do for Him? How have you responded in the past?

Where in your life do you need bold faith to do what God has asked you to do?"

Excerpted with permission from the 10-Day devotional from The God of the Way by Kathie Lee Gifford and Rabbi Jason Sobel.

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sergeant-spoons · 3 years

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It’s three in the morning do I really need to title a shitpost

so I’m rewatching replacements for fic research right

and I pause it right here on this gem of a screenshot.

reasons that it is a gem:

1. cobb looks like a total dunce and I'm here for it.

2. garcia looks dead inside. same buddy same.

3. talbert looks like he wants to hit somebody. possibly cobb I would appreciate it.

4. hashey looks straight up high

5. and webster is just barely in frame with the best part of his whole person on full display: his hair

thank you for coming to my tedtalk

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mercurygray · 3 years

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The Darkening Sky - Chapter 20

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Characters: Original Female Character(s), Lewis Nixon, Richard Winters, Robert F. Sink, Herbert Sobel

Additional Tags: Alternate History, Women Being Awesome, Women in the Military, World War II, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence

“Some will say that it is a sad state of affairs when a country asks its women to go to war. But there is nothing sad about patriotism, and from coast to coast, America’s women have answered the call in record-breaking numbers, happy and willing to serve in all branches of the service - including, if the posters are to be believed, an entirely new co-ed parachute infantry unit.”

---

The morning after the dance found the company somewhat ... reorganized. Talbert’s bed was unslept in, hardly a surprise given the looks he’d been exchanging with Celia Mansel all evening, and Gene Roe was conspicuously absent as well, doubtless to the house of the yet-unmet girlfriend. Shifty and Irene were found spooning together in Shifty’s bunk, both of them fully clothed and in no way indecent, and Joe Toye rolled back into the barracks at some early hour looking very pleased with himself. And, proving the adage that the more things change the more they stay the same, early risers would have also noticed Joan and Dick doing their customary separate early morning runs, neither of them having taken part in the better part of the previous night’s excesses.

But none of this compared to the obscene delight taken in finding Lipton and Marjorie sleeping slumped onto each other’s shoulders in the dayroom, the only rumples in their dress the result of having spent the night on a bench, as if they had been waiting in a bus station for a ride that had never arrived.

[ Read more and catch up on the rest of the story here on AO3! ]

#i have written a thing #the darkening sky #1940s girl gang #mercurygraypresents

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wrctings · 4 years

Text

Winters and Nixon’s domesticity at Toccoa Camp

I was dying to write some domestic winnix content, so there it is 🥰

“It was a fuckin’ can of peaches, that’s what it was.”

Lt. Nixon mumbled irritably, shooting a glance behind his shoulder as if to make sure that Cpt. Sobel had not somehow appeared within earshot out of thin air, ready to condemn him to the surrender of all of his week-end passes until kingdom come.

“Dick, it was just a can of peaches. Can’t the guy remove the stick that’s up his ass just once?” he kept on grumbling, all the contempt that had been slowly but surely piling up for their commanding officer now pouring out of him. The Intelligence Officer had never badmouthed Sobel as fervently as the other soldiers of the company, but their afternoon incident with contraband products seemed to have given his mood a good kick.

The man’s redhead best friend could not refrain a smile from springing upon his lips at Nixon’s grumpy remarks, the part about Cpt. Sobel removing a stick from his ass sparkling a very humorous image inside his mind. Although he would never himself indulge in such remarks, lest he be overheard by anyone but Lewis, it also felt shamefully pleasant to Dick to hear his friend’s roast of their CO. Winters being an example of discipline among the men, what with his new promotion to First Lieutenant, did not mean that he suffered any less from Cpt. Sobel’s over-the-top rigour and unfair punishments.

“C’mon Nix, see it that way: you’ll get to spend your week-ends round here. You pretty much do it anyways. Is it that bad? Kind of reminds you of Officer Candidate School, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, a little, yeah.” The brunet man sighed while following Dick inside the room where they hung out after a long day of training and bearing Cpt. Sobel’s commands through gritted teeth. “I can’t believe life was almost easier there. At least, we weren’t stuck with him.” Nixon flung himself onto a chair, his muscles unclenching as he finally unwinded, safely shut away from the rest of the men, and especially Sobel. “I guess it’s all a strategy: we all hate him, so it brings us closer together. The bastard’s a genius.”

Dick took a sit as well, removing his side cap and allowing himself to let his guard down. He always felt comfortable in the presence of Nixon, whom he confided in ever since a strong bond had developed between the two of them in Officer Candidate School.

“He said we’ll have an afternoon of lectures tomorrow,” he told Lewis, remembering his conversation with Cpt. Sobel after the latter had promoted him. “He also wants us to have a special meal. He said he liked spaghetti.”

“Really? He likes spaghetti?” Nixon turned his head toward his friend, an amused smile playing on his lips. “Never thought I’d see the day he actually admits enjoying something. I mean apart from cancelling week-end passes and making our lives miserable.”

“Well, Lew, this is the truth. He likes spaghetti.” Winters smiled back, feeling the weight of responsibility slightly lifting off his shoulders as they goofed around. Even though he always had in mind the final result of their training, the jump that they would finally come to make in a land occupied by the enemy, occasions like these granted the man precious minutes away from everything. With Nix, resting was easier. “And he also designated me mess officer for 14 days. A test for my command potential,” he let the brunet know.

“Looks like you’ve got a lot on your plate, now that you got promoted.” Lewis commented slyly.

Dick could only chuckle, shaking his head in disapproval of such a poor pun.

Silence settled in the room, falling comfortably upon the two men, each of them savouring the calmness of the end of the day.

“Lew, do you ever think about what’s going to happen next?” Winters first broke the mist of quietness at last, voicing the question that had been hanging on the edge of his lips for weeks.

“Huh?”

“What’s going to happen next. When we actually get sent away to fight.”

Nixon’s gaze lingered on a distant spot for several more seconds before he answered, rubbing his fingers together thoughtfully.

“Yeah, sometimes. But I think it won’t be that different, only Krauts will be shooting at us. But the rest, pretty much the same.” He turned to Dick, and the graver shadow that had crept over his face shifted into his usual expression. A small smile even slipped onto his features. “I got through Officer Candidate School with a non-cursing non-drinking redhead for a best friend. Nothing can surprise me anymore.”

“You’re well-prepared,” Dick replied in a slightly more buoyant tone, Nixon’s words managing to once again allay the heaviness that would sometimes overburden him.

“Yeah.” The brunet Lieutenant stretched, suppressing a yawn, and shut his eyelids. “So spaghetti tomorrow, huh?”

“Spaghetti it is. Though if it was up to me, I’d also go for an additional desert.”

“How kind of you.” Lewis teased him, relaxed. “What did you have in mind?”

“Peaches,” Winters answered casually, playful.

“You son of a b*tch.” The man laughed, opening his eyes to take a look at his friend’s delighted expression.

In that moment, they both knew that no matter what was to happen to them, they would make it as long as they had each other. As long as they would share the same complicity, as long as they would experience even fractions of such amusement and light-heartedness, they would find the strength to face whatever the war would unleash at them. But for now, still unaware of what lay ahead, the two men relished their few hours away from duty, relying on each other to make their time with Cpt. Sobel a little less unbearable.

