Life of a trainee

Title

Life of a trainee

Creator

Asuncion, Fortunato

Language

English

Subject

Soldiers -- Training of

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Abstract

[This shows a conversation between father and son in which the latter aspires to be a soldier as his father. The father briefly recounted the training activities they had at camp.]

Fulltext

260 THE YOUNG CITIZEN October, 1.9.'/6 LIFE: OF A TRAINE:E: Incredible, But-By Fortunato Asuncion (A trainee is one who undergoes training. In this case it is military training that was undergone.) A trainee-he was a father, to be exact-released a sigh of relief when h<' came out of the gate of the once Manila Garrison. Directly, he went home. How happy the small family was! The son who was the noisiest of the group stared at his father f ~om head to foot. The father upon noticing this stood .H <mention, perhaps to impress the young son, or perhaps to display his uniform-a sanitary inspector's uniform. as someone remarked. "I will be a soldier like father." boasted the boy who stood erect. put his chest out and gave an awkward military salute. Happily, rhr couple laughed. truded over the limit of the meter stick. His height and weight were being determined. In another corner was a dreamy-eyed fellow who found much difficulty in passing the vision test-how would he when he said blue for orange .1nd C for lly A. B. L. R. A mounted white crow is owned by Mr. Adriano G. do? Gorastiza. of Pasay, Rizal. Another crow, spotted with white, was once kept alive by Mr. Felix ~suncion, of Magdalena. Laguna. Beef can be preserved for three or four months when ~levated thirt) feet from the ground at Haight's Place, Mountain Province, believed to be the coldest place in the Philippines. Meat easily spoils when kc pt inside the house at Haight' s Place unless it is preserved some way. "You are eager to be a soldier. E? In the other corner was a huCesar, aren't you? You might man sack filled to che very neck change your mind when you learn hopping and jumping with much the hard !if.? I spent there," said difficulty. In the center of'the ha:t When the waters of the Pasig River and the Manila Bay rise only a few feec. most parts of the City of Manila become flooded. Manib stands on ground which is but one foot above high water. and there are even places in the city which <1re below high water. the father to the son. was a man whose heart was being ··no tell us, Father, whac you examined by a physician. The The population of Cebu, a small did there." phycical examination was long and island, is almost equal to that of Father, mother, and son gathered thorough. I was filled with jov Mindanao. one of the largest isin a small room. The father be- when the head doctot pronounced lands in the world, which is heganWe were in' the assembly hall p.;:.ssing a line of doctors and thei~ assist<l;nts. "Take off your shirt!" commanded the first assistant. ''Your pants!" barked the second. " your shoes!.. " your socks!" your everything!'' "Father, do you need to do that to be a soldier?" interrupted Cesar. "Aren't you ashame to take df your clothes there? I think. I just can't. I'll be terribly embarr.:i.ssed." "But you have to," continued the father. "Obedience is the first thing to observe in military life." Then he continued. The hall offered a very peculiar sight. In one corner was a tall man -exceedingly tall for his head prome fit for the work. faved to have enough natural In the afternoon of that first day wealth and resources co support the whole population of the Philipwe were given our supplies-rift.~. pines. b<:.yonet, belt, sling, ecc. After findir.g our quarters, we retired. Thus, The smallest bird in the Philended our first day in the training ippines is only as large as an ordicamp. uary person's thumb. MANILA STEAM LAUNDRY DRY CLEANING & DYEING 651-653 Magdalena, Manila TELEPHONE 4-96-89 Special Service: HOTELS, DORMITORIES' and HOMES

pages

260

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