diff --git a/The_Difference_Between_an_Idiot_and_a_Moron.md b/The_Difference_Between_an_Idiot_and_a_Moron.md index 8fac3a9..3d81eb5 100644 --- a/The_Difference_Between_an_Idiot_and_a_Moron.md +++ b/The_Difference_Between_an_Idiot_and_a_Moron.md @@ -939,60 +939,64 @@ alright. Chapter II -- Rookie Adir Levin It wasn't a direct transition to the Academy. However glamorous Adir's -station, he -- and those whom he would later study with -- must of -course go through the standard ordeal of having their souls crushed by -the army, so that the pulp can be remodeled. +station, he and those whom he would later study with must of course go +through the standard ordeal of having their souls crushed by the army, +so that the pulp can be remodeled. -There are many special facilities to do so, but Adir had had the great +There are many special facilities to do so, and Adir had had the great privilege of enjoying one of the oldest and finest of them -- the Spring -Buds Rookie base, 15km off the border, in the desert. +Buds Rookie base, in the desert 15km off the border. -Adir adapted quickly, but it was a forced, instinctual adaptation, and -he often didn't quite register what exactly was happening, and certainly -not why. He did figure it out at some point, which he remembers +Adir adapted quickly, but it was a forced, animal adaptation, and he +often didn't quite register what exactly was happening - and least of +all why. He did figure it out at some point, which he remembers especially well. It was a fiercely cold night -- a cold Adir had yet to know, -nonchalantly seeping into your bones and joints and draining you. He had -hardly come prepared in his arrogance, and was shivering bitterly in his -team's tent. +nonchalantly seeping into your bones and joints and draining you. Sharp, +slanted rain smashed bitterly against the hard, worn fabric of the tent. +Adir, in his arrogance had hardly come prepared and was shivering +peacefully in his team's tent. Everyone else was getting ready to sleep, and Adir knew he had no point -trying to rest himself before they all arrive and so was sitting in idle -misery -- a state which was quickly becoming familiar. He so enjoyed it -that he always hurried off and got ready much faster than everyone in -order to *really* take it all in. +trying to rest himself before they all arrive and sat in idle misery, +which rapidly became a familiar pastime of his. He so enjoyed it that he +always hurried off and got ready much faster than everyone in order to +*really* take it all in. His usual solitude was broken this time by Regev. Regev was a fascinating person -- he was quiet, but not of shyness like himself -- -but of silent, bitter sarcasm. Under the right circumstances, Regev +but of silent, poigant sarcasm. Under the right circumstances, Regev could stun the entire brigade with a few words of wisdom, uttered -clearly without hesitations, unsullied by so much as a twitch of facial -muscles to convey his misgivings. The commanders despised him, even -their own team's unengaged, apathic commanders coming to real fury with -him. The soldiers, of course, greatly admired him, as did. +clearly and without hesitations, unsullied by so much as a twitch of +facial muscles to convey his deep and rich misgivings. The commanders +despised him - even their own team's unengaged, apathic commanders +coming to real fury with him. Naturally, the soldiers greatly admired +him as a result. -Adir was greatly in awe and so avoided him with great determination, and -passive Regev made no real note of it. This time, however, as he slumped -on his sleeping bag, he immediately turned to Adir. +Adir was greatly in awe as well and so avoided him with great +determination, and the extremely passive Regev made no real note of it. +This time, however, as he slumped on his sleeping bag, he immediately +turned to Adir. -'You mark my words, Adir', he told him with a clear, ringing voice -devoid of emotion. 'Within three months or less, I will be a civilian'. +'You mark my words, Adir', he told him with his clear, ringing voice +utterly devoid of emotion. 'Within three months or less, I will be a +civilian'. Now, many proud fools make similar claims -- and Spring Buds is ripe -ground for it. They come like flies to an old steak, and the military -swats them accordingly. +ground for it. They come like flies to the mush of rotting vegetables +behind the dining hall, and the military swats them accordingly. -Adir had already heard dozens (that day) make similar claims. Coming -from a person such as Regev, however, it was worthy of consideration. +Adir had already heard dozens (that day!) make similar claims - but from +a person such as Regev, however, it was worthy of consideration. "\...But, we've only been here a week!" he squeaked back. "A week too long, and I will not stand many more like it. I have made up my mind." -Even in the dark, Adir could see his severe face looking him straight in -the eyes. +Even in the dark, Adir could see Regev's severe face looking him +straight in the eyes. "You mark my words -- should I still be in uniform 90 days from now, I am a stupid, spineless whoreson." @@ -1001,9 +1005,9 @@ am a stupid, spineless whoreson." "A s*tupid, spineless whoreson*." -Adir let that sink for a bit. +Adir let that sink for a bit in his feeble faculties. -"What will you do outside?" he asked. +"What will you do outside?" he prompted eventually. "Whatever the hell I want", Regev shot back quickly. @@ -1017,20 +1021,22 @@ Regev smiled widely, the first time Adir had ever seen him do so. "That's all I wanted to hear," he said, and quickly rolled up and fell asleep. -The next month or so was superemely strange. Adir found himself waking -up to a starry sky by hail smacking his face, running for shelter from -hostile mortars (which were 'thunder', according to Adir's commander. +The next month or so was supremely strange. Adir found himself woken up +to a starry sky by hail smacking his face, or running for shelter from +hostile mortars (which were 'thunder', according to Adir's commander, 'But what does thunder have anything to do with it?' He asked her, stunned - 'None of your business, soldier' she'd replied), rolling over the sand dunes simulating combat ('It was great, but when you rolled -just now, you were exposed, and you could've been shot, and killed', -she'd told him then, 'but great otherwise'), shooting on the range twice -on each run ('I've never seen anyone without a dominant shooting hand in -my life', the stunned Company Commander had said, 'Do it again'), and -even going up on guard duty for thirty minutes at the middle of the -night ('You have to get used to it,' said their Commander, to which -Regev replied 'I won't, but you do you' and lost a weekend at home), and -many other bizzare scenarios, forced on him at random. +just now, you were completely exposed, and you would've been shot, and +killed', she'd told him then, 'but great otherwise'), and shooting on +the range twice on each round ('I've never seen anyone without a +dominant shooting hand in my life', the stunned Company Commander had +said, 'Do it all over again until you figure it out'), and even going up +on guard duty for thirty minutes at the middle of the night ('You have +to get used to it,' said their Commander, to which Regev replied 'I +won't, but you do you' and lost a weekend at home), and many other +bizarre scenarios, forced on him at random, the consequences of which +often registered many days later. Throughout all that madness, Regev's words rang often in Adir's fragile psyche.