#dick winters #lewis nixon #band of brothers #BoB #band of brothers fanfiction #winnix #writing #bandofbrothers #my writing #band of brothers one shot #dick winters one shot #lewis nixon one shot

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3milesup · 4 years

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I know you’ve shared the song-fic prompt with your other account, but I want something BoB related, so here I am^^ I’d like to know, what you would make of the song Ruby Lee by Bill Withers and David Webster (can be webgott, but doesn’t have to (; )

Aaahh, my dear, thank you so, so much!! I admit I didn’t know the song but I love it and this was pretty delightful to write!

Webgott it is :D although, if it turned out to be more about Joe than David, somehow, I am sorry! XD and I don’t know if it’s any good, really, they are damn hard to write! Oo But anyways, I tried to deliver^^

Of one night, one desire, three thousand miles and a few more barriers in between.

Staring at shadows on the wall

Wish I knew of someone I could call

Someone who might understand it all

He had never thought that, of all people, he would come to miss Joe Liebgott the most. The simple yet so complex, snarky, stubborn illiterate with more fight in him than could fit in his skinny body, with a dark edge to his humour and to his views on life and war, so unlike all David had ever known and believed… Yet, he would trust him with his whole existence anyday, and feel safe.

Sometimes, he felt the urge to call him. Then he realized he had no idea what to say. What about his life could possibly be interesting to a Frisco cabbie? People he’s surrounded by that don’t understand, cannot understand, because they never left their homes, the worst way the war has touched them was the rationing they both lamented about and made it their martyrdom, as though the price for freedom and peace in the world was them drinking half as much coffee as normal, they bought a war bond and made it sound like they singlehandedly took out half of the Wehrmacht… Or those stupid books that are just words and words, heaps of splendid words that don’t mean a thing, and he can’t see the purpose anymore? He didn’t feel like complaining about the hardships of literature studies to a man with two jobs to make ends meet.

He wanted to know how Joe’s life had turned out, how he was coping, but he knew, if he asked, he was going to get showered in deflection and biting sarcasm he really could go without.

Still, he missed Liebgott to deep, dull ache in ribcage. The smirk that ever so seldom turned one shade warmer and formed a true smile to die for. Horseshoe arch of fringe that David sometimes wanted to brush back just to run his fingers through that softness for a moment. Unreadably dark eyes, piercing and spellbinding, always fiery with some inner turmoil.

He’s so beautiful.

David took a deep, steadying breath, startled by the intensity of his thought more than anything else. He literally felt a tingle running through his body, watering his mouth, tightening the throat, clenching his chest and… God, Web, breathe, in and out… and then further down the thighs to the toes. He squeezed his eyes. Cold, pale marble beauty, incandescent flame within, it was all he could see, all he could think of and yearn for… He rolled over and embraced the pillow.

Lieb… If only I knew you are doing fine, that you sleep at nights and look forward to each new day, that you have plenty of reasons to laugh and someone whose heart swells at the sight…

That you haven’t lost the last broken remnants of innocence that day.

Shadows travelling down his walls announced the break of dawn and he felt sick at the thought of lectures, musty smell and suffocating silence of the library, with not a soul to talk to about it, to help him figure out how he could go from loving something with utmost devotion all his life to resenting it, and what to do with it now.

Maybe he would listen, even just for a while…

One thing he knew for a fact, however hard their monotonous professor would try to engage him in a discourse analysis, all he was going to think of this whole cursed day was the luscious curve of red lips made to be kissed numb and his desperate mantra – the Northern California dialing code.

Someone’s lying with me in my bed

Some stranger who don’t understand my head

Wish it was you lying here instead

He had never thought that, of all people, he would come to miss David Webster the most. The pretentious know-it-all, always wide-eyed and agape like a child in wonder, Christ, how Joe itched to punch that stupid mouth half of the time – the other half, when he wasn’t itching to shut it in another way… He’d never let the fleeting thought take a concrete shape: that of a soft touch, a breathless gasp, speechless awe in those large, deep, blue, ocean-like eyes.

Never until now.

He groped in the drawer of the nightstand for the smokes and a smudged saucer that had been abducted from its fellow dishes to keep Joe company in forlorn hours of darkness. What with driving the cab in the morning and till late night and working in the barber shop in between, he should have used the few free hours to get some rest, but he knew he wouldn’t fall asleep.

Not with all the dirty pictures that his mind, in its lovesickness, decided to paint him. They mostly involved certain parted lips quivering with pleasure, strong arms wrapped around Joe keeping him grounded, connected… He ran his palm over the front of his boxers, shivered, biting at the cigarette filter, and grabbed a handful of bedsheet, instead. He didn’t really want to come, which was highly unusual. His only reason for sex were frustration and need for release. This, whatever it was, felt different, and he wanted that spine-tingling tension to last.

He took a deep draw and exhaled with a sound close to a quiet moan. Silhouette underneath the blanket shifted by his side. Poor thing was used to sleeping in the smoke-heavy air, not that she had much choice, after all…

Absorbed in his fantasies, he forgot to flick the cigarette. Ashes dropped on the bedding; he brushed them off, cursing under his breath, and glared at the dark smears. Some good old bitching heading his way, come morning…

Suddenly, it sadly occurred to him he would never know what Webster might have to say on smoking in bed. He was quite sure it would be worth an exasperated eyeroll, a half-hearted “Jesus, Web, really…” and an ostentatious tasty drag (blowing smoke in his face before pressing their mouths together, because damn, they would be at it every night, Joe was sure of that as well). Something was also telling him David wouldn’t further whine about it or try to get him to ditch it, and maybe, in return, Joe would do it less often. Just cause. Web would deserve that much for not being a dick.

He caught himself smiling.

He was fond of her in a way, yes. Yes, she annoyed him. But it wasn’t that kind of fond annoyance he only felt around Webster.

It was a special bond - despite the rift between them, deepened by the month in that freezing hell, which made all their contrasts stand out even more. Still, for better or worse, Web was there: under Sobel’s reign of terror, all the way from England to Holland.

He was at Landsberg. He saw it all, he saw Joe Liebgott fall to pieces.

Joe didn’t remember much detail from that day, it was all one hallucinatory blur he refused to believe was real at the time, though the knot in his guts and reek burning in his nose long after he’d left that nightmare of a place were very much proving him wrong… But one thing he could clearly recall were those unreal eyes watching him with genuine pain that surprisingly didn’t irk him up, didn’t feel like pity or concern.

He held that gaze for a few moments, a part of him wanted to reach out and meet him halfway, but he didn’t know how, couldn’t find a single word that would have any weight, and Webster just turned away.

He stubbed the cigarette butt out on enamel saucer and lit a new one.

David was there, saw the worst of him. And he never reported, never asked more specifically about that shady order, never brought it up again. Although he disagreed, because of course he had to disagree, Joe felt that he understood, deep down. He’d heard about Webster holding the German baker at gunpoint – on a better day the image would have made him chuckle. So even he had a hard edge, underneath all those polished looks and speech and manners; he was however fighting a war, and they were on the same side: Web on his high horse, Liebgott in the dust and mud, but still, on the same side of hatred.

