By Capt. Steven Alvarez | Special to the Sentinel
Posted December 21, 2004
BAGHDAD -- I have a friend who works with me here, his name, let's say, is Frankie. Frankie and his team work with us to help capture the good news stories in Iraq.
...
He is always in good spirits, no matter what is thrown his way. When I'm worried about my guys or about him and his team, he always has the same response: "Don't worry, sir."
Today, for the first time since I've known him, Frankie showed serious concern – not for himself, but for his family. He asked me if he could take a few days off. A few days ago he had witnessed the brutal killings of three Iraqi election workers, in plain view of passersby on the street. The gunmen stopped traffic and then looked for people in cars they could identify as Iraqi government workers. Once they found them, they pulled them from their cars and executed them on their knees in the middle of the street. More killings have followed.
(What did you see on your way to work today? Imagine what your mood would be like if you saw something like that as you came to work? Would you even go to work?)
Frankie went on. Someone near his home had been kidnapped. They are watching, he said, and I need to be careful.
He wanted to lay low for a few days. "Of course," I told him.
"If they get me," he said, "my family has nothing."
I shook my head. I know what he was trying to say-but he's a proud man and didn't want to say it. He wanted me to look out for his family if something happened to him, but asking your buddy to do that here is a jinx, most believe.
(more)
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/nationworld/orl-dispatches122104,1,3525393.story?coll=orl-home-headlines
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