We had just enough days of TLE to stay in the hotel until my parents came with stuff to hold us over until our household goods was delivered. My parents were going to let us borrow their extra car, but right before Christmas my mom was in an accident and the car was totaled, so they didn’t have one for us to borrow. (She’s fine, by the way.) But about a week before we got to our town, they bought a replacement, so when they came to help, they left a car so we didn’t have to pay for a month of a rental. Also while they were here, helping us paint (GUYS! Did I mention we could paint!? I was so excited.), the movers called and said they had our stuff – two weeks ahead of time! We only had to go four days with air mattresses and paper plates. They showed up, albeit a bit late, but with all our stuff, and nothing was even broken. The delivery was two days ago, and we’re almost completely unpacked.
It sounds like a lie, right? Like a military fairy tale. It’s totally not. And that, that is how I know the military has messed with my mind.
Because NO ONE HAS A MOVE LIKE THAT.
It’s like the Great White Buffalo of PCS moves. It doesn’t happen. But it did. And instead of sitting on our couch in our lovely new home, toasting to a move well done, I am doing laps, biting my nails, trying to figure out what is going to go wrong soon. Because something has to, right? Right?
Whenever I talk to a friend, they inevitably ask how the move went. And I tell them. Friends with no military ties just say oh, that’s great! And then move on to other questions. Military friends go silent. I can feel the disbelief. Then they do their follow ups – What do you MEAN, nothing went wrong? Are you sure? Maybe you’re missing a box and don’t know? Have you opened everything? Are you in the right town? I had one friend tell me to move immediately because the house is probably on a sink hole.
At least I know I’m not alone in my fear.
