AIR CAV DAYS IN GERMANY: THE COLD WAR ADVENTURES OF REV

Chapter 37 WHY ARE ROAD TRIPS ALWAYS TOO SHORT?

After a quick shower in the morning they loaded up the Polo. "Slow road along the shore?" asked Revv. "Only if you drive Revv," stoutly demanded Wahoo. "I'm offended," Beagle replied. "Ah dohtn't care. Ah just want to make it home safe." Revv drove the winding cliff road west out of Monaco along the Mediterranean Sea. They stopped at a few of the scenic overlooks along the way before cutting Northeast towards Milan. "What a view!" said Revv at one of the countless scenic overlooks. "I feel like James Bond." "Ah don't think James Bond would set ever set foot in a Polo," said Wahoo. "Just let me dream," said Revv with a contented smile.

Driving through Milan they were assaulted by out of work men who wanted to wash the Polo's windows at intersections. "Don't make eye contact," said Beagle. "This is like NY City. Just ignore them." One by one the window washing men walked away. "Wheww," said Beagle. "Those guys always scare me."

Slowly driving through intersections filled with the window washing brigades they stopped near the city center of Milan for a whirl wind tour. Not having much time they speed walked through the Fontana Piazza of Milan for thirty minutes before hitting the road again.

"Awesome city but I am surprised by the window washer guys," said Revv. "Why? They are all over NY and New Jersey," replied Beagle. "Yah, but we really don't have them in the U.P. Besides, I always thought Italy didn't have poor people." "Ehvery country has poor people." "Yah, but all those posters about visiting Italy, beautiful achitecture, tons of food, the Italians in my home town raved about Italy." "Evah think about why there ancestors imigrated?" Revv pondered that for a second, "Never thought of that. Guess every country has its hidden issues." "Some worse than others. See those immigrant workers in Monaco." "Yah, they looked North African." "Prahbaly live ten people to a room in some French village close to Monaco." "Thought I had it bad being from an iron mining family." "We're just lucky to be Born in The U.S.A!.," sang Beagle causing Revv and Wahoo to roll their eyes.

"Beagle take the A 9 towards Lichtenstein," said Revv looking at the road map. "We can stop for a drink and at least say we visited Lichtenstein." "Is it the main Autobahn?" asked Wahoo. "Ahv had it with windy mountain roads." "Yah, we follow the main Autobahn all the way," said Revv calming Wahoo's fears.

Darkness settled while they drove through the Swiss Alps, they were somewhat disappointed because they were missing the scenery along the way. "Whoo hoo!" yelled Wahoo waking them out of a driving induced stupor. "What!" asked Revv almost jumping out of his seat. "Whar in Lichtenstein." "Yah, but it's dark and I can't see shit," said Beagle. "Let's stop at a cheap restaurant anyway," said Revv. "Sounds good to me. I need to take a whiz and you can drive for awhile Revv," said Beagle. Beagle took an exit towards Vaduz the capital of the small country.

They didn't have any trouble finding an inexpensive place with bratwurst and fries. Slowly looking around Revv said, "This looks like a blue collar place." "You said you wanted cheap," replied Beagle. "I'm too tired to do much anyway, let alone try to talk to some locals." Wahoo remained silent still dreaming of the girl from Geneva. They didn't linger over their dinner but managed to walk up and down the main strip before leaving.

Revv drove in the dark until finally turning off of the Autobahn at a rest stop. They were still in Switzerland but he was tired and nodding off at the wheel. Shutting off the car he realized they were in a pleasant wooded parking lot. Deciding to camp there for the night, they rolled out their trusty sleeping bags on the bed of needles that had accumaluted below the tall alpine pines. The pine needles made a cruncing as they settled into their sleeping bags for the night. Beagle had to ask, "What is it tonight Revv?" "Glad you asked," said Revv who had been thinking too hard again. "You know what I still find weird?" "What do you find weird?" Beagle and Wahoo answered in unison. They were getting accustomed to this routine by now. Not bored, but bordering on overly familiar. "There are so many friendless people in the army." "Why do you think that is?" asked Beagle. "I don't know. Education maybe, social skills, it all starts at home, parents need to teach their children to be social and well mannered." "Sounds logical," said Wahoo. "You need to still let them be kids," added Beagle. "I'm up with that," said Revv. "But why does the army have so many maladjusted kids?" "Prahbaly because their parents couldn't affahd to send them to college. The army was their best choice to find work." "Yah, look around the barracks. Kids with backgrounds like us join the Army, ever see any rich kids living in the barracks?" "Guess not," answered Revv after giving himself a moment to ponder.