In the Shits - Navy Days - part four

In the early seventies

We ran out of the Cape,

To make sure we were ready

In the event WW III was deemed necessary.

A Russian trawler dogged us

To survey the launching a Poseidon Missile

Through the Bermuda Triangle

The mucky-ups were all perturbed

The Russians had the effrontery

In wanting to keep track of our ability

To bomb them back to the Stone Age.

One captain shot flares at them.

When that didn’t keep them 10,000 yards away

He loaded an armed torpedo.

You can sooth yourself with the idea he was bluffing,

Or if you’re of that bent, that he was serious.

Either way,

The trawler wouldn’t know anything about it,

Nor would my Russian counter part

And fellow peon

I was watching through my binoculars

and flashed the peace sign.

He waved back.

Once, all us line-handlers

Stood at attention for a couple of hours in the rain

On the back of the sub

Waiting on the Secretary of the Navy

To come watch us leave.

I gave him the peace sign, too,

For which I also got in the shits.