Now, he wished they were on the same side of love, too.

#band of brothers fanfic #webgott #my fic

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brightly-painted-canvas · 5 years

Text

for the series ‘fic I think about all the time but I’ll never be able write’, I’m honoured to present you:

Band of Brothers’s High School Football (and I mean soccer!) Team AU

featuring:

- the team’s name is Currahee Easy of Toccoa High School (I don’t make the rules... I mean yes I do, but you know...) and they’re basically shit at playing football/soccer - it’s not that they don’t have good individual players or don’t train hard enough, it’s that their coach, PE teacher Sobel, doesn’t know shit about tactics and theory and he’s just too much of a dick to admit it - so the team trains hard everyday under every weather condition, but they still suck in championship games - (it’s by then a well known thing in Toccoa High School) - except this year is senior year for a big chunk of the team and most of them really really want to win at least one game before parting ways and going to college - so some of them basically mutiny against Sobel and go beg Principal Sink for a new coach - (he’s easily convinced after he sees the disgraceful row of defeats the team managed to string in the past three years) (it’s disgusting) - he calls in his office the other PE teacher, Richard Winters (who’s in fact already the coach of the baseball team) and gives Winters the responsibility of coaching the football team as well - thing is: right until that moment Dick Winters knows nothing about football, but he’s not a bitch about it so he buys a lot of books and watches a lot of youtube videos and drags his best-friend-and-maybe-also-more Lewis Nixon (history teacher at Toccoa) to a bunch of games to study - he’s a good student because when he meets the team for the first time and they try some of the tactics out, they seem to work - (he goes with basic 4-4-2 formation but his full backs are fast and both his side midfielders can shift to the attack on the occasion) - so the championship starts and the boys are for once both physically and tactically ready (mentally not so much, but hey can you blame a rowdy team of 20 teenagers?)

- so the team is composed like this: - D. Hoobler as the keeper (2nd keeper: D. Webster, although everyone is secretly glad he never plays because last time he did he was reading books during the game when the ball was on the other side of the field... at least on the bench he can read as much as he wants and pretend to be too precious and literate to play sports) - “Buck” Compton and “Bull” Randleman as center backs (reserves: “Tab” Talbert and “Pat” Christenson) - “Babe” Heffron and Frank Perconte as full backs (reserves: “Popeye” Wynn and A. Blithe) - center midfielders: Joe Liebgott and Johnny Martin (reserve: D. Malarkey) - side midfielders: “Shifty” Powers and “Skip” Muck (reserve: A. Penkala) - forwards: Bill Guarnere and Joe Toye (reserves: “Chuck” Grant and P. O’Keefe) - coach: R. Winters; coach’s alcoholic husband: L. Nixon; 2nd coach: C. Lipton; manager: H. Welsh; assistant and medic: “Doc” Roe; referee: R. Speirs - (everyone is scared of the local referee as there are numerous rumors circulating about him, like the one that says he once stabbed a protesting player in the eye with the red card) - Toccoa also has a student radio broadcast and the designated sportcaster is George Luz, so he also follows the team in away games (and having him around helps with the team’s morale) - the first match is a draw, which is neither a good or a bad thing, but Winters is still kinda proud of the guys and buys ice cream for all of them and says inspirational things like “the best is yet to come” - the second match is a whole struggle against the defending champions of the previous year, which makes the opposite team’s players a bit too arrogant and which causes yellow cards to fly around - to the surprise of absolutely nobody Liebgott is the first to get a red card and gets sent out. To the surprise of everybody except his teammates, he’s double booked because he picks a fight not with the opposite team but with his own (specifically: Guarnere asking for more forward passes and Webster, still on the bench, for seemingly no reason at all). Luz announces that it’s probably the first time in the history of football that this happens (yay for a new embarrassing record for Currahee Easy!) - Easy loses in the last minutes after a struggle to maintain the 0 - 0 and Lipton has to intervene before the whole team riots against the referee (not Speirs this time) who also gives a penalty to the opposite team in recovery time. It ends 2 - 0 for the defenders and in the brawl that follows the three final whistles Heffron loses a shoe, Toye gets a bloody nose and Liebgott sneaks out from the locker room just to throw a few punches - they win the third match. The opposite team never shows up at Toccoa High School so it’s a forfeit win - (rumors say the opponents didn’t want to attend not because they were scared of Easy, but because they were scared of Speirs, the designated referee for the game) - after the sixth match they start to win for their own merits and everyone is ecstatic. The whole school gets involved (all thanks to Luz’s enthusiastic commentaries and sport-related news) and there’s suddenly an high attendance of audience at their games - some of them even gets fans, like some guy starting to admire Guarnere’s technique and some girl suddenly making banners for Christenson or even Webster (though that must be less for athletic merits and more for aesthetic reasons, much to all the other player’s displeasure)(and Liebgott’s absolute rage, though no one gets exactly why)(c’mon guys...) - they manage to end the championship at an average position in the chart and with enough points to access a row of head to head games - the last match of the season is one of those direct clashes and becomes very important not only because it’s the last match ever for the senior students, but also because winning would mean getting an access to summer play-off - everyone is super nervous - coach Winters makes another one of his nice motivational speeches which leaves almost everyone near-tears (even the tough ones)(and especially Lew, who still gets free access to the locker room despite not being directly involved with the team) - things turn bad real soon real fast because during the first half within minutes both Guarnere and Toye get a leg injury and need to be substituted by Grant and, to the whole team’s horror and desperation, sweet innocent O’Keefe - Doc Roe gets helped by Lip and Welsh to get Bill and Joe out of the pitch and most of all to placate their rage and frustration (my poor boys...) - despite the injuries and early substitutions, Shifty manages to score an outside the box stunning volley for the 1 - 0 that makes everyone in the audience literally freaks out - the opponents equalize right at the end of first half with a goal following a contested free kick right outside Easy’s penalty area - the second half ends on a draw despite the team’s best efforts in maintaining their shape and positions as well as their nerves (and everyone is extremely proud of them, but most of all surprised by Liebgott)(considering he’s not even being supervised by Martin, who had been substituted by Malark at some point) - after the first extra time Dick is already thinking about the penalties: to the sudden shock of everyone present at the game (and the delight of his hardcore fangirls), Hoob gets substituted with Webster - (all of Easy, as one man, think they’re doomed) - the penalties are a matter of even more nerves and sweat and tears, but the five kickers get chosen (Grant, Buck, Skip, Heffron and Shifty) and after that, everything is in their preferred foot (and in Web’s hands) - Web saves the first penalty and the whole school gasps in disbelief - (while Dick and Lip share a knowing smile on the bench) - Grant scores, Buck scores, Skip’s shot unfortunately gets saved and they’re back to equality - no one speaks (Luz included!), no one even blinks - Babe manages to score a stunning lob penalty that has the whole field freaking out again - (Bill from the bench points at him and screams: ‘That’s my boy!’ jumping on his uninjured leg) - Shifty scores with cynical precision (and Winters almost sobs out loud) - as Webster takes his position between the posts, silence falls again all around the pitch and tension is so thick it feels like it could be cut with a knife - right before the opponents fifth kicker positions the ball on the penalty spot, everyone takes a deep breath and holds it for seemingly endless minutes - Webster saves - everyone screams - chaos is everywhere - Lieb kisses Web on the mouth - someone cries - (probably Web’s fangirls) - (and also mama!Lip since he’s so proud of his boys) - after that everything is a blur of celebrations and tears and hugs and also other less celebrated kisses (but Babe gets one from Doc and Dick gets several ones from Lew and, to be fair, no one is really that surprised) - Luz loses his voice at some point and completely forgets being on air on the school’s radio as he runs down to the field to celebrate with the team (which results in long minutes of radio silence he’d be scolded for the next day)(and, for what is worth, he does not give a single fuck) - Easy chases coach Winters across the field and lift him in the air to celebrate, then they do the same for Lip and Welsh and (surprisingly?) Nixon - (Doc Roe refuses and hides behind Babe and Bill and everyone loves him too much to force him anyway) - more chaos ensues and rumors say the celebrations went on for weeks - (also some rumors say referee Speirs took part to the celebrations as 2nd coach Lipton’s date, but no one present ever confirmed or denied that) ...and that’s basically it. Sorry for any mistake: I typed this all in one go and my football terminology is strictly Italian-based (just as much as my football enthusiasm lol) so I may have got something wrong. Thanks a bunch to my sister @gaiayukari85 for having helped with the plot (as often happens when we create silly stories)

