Big Windy was a blast as always, even though I only got up there Saturday morning (friggin' work). I actually got to shake R. Lee Ermey's hand and talk to him. I was having him sign a book for my uncle John (during which time I not only failed to get him to sign something for me I forgot to get my picture with him) and started chatting with him:

Me: "You having a good time, Gunny?"

Gunny: "Oh, I always have a good time when I come out here and see you people."

Me: "Well how could anyone have a bad time with sweet full-auto music like that playing in the background?"

Gunny: (As he hands me the book) "You got that right, son. Ooh-rah!"

He's exactly as salty and crusty and cool as you'd expect him to be. But he was also really, really nice and open. He signed a couple nerf guns for the kids in the lane next door, and didn't mind one bit that everyone wanted to stop an get their picture with him. He was mobbed sometimes. Everyone expects him to shout everything, but he's actually kind of soft-spoken.

At one other point later on in the day, he saw me carrying some ammo between the trucks and the firing line as he was walking by looking kind of lost. He pulled me over (and called me "son" again; I'll be 42 next month so that was sort of nice of him) to ask if I knew "where the guy selling those cigars was... he was right over here someplace..." I told him I wasn't aware that anyone was selling cigars, but that I had a few with me and he was more than welcome to have a couple if he'd like. "Well, thank you and I appreciate the offer," he said, "but these are, ah... 'special' cigars."

So apparently the dude likes Cubans. Fair enough. But all I have are Montecristo knock-offs from Honduras. (I learned along time ago that one does not take $15 cigars to the outdoors unless one wants to waste a lot of money). But I reckoned they were still smokeable: "Well, Gunny, if you can't find your guy and I've got the only cigars on the hill, then mine will be pretty special!" He kept looking around for a couple seconds and finally said, "You got a point. I may be back to see you" and then he walked off. I assume he found his hookup because he didn't come back.

He used 30 caliber shell casings for hearing protection. The guy's just too badass...