How long will it be before Gabe notices this?

The life of Loi

His name is Loi Loy. Conceived in 1942, delivered in 1943. Loi, was a going-away gift from his father (to his mother, Lucille), because Eldo (his father), was disembarking, on a troop ship from New York City to England. Loi had been named Loi, because it made a cute little rhyme with the family name. At the time, beautiful and fun for a newborn.

Loi grew up in a small western Kansas town and graduated from high school in 1961 and for all his efforts, at eighteen, he was required by law, to register for the draft into the United States Army. Well to keep all this short and to the point, Loi was not happy. Loi didn’t want to join the army or be forced to join the army, but Loi had no choice. Loi knew it’d only be a matter of time, before he’d be called into the service. Everyone else he knew, had met their fate. It was the law and the way of the land back in 1961.

A nice fresh war was being concocked by the government in the far away Vietnam. Until this time, Loi had never heard of Vietnam, nor had anyone else in America to be sure. Loi didn’t know where it was on the map, nor did anyone else. Still, the news was full of Vietnam in 1961 and still, Loi had no interest. Loi did not want to go into the army… Infact, when asked why and why not that he didn’t want to join the navy or airforce instead, Loi explained that he didn’t want to go to any of them. Loi, just didn’t want to go to the service… Period!

Well, Loi went to college. It was the only way out. Loi’d found a way to hide behind a legal draft deferment for college… And it worked beautifully for several years until the afternoon, of January 18, 1967. Loi came home from the haven of college to find his draft notice fresh out of the mail and sitting on the living room table.

Loi shipped off with a bus load of other young me to the induction center in Denver colorado. He spent the day walking around in his underwear being examined by doctors. Why not… Loi had, become no more than a piece of meat. He passed and was sent to a Basic Training center at Fort Bliss Texas.

Prime cut. They cut his hair, dressed him in green and then, he was taught to march. Taught to shoot a rifle. Taught to stab a bayonet, taught to throw a grenade, polish boots, scream, “Yes Sir!” at the top of his lungs. Taught to obey commands without question… (though he had many questions.)

Loi passed basic training and took a short leave home. Then he was off to Ft. Leonardwood for AIT. Advanced Individual Training. Loi was at one time slated to go to a school in Georgia. They (the army) told him he could have a school in Aviation Avionics Equipment Repair, because he’d been to college, but that didn’t materialize. Loi went to Infantry training instead. Loi learned how to kill with the rifle, bayonet, grenade, entrenching tool, grenade launcher and hand to hand combat.

Loi passed with flying colors and was promoted to private first class for his efforts. Loi went on a short leave home. He kissed his mother and girlfriend goodbye and then boarded an airplane for the eighteen hour trip to Vietnam. He flew to Alaska, Japan and on to Vietnam. He arrived in the middle of the night on January 15, 1968.

He flew by helicopter from Long Bien to Phu Loi. Loi got a kick out of that name. He spent a couple of days in the Admin Company as a perimeter guard and then he received orders and was flown up to a a small airfield by the name of Phouc Vinh. It was once a French army base. Loi thought this was his final destination, but like always it was the Army way of doing things and then on the twenty-ninth of January he was ordered to Hue. It took two days and three helicopter trips to get there from Phouc Vinh. Hue was a very different and historical place. Hue was the former capital of Ancient Vietnam.

Before Loi could even get his duffle bag stowed away the Vietcong launched a massive attack all over vietnam and the worst seemed to be directed a t Hue. For the next three days, Loi learned how to use his new M-16, learned to kill with it. Loi learned how to kill with a grenade and the M-79 grenade launcher. Loi got to try out all his newly aquired skills of how to kill.

Now! How’s this Hannah! Much more like you’ve seen before. It’s really crazy what happens when you put colored pencil on top of all that black Sharpie pen, Huh?

I guess my months of doom and gloom have finally paid off. This has all happened before, but not for as long. I guess its best described as “Shifting gears”. Lots of grinding and frustration, but I’ve come out in the end. The results have been really exciting for me.

I’ve been covering the whole sheet of paper with Sharpie pen and then going over the drawing with colored pencil and it just knocks me out how bright things are. I’m really on a roll with this.

I drew this last night during Star Trek. I just love the way colored pencil works so well with Sharpie Pen.