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shiftyskip · 5 years

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Terrence C. “Salty” Harris

Another boy who never returned home. He was not with Easy long, he was transferred but that doesn’t change the fact he was a part of their story.

The Real Salty Harris:

Terrence Condon Harris was born on October 5, 1920 in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. His parents were Albert and Myrtle Harris. He was their second child out of three. He had an older brother Richard, who was 2 years older and a younger sister Annette, who was 7 years younger. His father was an insurance salesman. Growing up, his family moved from Oklahoma, to Arkansas, to Glendale, California.

In 1940, Terrence was currently enrolled the US Naval Academy in Annapolis. He later resigned due to the pressure of accumulated demerits. He was denied entry into the Air Force (better known as the Army Air Corps back then). He stayed with the Navy and made several trips as a merchant seaman to Australia. It was this beginning in the Navy that earned him the name Salty.

He enlisted on August 17, 1942. He volunteered to be a paratrooper. He was one of the original Toccoa men, one of the original men of Easy Company. Terrence, in the early days of Easy, was a private. He soon became a staff sergeant in the 3rd platoon. He ran his men on Navy terms, using “starboard” instead of right and telling them to “swab the deck”. Shifty once said that Terrence one day happily sung Navy songs on repeat just to torment his men. He drove them nuts repeating the songs.

Forrest Guth claims that Terrence was “a real good man...Rough. Touch. He was a lot of fun and a great friend.”

Terrence’s real claim to fame was his involvement with the Sobel Mutiny. Mike Ranney was one of Terrence’s best friends. Ranney was also a part of the mutiny. In a journal entry, Ranney writes that Terrence -“a broad-faced, delightful Irishman...”- and he started the mutiny.

He says, “Naïve innocents that we were, Salty and I organized a mutiny. Essentially, we got a all of the non-commissioned officers to threaten to resign unless Sobel was removed. The only exception in our ranks was the first Sergeant Bill Evans… The next morning, Salty and I were arrested by military police and taken under guard to the regimental headquarters. Colonel Sink outlined the situation tersely and sufficiently: “I don’t know who in the hell you two bastards think you are, but you obviously don’t realize the seriousness of the situation you have created. I could have you shot for mutiny in a war zone. This regiment is going into combat and I don’t want any disturbances just now. Plus, you both have good records and we may be able to salvage something of the investment we have in your training. So, I’m just going to bust both of you in the rank of private, transfer you out of Easy Company in separate directions, and keep an eye on you so that you don’t cause any more problems.”

Salty was transferred to A company in the First Battalion neither of them were allowed to return to Easy Company, even to get their bags.

But separating them did not last long. Both Ranney and Terrence became Path Finders. Path Finders were supposed to jump ahead of the Airborne and set up beacona so that the planes carrying the paratroopers could see the drops zones easily.

Ranney transferred back to Easy before the Easy Company Normandy jump. Terrence stayed with the Path Finders and jumped with them into Normandy. Only one man in the group of Path Finders was allowed to carry the beacon. Terrence was that man, making him important to the goal.

Terrence’s headstone reads that he was killed June 18, 1944. But, the Battle of Carentan happened between the 10th and 14th of June, so this date might be wrong. In fact, it should be noted that one other veteran said that these dates were often when they found the body, not when the person died. In fact, letters from Burr Smith and Ranney imply that Terrence was killed in the battle.

July 25, 1944- Ranney’s letter to Annette:

“Dear Annette, …You’ve probably gotten by now a crudely written letter concerning Salty. You see, Annette, I guess I liked him better than I ever have anyone else - he was that kind of a guy. He was the sort of leader whose men would do anything for him. I’m not, and because if that I guess I make him my example. I tried to do as he did. And I’m trying now.

“…if he could have known what was ahead, he’d have asked that you take it in stride and gonon just the same. Maybe all this sounds strange to you, but I think that’s what he’d want. AnnetteX there’s a bunch of guys in this company who feel as you do- “it just doesn’t seem possible he’s really gone,” but it won’t stop them from doing their job, don’t let it stop you.”

Ranney wrote her again later, in response to something she had sent back, “…I found all possible information. Salty was killed instantly by a sniper within our lines during the fighting near Carentan in Normandy. I’m sorry I haven’t been able as yet to find out where he’s buried. As soon as I do, I’ll let you know. At the time he was with [a different] company -so I wasn’t with him.

“…Take this the way he would want you to, Annette. He believed in a fate -most of us do now- the kind of fate that has little regard for race, color, or creed. If he could have known what was in store, it wouldn’t have changed his actions. It came the way he wanted it to- he didn’t suffer.”

September 7, 1944 - Burr Smith’s leader to Annette:

“Dear Annette, I don’t know if Salty ever mentioned me in his letters to you or not, but I’ve been his friend for nearly two years, ever since the first day at Toccoa. At any rate, I feel that I should drop you a line to let you know how sorry I am…If it was in my power to do so, I’d have taken his place, and I say that in all sincerity. I was wounded the same day he was hit, and I didn’t know [that he had died] until I was released from the hospital. You’ll never know how I felt when Red Wright told me.

“The last time I saw T.C. he came trudging down a dusty lane - all smiles - and I was so glad to see him that I cried - actually cried with relief to see him. I thought he was gone D-Day, and go see him was heaven on earth.

“…I hope I haven’t made you feel worse. We all miss him like mad. [He was] one of the grandest people God ever placed on this rotten earth…The only course open is to pledge myself to the cause of making sure that the things he died for are not forgotten.”

Forrest Guth, who learned about Terrence’s death when the company returned to England, stated about Terrence’s death: “It’s funny. We were going and we expected some people not to make it, so it wasn’t as much of a shock as it maybe should have been. But we did miss him. I still miss him.”

