garySkito

I sent a non-fiction story about friendship and what happened on deployment to Men's Journal and Men's Health. (perhaps we shouldn't try to catch a whale with a one inch hook?) this was Men's Journal:

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Thank you very much for your query. Unfortunately, it doesn't suit our present editorial needs. The enormous number of queries we receive makes it difficult to reply individually— please accept our apology.

Thanks again for thinking of Men's Journal.

Sincerely,

The Editors


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so I'll leave you with this;

"Try and fail, but don't fail to try."

guy walks into a strip club and sits down. his buddy to his right.

he points his finger to the blonde on the stage, saying

guy: excuse me miss, you know that mole on your thigh.

blonde looks down

blonde: yeah?

guy: you might wanna get that looked at, melanoma's the most common cancer for women, especially blondes.

blonde continues dancing, her face showing slight intrigue.

blonde: what's your name?

guy: richard

blonde: i'm cherry daiquiry

she  bends over and pauses for effect, showing serious cleavage.

blonde: it's not my REAL name.



richard leaves.



some time passes and richard comes back to the same strip club. he notices cherry on the stage.

richard: hey! you changed your hair.

cherry: yeah, because of what you said about blondes getting skin cancer.



richard: good thinking...



---

off of the movie choke. based on a novel, by chuck palahniuk.

but right now... i'm back.

it'd say to me: "hey you, i haven't seen you around in a while."

and i'd say "i've been busy, you know, with a different lifestyle comes a different life"

d: "drastic changes i see, so drastic i barely recognize you"

g: "a recurring event, i barely recognize myself sometimes."

d: "at least you come back from time to time, do you think it's all worth it?"

g: "well with all the work and progress and sacrifices and changes, it's hard to not fall into pieces. i've had my fair share of accompishments, which by the way, i'm extremely proud of. i've done amazing things, met great people and i don't regret a single moment. but i can't shake the feeling that i left behind some of who i used to be, which... was pretty great too."

d: "yeah, true, but you've been busy, it's got to be hard work. maybe you're trying to be too many things at one time. artist, athlete, marine, husband, brother, son... can anyone really expect you to be great at one thing?"

g: "i'm not exactly up to par to anyone's standard these days, much less my own."

g: "and i'm talking to deviant art now, so now it's 'artist, athlete, marine, husband, brother, son, CRAZY PERSON.' in no particular order."

3 weeks to go in afghanistan... almost home.