Mr. Cranky hereby swears on a stack of Bibles that the following story is absolutely true, not embellished! Filed in the strange but true section of my blog.
In 1981 I sold special secure computer equipment to Marine Corp Intelligence Headquarters located in the Navy Annex on a hill behind the Pentagon. As we installed the equipment, I was showing a young, 18-year-old, fresh from an Iowa farm, Marine how to operate the system. We were working in a secure SCIF vault when suddenly we heard a knock on the door in the next room.
As we looked into the room, in the lobby for Marine Corps Intelligence, a disheveled woman was waiting to speak with the young Marine. The Marine asked the woman if he could help her, and she proceeded to place an old white art-deco radio on the counter. She began to tell the tale that brought her there that day.
The woman said, “Hello young man, I’m an Alien. I’ve been on your planet since 1952, and since that time, I’ve been instrumental in putting down revolutions in many countries, in Brazil in 54, Argentina in 57, and the Congo in 61, to name a few. The reason I’m here is today, I was listening to this radio here, which picks up foreign agents, and I overheard a plot to overthrow the United States government. I want your help; you see, as I was listening to the agents, they sensed my presence, scarred my brain, and damaged my radio so it no longer picks up agents; it only plays radio stations. I’d like to help you put down that revolution and was hoping you could fix my radio.”
The young, inexperienced Marine listened to the entire story. Never cracked a smile and calmly explained to the woman. “Madame, I’m very sorry, but if there are foreign agents involved, you don’t want Marine Corps Intelligence; you want Counter-Intelligence. And they are down the hall.”
Got to love the Marines! Semper Fi!