Another thing in the book with Guth’s words was that there was an animosity in Easy after his death towards Colonel Sink for transferring Terrence. In Paul Roger’s words: “It was not so much the fact that Harris had died, but the fact he died not with his friends, not with the people he knew, but among strangers.”

(Photo credit: find a grave)

#band of brothers #profiles #real life band of brothers #real band of brothers #terrence harris #salty harris

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writeaheadlooms-blog · 5 years

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Science Fiction & Fantasy

This is exactly what the alternate History' genre is all about. Alternate History talks about history - this is applicable in just about any country of the planet - and asks the question:'What If?' What if British India hadn't occurred? What can have happened if the British capital city has been built elsewhere - say, where Newcastle-upon-Tyne is today? Would that have altered the span of history? Alternate history can ask and answer so many questions - and sets your thoughts chasing off on all sorts of trails!

Alternate History Alternate history is often alluded to as all history. To those aficionados of alternate history, it is frequently called uchronia or chronic which will be what the French call alternate history; as parallel worlds; or even while abwegige geschichten. Regardless of which name alternate history is known by, it involves past events using their outcomes ultimately altered - and then subsequent events evolving from the altered perspective. Robert Sobel used alternate history as the principal plot in his book'For Want of a Nail...If Burgoyne had Won at Saratoga '. Similarly, Peter G Tsouras wrote'Gettysburg: An Alternate History '.

Alternate history has also been called'counterfactuals'which will be not completely accurate: counterfactuals really relates more to academic historical research than it will to the genre of science fiction. You will see an excellent collection of most of these books inside our alternate history section: One book I'd particularly recommend is that published by Professor David Krasner, entitled'Unmaking the West: What-if?' I am not going to express a phrase relating to this book - you must read it yourself!

Fantasy Magic, the supernatural and Middle Earth: stories such as as'The The Middle Kingdom' and the series of'Lord of the Rings '. Fantasy as a category avoids the nasty and macabre - additionally, it avoids the scientific. Fantasy is - well, pure fantasy! It's what dreams are manufactured of. Tolkien's books follow the fantasy theme perfectly. Add parallel kingdoms magazines that pay for submissions and you've'The 10th Kingdom'which will be available nowadays on DVD - and worth watching! Add magic and you've John W. Campbell Jr and the stories he wrote for unknown' magazine. Add destiny and you've'A Storm of Swords by George RR Martin: you will see this book on Page 5 of the Fantasy section beneath the Science Fiction tab on our website. It is a good read and the next volume of the six-part epic novels, 'A Song of Ice and Fire '.

Gaming Gaming has really come into it's since the advent of multimedia and the internet. In reality, gaming software must be one of the products being sold more and more, even during these times of recession. Trust in me, once you begin gaming properly, you'll become hooked! It is probably one of the safer addictions to own, anyway! Today, the Games Workshop Group plc is one of the most prestigious war-games companies, listed on the London Stock Exchange. It sells war-games software and games around the globe from its base in the UK. A completely different company, Game Designers'Workshop, was also in the business of selling role-playing games and wargames from 1973 until it closed in 1996.

A large proportion of the gaming software is based on the science fiction of just one sort or another - time-traveling, myths and legends, magic - and any other slant incorporating one and another mix of groups. In 1977'Traveller' was initially introduced by the Game Designers'Workshop: this game is now carried forward by Mongoose Publishing. In nearly all cases the games are drawn from imaginary events occurring in the far future. Rules are drawn up for the players to follow along with and players progress through the various levels, buying and selling equipment and weapons to progress further into the imaginary realms of the games. As a new player myself, I could understand the magnetism that keeps players totally engrossed but, if you don't certainly are a games'devotee, you wouldn't really understand the draw gaming can have on you.

Media Arguably, one of the more respected science fiction films must be'Contact ', starring Jodie Foster as Dr. Ellie Arroway, directed by Robert Zemeckis. This film, released in 1997, was taken from the book contact' published by Carl Sagan that you simply will see on our website, along with many different his other books:'Cosmos ';'Pale Blue Dot: a Vision of the Human Future in Space ';'The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark '; and'The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence'- many of these books, and more, can be found on our website, beneath the Science Fiction banner.

Between the Media section, you will see' Doctor Who: The Taking of Chelsea 426'by David Llewellyn - plus Babylon 5, Batman, Blake's 7, other Doctor Who vignettes, Lensman, Red Dwarf, Star Trek, Star Wars, The Crow, X-Files, and Xena

Science Fiction Filed beneath the umbrella of Science Fiction you will see anthologies; classic science fiction; cyberpunk; science fiction encyclopedias; graphic novels; advanced science fiction; adventure; history and criticism; science fiction series; and short stories. There are several delightful books in this section: here, you will see'Orbus'by Neal Asher. This book has echoes of'Star Wars'crossed with deep Space 9'although the story it tells is all it's own. Another charming book is'Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce - a garden that shouldn't exist '. Will you find this as intriguing as Used to do? If that's the case, you will love this read - a genuine and classic science fiction novel to reduce yourself from reality in.

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theladyragnell · 7 years

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Books I’ve Read So Far This Year

Hey, tumblr! It’s halfway through the year now (how???) and I was looking through my book list and thinking that I have read so many good books this year, so I thought I would just throw my book list as it stands under a cut, with brief notes on the books in case anyone is interested! Or wants to talk about how awesome they are. Or even wants to recommend me some based on what I’ve read!

Or just tell me what you’ve been reading, if you do not want to deal with, um. A 90-item annotated list.

It’s possible that I read too much.

The Voynich Manuscript, ed. Raymond Clemens (very nice scans of the whole thing, with some mildly interesting essays attached)

Sorcerer to the Crown, Zen Cho (starred, super delightful worldbuilding and banter and characters)

Sunshine, Robin McKinley (reread, I love everything of McKinley’s but had forgotten so much of this one!)

Longitude, Dava Sobel (engrossing little nonfic about the hunt for a way to tell longitude at sea and the man who invented sea clocks)

The Secret Ingredient of Wishes, Susan Bishop Crispell (magical realism, suffered some from the fact that I had expectations of how the plot would go but still solid)

Piano Tide, Kathleen Dean Moore (not nearly enough pianos, more eco-activism than expected)

The Sun Is Also A Star, Nicola Yoon (YA romance, made me cry, just absolutely gorgeous)

Scandal Takes the Stage, Eva Leigh (solid Regency romance about a lady playwright)

Temptations of a Wallflower, Eva Leigh (significantly less solid Regency romance, I did not find it a satisfactory end to the series)

Everything, Everything, Nicola Yoon (YA romance again, I did not like it nearly so well as The Sun Is Also)

The Nonesuch, Georgette Heyer (extremely delightful, good banter and good tropes)

Four Weddings and Sixpence, Julia Quinn & Elizabeth Boyle & Laura Lee Guhrke & Stefanie Sloane (Quinn’s was delightful, the others were more mediocre but not bad for all that)

The Thirteenth Tale, Diane Setterfield (delightfully gothic, an engrossing winter read)

Jackaby, William Ritter (historical fantasy mystery, quite fun)

Crazy for You, Jennifer Crusie (reread, does not age well)

Enthusiasm, Polly Shulman (reread, YA romance, ages ADORABLY)

