I grew up as a military dependent, and while my parents were sparse in their cussing (I never, ever recall hearing my dad utter the “F” word) I developed a very filthy vocabulary.
I viewed myself as a “fine and fancy cusser” and when drinking, my friends would urge me to string together as many inventive and filthy oaths as I could and derived great entertainment out of it when I would do it.
And then I went into the Navy, where it was an unofficial contest to see how frequently and dexterously a man could use the “F” word, I excelled.
I recall coming home on leave for Thanksgiving right after I got out of Boot Camp at Great Lakes, we had a huge dinner with perhaps 20-30 people there for Thanksgiving, and here I was, relating some Boot Camp story to my entire extended family, when I became aware that they were staring at me wordlessly with frozen smiles on their faces, and I realized I had been using the “F” word in such effortless gratuity that it had peppered my speech more than the black pepper I had generously applied to my turkey and gravy.
And when I worked on my car (a 1976 MG Midget that required more maintenance per driving hour than an F-14 Tomcat required per flight hour) my frustrated cussing became disturbing to people within earshot.
When my nephew told me that he learned everything he knew about cussing from watching me work on my car, I felt extreme shame.
I resolved to curb my cussing. I still cuss. When I hit my thumb with a hammer, I involuntarily spit out GOD D....and manage to stop myself, as I am trying to be a Christian.
I still utter the “F” word for deliberate effect in closed circles, but I no longer cuss the way I used to. I feel shame when I let it get the better of me.
Cussing was one of the hardest things to stop when I left the military.. It took a long time.
You write really well
👍
Thanks for sharing, and thank you for your service. There's the old saying: "He swears like a drunken soldier." That's me, although I don't drink. It's a good thing I'm old, and about the only time I go anywhere is to doctor appointments and the grocery store. I still know how to behave in public.
I still use the F word with the one couple that I remain friends with. All the others have passed, and I say it when I'm visiting my niece and her family, because they say it too. And of course I use it at home, where I'm basically alone, except for my youngest son of 55 who lives with me because of health problems. He never paid attention to what I said when he was a kid, and still doesn't. It is amazing how easily it rolls off the tongue. In the prison, every other word you spoke included the F word. I'm not that bad anymore, having been out of that environment for so long.
Yep! My immediate supervisor was a TM2 Sawyer who could use it as a noun, a verb, an adverb, an adjective, a comma, a gerund, and a term of endearment.
“And then I went into the Navy, where it was an unofficial contest to see how frequently and dexterously a man could use the “F” word, I excelled.”
I did the same, but mine at least was only in front a small group of family members, and one time, but for a few seconds you could have heard a pin drop. Then everybody busted out laughing.
If you’re not a writer, you should be one.