Gritty

I awoke this morning with a hacking cough, a dusty pillow and an ear full of dirt.  This isn’t because I’m a stinky kid and didn’t bother to shower before I hit the rack last night.  It’s a result of the dust storm that engulfed Baghdad yesterday and somehow found its way into the trailer I sleep in, although this should not be a surprise as a junkyard shanty has more structural integrity than my living quarters.  I know I’ve mentioned the dust storms before and today is just another example of the type of environment that stings your eyes all day long and makes you avoid looking at the contents of the tissue you just blew your nose in (not that I would do that on a normal day without a dust storm).  

 

I know the turret gunners spend their days being continuously exposed to the elements, so ears full of dirt and gritty smiles are just accepted as part of the work day.  I just didn’t think I’d get the same level of grime on me from sleeping.  I’m sure this can’t be healthy and I guess that whether I like it or not, I’ll be taking a piece of Iraq home with me...in my lungs.  

 

One good thing about the sandstorm is that it keeps the air traffic down.  The absence of roaring jets and rumbling helos makes for a quiet night’s worth of sleep.