The Autumnlands Vol. 1: Tooth and Claw, Kurt Busiek & Benjamin Dewey (graphic novel, super fascinating worldbuilding)

Deathless, Catherynne Valente (I continue to want to write like her when I grow up)

Rat Queens Vol. 1: Sass and Sorcery, Kurtis J. Wiebe & Roc Upchurch (graphic novel, lady adventurers, I was not as captured as I wanted to be)

Accidentally on Purpose, Jill Shalvis (contemporary romance, nothing special but an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon)

Lumberjanes Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy, Noelle Stevenson & Grace Ellis & Brooke Allen and others, who even knows how to credit graphic novels (graphic novel, super adorable and delightful)

The Girls at the Kingfisher Club, Genevieve Valentine (only a retelling of my favorite fairytale in the world, gorgeous and evocative and all the sisters are characters without crowding the narrative)

The Unfortunate Importance of Beauty, Amanda Filipacchi (fascinating magical realism)

Speak Easy, Catherynne Valente (novella, another 20s-esque 12 Dancing Princesses adaptation but VERY different from the former, full of Valente’s trademark gorgeous language)

The Countess Conspiracy, Courney Milan (Regency romance, starred, I really love this whole series but this one hit me hard for some reason)

The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir, Jennifer Ryan (WWII England, not enough choir and again not quite what the book jacket made me expect, but a worthy read nonetheless)

Plain Kate, Erin Bow (gorgeous dark late-J/early-YA fairy tale)

The Suffragette Scandal, Courtney Milan (another starred Regency romance by Milan, as I said the whole series is glorious)

Every Heart a Doorway, Seanan McGuire (novella, starred, YA, wow this concept had me enthralled, the story in general did)

Saga Vol. 1, Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples (graphic novel, starred, absolutely gorgeous)

The Grand Sophy, Georgette Heyer (not my favorite Heyer, alas, though it had some amazing moments)

Bet Me, Jennifer Crusie (reread, romance, my favorite Crusie and continues to be so)

The Best of All Possible Worlds, Karen Lord (starred, sci fi romance (ish?) with very good worldbuilding--think LeGuin)

Thorn, Intisar Khanani (reread, Goose Girl retelling, continues to be beautiful)

Gawain and Ragnell, Ruth Nestvold (novella, read for obvious reasons, was not terribly impressed)

Protector of the Small: First Test, Tamora Pierce (reread, obviously, I was in a Kel mood)

A Company of Swans, Eva Ibbotson (reread, continues to be one of my favorite romances in this world)

Talk Sweetly to Me, Courtney Milan (novella, starred, just as delightful as the rest of the series but I’d somehow constructed a completely different plot for it in my head really vividly? So I was surprised when it was not that)

Norse Mythology, Neil Gaiman (solid retellings)

Protector of the Small: Page, Tamora Pierce (reread again)

Behind the Throne, KB Waters (super intriguing political sci fi, definitely looking into the rest of the series)

In This Grave Hour, Jacqueline Winspear (mystery, part of a series, it’s good but don’t start with it)

The Great American Whatever, Tim Federle (YA, great voice but hard to read)

Protector of the Small: Squire, Tamora Pierce (rereading again, my favorite of the series)

Protector of the Small: Lady Knight, Tamora Pierce (to finish the reread off)

Someone to Hold, Mary Balogh (Regency romance, starred, I hadn’t loved the first in this new series, but the second one got me in the gut, I cried)

Kids of Appetite, David Arnold (YA, I wanted to like it more than I did)

Trickster’s Choice, Tamora Pierce (look, I was in the mood)

Trickster’s Queen, Tamora Pierce (ditto)

Spinning Starlight, RC Lewis (starred, YA sci-fi Six Swans retelling, definitely wonderful)

The Chemist, Stephenie Meyer (I am not ashamed, but she didn’t grab my id like her earlier books did. It was just a romantic thriller)

Dear Data, Giorgia Lupi & Stefanie Posavec (nonfic, data imaging and epistolary all in one! Picture-heavy, super cool to page through)

The Invisible Library, Genevieve Cogman (starred, a delightful fantasy romp featuring, as the title suggests, a library; definitely going to seek out the rest of the series)

Best Friends Forever, Jennifer Weiner (ugh)

The Ordinary Princess, MM Kaye (reread, one of my favorite lifetime books)

The Moon-Spinners, Mary Stewart (a nice quiet thriller, if that makes sense; made me want to go back to Crete)

How to Win Over Your Arch-Nemesis (in Three Easy Steps), Jennifer Wardell (novella, fun little read)

The Wedding Journey, Carla Kelly (romance, remarkably good for how old-fashioned it was)

The Nameless City, Faith Erin Hicks (graphic novel, starred, great world and once again I plan to seek out the rest of the series)

War for the Oaks, Emma Bull (reread of a favorite)

The Convenient Marriage, Georgette Heyer (a reread though I hadn’t realized it when I got the book; not my favorite of hers)

Saga Vol. 2, Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples (graphic novel, starred, continues a really beautiful series)

The Terracotta Bride, Zen Cho (short novella, fascinating worldbuilding, starred)

Wanted, a Gentleman, KJ Charles (starred, Regency m/m romance, I thought from the copy I’d love it, thought from the first few pages I’d hate it, and ended up really enjoying it, so make of that what you will)

The Hanging Tree, Ben Aaronovitch (starred, fantasy mystery, start at the start of the series it is SO GOOD)

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Power, Ryan North & Erica Henderson (graphic novel, starred, SO CHARMING)

The Morning Gift, Eva Ibbotson (reread, I don’t reread this one nearly enough because I love it deeply)

A Closed and Common Orbit, Becky Chambers (starred, not specifically designed to exploit everything I love like Small Angry Planet but still a truly incredible feat of character and world and relationship building)

The Star-Touched Queen, Roshani Chokshi (rich and lovely, with a fairy tale atmosphere)

The Course of Honour, Avoliot (IT COUNTS OKAY, obviously starred and obviously amazing)

A Crown of Wishes, Roshani Chokshi (companion novel to the above, I like it better than the first one even if once again my expectations brought me up short)

The Flight of the Iguana, David Quammen (reread, nonfiction, essays about nature and also a section about immigrants and sanctuary groups that felt all too timely)

The Just City, Jo Walton (read when Plato’s Republic pisses you off or when you just like thinking about Greek philosophy)

Newt’s Emerald, Garth Nix (starred, a magical romantic Regency romp, simply delightful)

The Last Days of Magic, Mark Tompkins (I wanted this book to be very different than it was; it felt like a several-hundred-page prologue with the main action relegated to prologue and epilogue)

A Hero at the End of the World, Erin Claiborne (I liked it? The writing was sharp, anyway; the characters weren’t my cup of tea)

What We See When We Read, Peter Mendelund (nonfiction, pretentious but interesting)

The Turnip Princess and Other Newly Discovered Fairy Tales, collected by Fanz Xaver von Schonwerth, edited by Erika Eichenseer, and translated by Maria Tatar (starred, there are some really good ones in here)

The Book of Trees, Manuel Lima (nonfic, about the way we visualize data, another good one to leaf (pun entirely intended) through)

