Can I Have Fries With That Grenade Launcher?

SoHos reminded me of a recent story I told to my friends.



As many of you know, my buddy Corin was recently deployed to Iraq. I've been in communication with him via email since he's left. I'm always asking him if there's anything that he needs. We would do our best to send him whatever he wants/needs.



Some of the things he mentioned were typical. There was the blue powder Gatorade, a pack of handkerchiefs, Dunhill cigarrettes, etc. There was one request that caught my attention. Not because it was unexpected (actually, it was), but because it was something I thought might catch some attention from other folks. He asked me if I could find him a cleaning kit for his M203.



Now, Corin carries an M4, which is a shortened version of the M16. Attached to the underside of his M4 is a grenade launcher. That's the M203. I thought about this for a second. Then, it was too good to pass up. I walked into a local gun store here in New City. I asked the guy at the front desk:



Me: "Excuse me, do you have a cleaning kit for an M203?"



Guy behind the desk: "....M203....M203....M203...........(about 10 seconds go by)....Isn't that a grenade launcher?"



Me: "Yes."



Guy behind the desk: "...........................(I swear I got a full 30 second stare as if I were Al Qaeda standing in front of him)........"



I couldn't keep a straight face after 30 seconds, so I busted out laughing: "It's for my friend of mine who's in Iraq. He says they're short of them and could really use a cleaning kit."



Guy behind the desk: "..............OOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Well, I just don't think I have anything big enough to cover that. Go over to that wall and tell me what the biggest shotgun brush we have is."



Me: "....... 12 gauge."



Guy behind the desk: "Nope. Won't do. Sorry, sir."



Me: " That's okay. Thank you."



I left laughing the whole way home. Sometimes, you just got to have a little fun.