My first assignment — it was so typically Army you must hear about it: It was the eve of Thanksgiving, and I was scrubbing toilets out with a big brush, with a big scrubbing brush. I was busy scrubbing these latrines out and so forth, and an officer came to me and said,
“Come with me and bring the brush.”
So I said,
“Come with me and bring the brush.”
It was a huge pile of celery, they were preparing it for the officer’s mess the next day.
He says, “clean this celery off.”
I said, “but this brush, I just used it for cleaning toilets…”“That doesn’t make any difference, if it looks shiny and clean, that’s the Army, that’s all we want to know.”So there I was cleaning that celery for the officers the next day for their Thanksgiving dinner with a toilet brush. That’s so typically Army. I mean it’s marvelous, you know, and it just goes on. (Faith of an Observer)
Here’s a vegetable brush:
This is a whole new remembrance as I go to prepare my Thanksgiving dinner. Right now, all we have is celery and cranberries… waiting for Stu to be paid. It made me laugh all over again in this grim situation. Thanks for the laugh, Deila.
I think this is one of my favorite Nibley stories. It made me laugh the first time I watched Faith of an Observer and it still makes me laugh. When I first watched that movie, I realized that Brother Nibley thought so much along the same lines as I do — but he is much more intelligent, of course. I just think he was an amazing man. I am definitely looking him up on the other side. I know we could have a great time with all of our stories back and forth! One thing’s for sure, this life gives us some truly unique experiences, doesn’t it, Deila?
I am sure glad I didn’t have to serve in the military — and I know Nibley wondered why he had to see such evil things. We often don’t understand all the experiences that God puts in our path —
Sometimes, years later, I see why I had to go through the trials I have. Many times I find I am able to strengthen others as they go through similar experiences. That is why the Savior is the best to comfort us. He has endured many more things than we will ever have to endure in this life.
Oh, my goodness! I am laughing and grossed out at the same time!