The Man in the High Castle, Philip K. Dick (alternate history, I was very intrigued and also very uncomfortale)

Frederica, Georgette Heyer (starred, one of my favorite Heyers to date)

Good Morning, Midnight, Lily Brooks-Dalton (sci fi apocalyptic kind of, more of a survival story a la The Martian, once again suffered heavily from what I wanted it to be)

The Card Catalog, The Library of Congress (another fun one to leaf through)

Dreadnought, April Daniels (superhero fiction, trans heroine, really good but really hard)

American Luthier: Carleen Hutchins ~ The Art and Science of the Violin, Quincy Whitney (nonfic, starred, maybe my favorite book of the year so far, if you are at all interested in historical ladies, the intersection of science and music, or biographies, this is really really amazing)

The Girl With the Make-Believe Husband, Julia Quinn (her trademark wonderful characters, but I don’t much care for the trope)

The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, Thad Carhart (nonfic, had its moments but sometimes I got annoyed with it)

Note by Note, Tricia Tunstall (nonfic, about piano lessons, I found it deeply annoying unfortunately)

Madensky Square, Eva Ibbotson (this is technically a reread but I’d remembered so little and it mattered to me so much; starred)

Shadow and Bone, Leigh Bardugo (beginning of the Grisha Trilogy, the rest of which is sitting on my TBR shelf! As is Six of Crows, which I expect to be more relevant to my interests)

So, that is a huge amount of books, anyone who made it through all that is truly heroic, but if you have read some and have thoughts, come discuss them! Or just tell me what you’ve been reading lately that you love.

#shut up nell #hopefully at least someone will find this list entertaining or useful

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hbhoe · 7 years

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Band of Brothers Homecoming AU

-homecoming week is here! - this means lots of pranks, so of course the terrible trio of malarkey, muck and penkala are wreaking havoc - they filled vice principal sobel’s office with cups of water and put his stapler in jell-o - they got detention but claim it was totally worth it - Winters and Nixon are those seniors who’ve been dating since week one freshman year and never once had a fight - nix asked dick to prom by having the marching band spell out the question on the field while playing “can’t take my eyes off of you” and it was pretty iconic. they say dick cried - perconte is in the band and he plays a mean trumpet solo - you can always tell where he is during shows because he’s the smallest guy on the field with the most energy - Lipton plays the tuba and he’s also a drum major - Speirs is a walking bad boy trope - he wears a leather jacket and rides a motorcycle and they say he once went to juvi for stealing cigarettes?? - So it’s weird that he’s always at the football games, waiting for the halftime show so he can stare at Lip as he’s conducting - And it’s all very intense and confusing until Speirs finally admits he’s been working up the courage to ask lip out since they were sophomores - Lip promises to meet Speirs behind the bleachers after the homecoming halftime show ;) - Webster is a Nerd™ - but he looks like a movie star and has lots of friends and punk skater boy Liebgott is so annoyed?? - Lieb always tries to get Web’s notes from class, to which he vehemently refuses - cMON WEB WHY YOU HOLDING OUT ON ME!?“ - literally no one is surprised when they’re caught furiously making out behind a bookshelf in the library - George Luz is the class clown - but when he’s not being The Most™ with his countless friends, he can always be found in the theater working on the next show - He’s president of the theater department and this year the fall musical is In the Heights - he plays the lead, of course - Bill Guarnere and Joe Toye are stagehands - they both thought theater was lame until Luz dragged them into it - (that is, Joe dragged Bill into it, because Joe may or may not have a MAJOR crush on a certain George Luz) - but shut up about it or he’ll break ur jaw - Eugene Roe is very quiet and just a little emo, but he’s studying sports medicine and he’s on the sidelines at every game in case someone gets hurt - bright eyed freshman Babe Heffron brings smiles everywhere he goes - He and Gene have been making eyes at each other for months - but gene is shy, and the homecoming dance is fast approaching and he still hasn’t gathered the courage to ask babe out - Gene’s best friend, Renee, is done with watching the incessant pining - She befriends Babe and subtly drops a hint that Gene may never get over his social anxiety enough to express his feelings - a delighted Babe walks right up to gene in the cafeteria, gets down on one knee, and asks Gene to the dance in front of all their friends - All Gene can manage is a breathless "y-yeah, babe, i’ll go with you” - everyone cheers and it’s super embarrassing but babe is sitting next to gene and holding his hand and the world is so colorful now?? - Game night is here and the team is READY - Buck Compton is the star quarterback and all the ladies love him - he’s already got a full ride to university for football - Bull Randleman and Johnny Martin are the best defensive lineman on the team - They’re both super intimidating, but you won’t find two people more protective of their friends - If you mess with his freshmen, you’re gonna catch Bull’s hands - Harry Welsh and his girlfriend, head cheerleader Kitty Grogan, win homecoming king and queen - no one disagrees. they’re the perfect couple - Harry spends the rest of the night grinning like a dope while he dances with Kitty - Liebgott shows up to the dance with his sk8er squad, which consists of Hoobler, Tipper, and Shifty Powers - Web is just a little shook - Lieb actually put on clothing that isn’t ripped, his tux is well fitted and his hair is gelled and Webster can’t believe how GAY he is for this punk - he can’t even be mad when he notices Liebgott is wearing vans with his tux - Web compliments Lieb and the kid just blushes and says something like, “yeah well you’re a geek, let’s dance” - This is nixon and winters’ fourth homecoming dance - They spend most of their time talking with teachers, doling out advice to underclassmen and slow dancing - that is, until it’s halfway through the night and Nix is just a little tipsy from the contents of the flask he snuck in - the two of them clock out early because the School Dads are too old for this shit - Lipton and Spiers, also graduating seniors, show up right when Winters and Nix are leaving - Lipton has a fresh hickey on his neck - Spiers looks just a little bit proud - They slow dance and start kissing tenderly and Principal Sink tries reminding them to leave room for the holy spirit - but only before getting a barrel of gatorade dumped on his head by the Terrible Trio - they run away in triumph and once more Sink wonders why he ever chose to be an educator - Chuck Grant has a band that plays almost every school dance - They’re called “Airborne” and they’re really good - George Luz decides to ask them a favor - During the band’s second set, George gets onstage and announces he’s going to perform a song for “someone very special out there tonight ;)” - he literally wrote a song called “Boy Toye” - its an epic love ballad with iconic lines such as “you only have one leg but 12/10 would bang” and “your eyes are brown like beautiful, wet dirt” - who could forget the refrain, “my life would be joy if you were my boy toye” ? - it’s all so ridiculous and theatrical and so completely LUZ that joe doesn’t even think to be embarrassed - “c'mere, asshole” joe mutters as he pulls a grinning Luz off the stage - everyone cheers when George stands on his toes to kiss Joe on the cheek - babe and gene are clumsy and unpracticed but they keep on dancing because they like being close together - it’s all just pureness, blushing and smiles with those two - Of COURSE they won the game and Buck Compton spends the whole dance triumphantly grinning at people and talking to his admirers - Muck, Malarkey and Penkala are the last to leave because they have to clean up as punishment for their shenanigans

