Shouts and squeals roused Aldo from his sleep. The sounds disoriented him because they were high-pitched and youthful. Not the grunts and body sounds of grown men in close quarters. He wasn"t on the base, but he wasn"t some place unfamiliar to him.
"You"re taking forever."
"Other people need to get ready for school."
Yes, those wails he remembered. For years, Aldo had risen late in the morning in the foster home to a smelly shared bathroom as boys got ready for the day. In the military, morning rituals had been more regimented, but the sounds and smells were much the same. There was nothing like the bickering of siblings to get a man to roll out of bed on the wrong side.
Aldo had spent his formative years in the bunkhouse with his five brothers as they got ready each morning for school
