How FireAnt Became FireAnt

(When it happened- August 2007, After second deployment)

I’m sure a lot of you have been wondering why I call him FireAnt. That’s why I’m going to be dedicating this chapter to that answer. I’ll break down the night it happened and what I remember. I’ll describe FireAnt as best as I can on this night and the days to follow. This will give you another window to understanding the crazy man that I have the honor of being friends with that is known to me as, FireAnt.

I was at my apartment conducting business as usual. Drinking, fornicating with women on my phone and hanging out with Bling and the neighbors. FireAnt briefly stopped by and joined us for a little. “Geis, I’m going out to the bars. You coming?” FireAnt asked. I didn’t feel like going out tonight. I looked like shit right now wearing my, “Wal-Mart special,” grey sweat pants, a white wife beater and some sneakers with no socks. My eyes searched the ground as I looked for an excuse not to come out. My mind wasn’t working right now though. “Nah, not tonight,” I said. “What? Why not?” “Just not in the mood. I’m not even dressed.” “So, get dressed and lets go!” Dam, he has to be so persistent sometimes. “Nah, fuck that. I’m lazy.” I turned my back to him and sipped on my Southern Comfort and coke. A strong mix like usual. I wasn’t in the mood to go out and look at the eye candy that is the trash of Jacksonville.

The only caliber of women you find in the Jacksonville bars are women who are either divorced from a marine or their husband is overseas right now and she is just there looking to get her fix of dick. Look for the tan line from her wedding ring. It’s the hard truth. None of these women deserve my attention. Nor would I commit myself to a women who is fixing to seduce me back into her husband’s bedroom. “No FireAnt, I’m definitely not going out.” “Alright Cheese……fine! I’ll go out myself!”

He stormed out the my apartment slamming the door behind him. FireAnt’s comical tone even when he is angry with me always can make me smile. “He gets crazier everyday doesn’t he?” Bling asked. “Yes, yes he does. You should see him when I bring him on my travels for the weekend. More of the real FireAnt comes out.” I spent the next few hours gradually drinking while answering my text messages and phone calls. I played with my next door neighbor’s daughter, Em for a while. She liked to point at my tattoos and call them, “Boo Boos.” It would be soon that I would get a call from FireAnt. Telling me some extravagant story about how he met a beautiful girl with some friends and I should have been there to wing with him. Or he would say he got jumped by a bunch of guys and how I should have been there to help him out. One of the two or maybe even both would be said to hit me where it counts.