#gosh this ended up being p long #but i really enjoyed getting it all out and written #i love these boys so much and i want their happiness #winnix #speirton #baberoe #webgott #luztoye #band of brothers headcanon #bob headcanons #bob high school au #writing

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davidslivens · 5 years

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Number 12: Viticulture, designed by @jameystegmaier and Alan Stone, with art from @bethsobel and published by Stonemaier Games. Continuing my list of the top 25 games I’ve discovered over the past year with this fruity number, with a lovely aftertaste of brilliance. 🍷🍇👫 Viticulture would for sure be in my top 10 were it not for another worker placement game usurping it mid-year. In this beautiful game (as always, Beth Sobel’s art is a delight to pore over) you are vineyard owners, slowly cultivating your own wines to fulfill orders and make a name for yourself amongst the other winemakers scattered about the Italian landscape. 🍇👫🍷 Viticulture is a classic worker placement at its core, with each player having limited opportunities to use each space: taking cards, planting vines, giving tours for money, etc. It’s also the first worker placement game I’d ever played, and had lead me to pursue all sorts of worker placement games since. What a way to be introduced to the genre! Unlike some other worker placement games, Viticulture manages to keep a really calm and relaxing vibe throughout, really making the theme shine through. It’s just a lovely time every time we play! 🍇🍷👫 This is incidentally the first Stonemaier game I’ve played, and definitely makes me want to try their others. There’s only one reason this isn’t in the top 10, and I’ll explain that when I get to it, but Viticulture is by far one of my favourite worker placement games, crushing the competition (#punintended). A well deserved 12 on my top 25 of the last year! #viticulture #jameystegmaier #stonemaiergames #boardgame #boardgames #boardgamegeek #boardgamesofinstagram #boardgamenight #boardgamer #boardgaming #gamer #gaming #games #game #tabletop #tabletopgames #hobby #boardgameaddict #winemaking #vineyard #mytop25games #gamenight https://www.instagram.com/p/BrX1qN_j9QL/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1o8jbtk8q1vzf

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mercurygray · 4 years

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Can you write Peggy Carter encounters the 1940s Girl Gang? Pretty please with a pinch of (rationed) sugar sprinkled on top?

It wasn't every day that one got to meet a group of superheroes.

For girls like Marjorie and June, with younger brother comic book fiends at home, it was akin to meeting God, a figure often discussed but rarely understood, but even those among them who had no siblings had a vague understanding of who the Howling Commandos were, either from newsreels of their real exploits, or the radio show of their slightly fictionalized ones, or (in Judy's case) because they were a frequent feature in the Hollywood fan magazines.

(The admirers, it should be noted, were also not strictly limited to the younger set - Leibgott, who maintained loudly that Captain America was for kids and The Shadow was really the superior Sunday night radio program, had leaned, ever so subtly, on Ruth to see if he could tag along with the girls to the pub that evening. She had declined.)

But tonight, it seemed, was less about Cap's Crusaders and more about the lady paratroopers, Ruth, Doris, Billie and June holding court at the bar with the Commandos practically eating out of Ruth's hand as she pantomimed her way through one of Sobel's more fantastic failures.

"Something bothering you?" Joan asked, returning from the bar with two Gimlets and slightly less of her usual froideur after Dernier had insisted, as the representative of a grateful nation, on giving every woman present the traditional bises.

"Just thinking that Dugan looks familiar," Marjorie said pensively, taking her drink and sipping thoughtfully. "Where from, I couldn't say. He must just have one of those faces."

Joan frowned. "How many men in bowler hats do you know?"

Marjorie had little time to answer - the door swung open and the main event breezed in with a woman at his elbow, a capable looking thing with very bright lipstick and a steely eye. The Commandos gave a shout of recognition from the bar, and Captain Rogers acknowledged them with a wave and a smile before steering his companion towards the back of the room, and Joan and Marjorie.

"Ladies, allow me to introduce Peggy Carter, our Strategic Scientific Reserve liaison, and a valuable member of the team. Agent Carter, this is Sergeant Gordon - and -"

"Lieutenant Warren," Joan supplied. She'd missed the earlier run-in at their billets and had been read in later, Marjorie complaining that her brothers would never believe her if she didn't have at least one witness.

"- both with the 506th Paratroopers."

"Pleasure to meet you." Carter shook hands with Joan and Marjorie, looking over the two women with a quiet sort of expression that might have been admiration and might have been censure - with the British it was sometimes impossible to tell. "I'm not sure you have a bigger fan than Captain Rogers; he's been following you all very closely after some of the letters his fans have sent in."

"Yes, we heard," Marjorie said with a grin.

"Which reminds me - I brought some with!" Rogers remembered, reaching into his pocket and (with the air of a delighted father) pulling out several well-creased drawings for Joan and Marjorie to admire.

"Oh, look, Joan, she's doing the pose from that picture that Time ran!" Marjorie said, pointing out the woman with the parachute (still open) standing behind Dugan's bowler hat and Morita's slouchy jeep cap.

"Goodness, so she is. Going to want to lose that 'chute if she wants to fight the Germans, though," Joan said with a chuckle. "Might slow her down a little."

"See - you're already a superhero," the Captain said with a smile. "Why not hang up the jump wings and join us? We offer great benefits. See Europe first."

"With all due respect, Captain," Joan said, passing the stack of drawings back, "Why not use what you already have?" Her eyes tracked pointedly to Agent Carter.

"My involvement with the unit's a bit...hush-hush," Peggy said with an abbreviated smile. "The SSR likes to keep out of the public eye, when we can." Joan and Marjorie nodded. "And I don’t quite fit the whole ‘all-American’ bill - as you’ve noticed. I've been telling him you ladies are probably far better fixed here than you'd be with the Commandos."

Joan gave a sorry smile. "Sorry, Captain - she's right. I fought too hard for too long for what I've got now, and I can't go back." She looked at the drawings, sitting on the table. "America's girls are depending on us."

Rogers gave a congenial shrug. "Well, you can't fault a fellow for trying. Drinks?" Marjorie and Joan shook thier heads, and Steve nodded, going to the bar for what was apparently an unspoken regular order of Agent Carter's.

"He seems like a nice guy," Marjorie observed, quietly. "I wasn't expecting that."

"He really is," Carter said with a smile. "It's not an act, it's ...just him."

"And...no hard feelings about us turning him down?" Joan asked, out of an excess of caution.

Agent Carter's smile widened knowledgeably. "Captain Rogers knows a little bit about having to fight for something," she said. "He'll understand you completely."

The Shadow was a regular Sunday night radio show on CBS; Orson Welles was perhaps the most famous voice actor involved, and the show’s signature catchphrase “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? Only the Shadow knows” still comes up in pop culture today.

Also, because I feel I should mention it anytime I bring up vintage radio - anyone interested in vintage radio should know that WDCB, a jazz station near Chicago, does vintage programming from 11 am to 4 pm CST on Saturdays. You can access a stream on their website, here. Occasionally they do old-time radio shows like Captain Midnight or The Shadow!

#1940s girl gang #howling commandos #all the alternate universes #I have written a thing #UGH why does tumblr keep eating my Read Mores?!#so the world's kind of on fire and this is silly #but maybe this makes someone smile today

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