STORY BY R. THOM JEFFERSON

F U LIZARDS


Those F U lizards were real. Heard my first one on perimeter guard at LZ Oasis. Thought it was some guys kidding around. Later down in Phan Thiet, we had a large hole in the ground, about 20 feet across and 15 feet deep. No idea who dug it or why, but we used to keep VC prisoners in it at times. One night, I was taking a shower which was near that hole. I was walking back to my tent wearing only a towel around me, and those rubber flip flops, carrying my toilet kit, and a flash light (not on) when the lights went out. I fell into the hole. There must of been a dozen or so of those damn F U lizards in it too. You could hear them all in unison going "fu fu fu" at the same time their razor sharp claws digging into the opposite side of the hole trying to get out. I'm not sure who was the scardest, but I managed to flat foot jump out without touching anything, landing squarely on the outside, all my gear still in hand..Fear's a motivator. The lizards ran off, but I had to take another shower..

 

 

Originally posted on 1st Cavalry Association Guest Book, June 30, 2003
by, and included here with permission from R. Thom Jefferson.

İR. Thom Jefferson, 2009, All Rights Reserved.