May 2009
High School, a Combat Tour, and a Road Trip
Years back, in high school, I used most of a weeks pay from a crappy part time job to pick up a Leatherman Wave. It seemed like a good idea at the time. (Who says young folk don't have good ideas?) That Wave stayed with me for the rest of school and a few minimalist camping trips until I enlisted. The little gadget kept up for a 4 year tour in the Marine Corps infantry, including 3 combat deployments, finding a new use everyday, and often borrowed by squad-mates.
When I got back, I ended up wandering cross country a few times following work in my vehicle of choice, a ‘71 VW beetle. That Wave proved herself everyday on the job, which was whatever I could find . . . farm/construction/automotive work, but which was always very heavy duty industrial work. The tools big climax was removing my beetles engine, replacing the clutch and re-installing the engine on the side of I-70 with nothing more than my trusty Leatherman, a wrench set, and a couple of hours. Unfortunately, in the excitement of finally getting back on the road that harsh afternoon, I left my Wave on the bumper and putted into the sunset.
My good old Wave has since been replaced by a Leatherman Core and a Skeletool CX. I'm never seen without both of them on me. By the way, if anyone spots an old, scraped, scratched, and abused, but still fully functional Wave about 30 miles west of Denver along I-70 . . . give her a good home, she’s earned it.
Estrella
East Providence, RI
OK, you voyeur, you. Enough of reading other people's stories. It's time you told your own tale of gripping heroism or even just neat DIY'ism. We know there's a Shakespeare in you somewhere. Don't make us use the Steens to find it.