Topside Sentry

Today I stood watch for five and one-half hours. This is normal when you're waiting to class up. I'll be on hold for a month or two, most likely. But that's another story. Actually, that's about all there is too it, but whatever. So like I was saying, I had to stand watch for a long time.I've stood four hour watches before, but not five and a half. The watch I had to stand is called topside sentry, commonly called the rover. Basically, you rove the building with a checklist and make sure certain doors are locked, building isn't burning down or flooding, and everyone inside it has a security badge (it was in a secured building). All the roves at sub school are continuous, meaning you're supposed to keep moving the whole time. Most people just rove every hour and check off the things on the list (some don't even rove, and just check everything as "secure") and hang out on the quarterdeck (entryway) with the P.O.O.D. The Petty Officer Of the Deck is the person who checks badges and sometimes bags as people enter the building, and keeps a log of all the major goings-on. Well, I, being the squared-away Sailor I am, rove continuously. For five and one-half hours. In a single building. With five stories. And I'm not allowed to use the elevator, which I wouldn't have used anyways. Needless to say, I am very tired. The joints in my legs hurt, and my legs feel weak. But it could always be worse, as I am so fond of saying. I can't really think of anything that makes sense right now, though. I guess I could have had to RUN my rove. That wouldn't have been fun. Or I could have been realived late. Before I assumed my watch, I had to be inspected. I was "[explitive deleted]-near perfect". Of course I was, I'm a Silver Dolphin! it's our job to be sat (that's short for "satisfactory"). Of course, the cape/collar on my blues was a little messed up from the dry cleaners (they always end up putting double creases in), but my shoes were VERY shiny (my roommate thought they were corframs, which are the shiney plastic shoes), and the guy inspecting me was impressed by how clean my dixie cup (white hat) was. He also thought my neckerchief was perfect. But enough about how good I look.
Look! I'm starting a new paragraph. Fancy that. Tomorrow I'm in the colorguard for the retirement ceremony of a Senior Chief. I'm the left rifle. it's pretty sweet because it gets me out of cleaning, which, aside from stading watch, is all you do while in hold. I believe that is all I have to say for now. I am very frustrated with how hard it is to find the perfect used car. All I want is something affordable, reliable, be able to carry lots of people or stuff, get great gas mileage, be quick enough to do bad things to your spine, handle well enough to turn on a dime with nine cents change, and be located just down the street. Is that too much to ask?
-The Albatross