Chapter 1: The Approach

I thought it was SPAM.

It had become more and more intrusive and offensive and not less so, in spite of all the effort that was put into place in an attempt to curb it.

Unfortunately, I had no option other than to wade through each message and check each one. One of the prices of doing business on the internet ... I couldn't afford to miss a message that could turn into an order, or a query or complaint from a customer.

Rather than SPAM, it was a message that signalled a major watershed in my life!

WAR BROTHERS was the subject. Then "Are you a soldier at heart?"

Interesting question. True. I had been a reservist for 20 years, and took great pleasure in running the Battalion's training program, taking a lot of time out of my personal life to do so. I could not explain the attraction to anyone who didn't feel the same, although my wife had achieved the best insight after the many years we had been together.

"Starting to feel that mid-life crisis or that you wish you had it all to do over again?"

Damn right! At fourty-five it was dawning on me that I would never again be able to expect my body to deliver what I asked of if without thought. Everything was starting to get more difficult to achieve physically, while my body got softer. I had caught myself on more than one occasion standing in the mess and saying things that I had vowed I never would ... all those things that I had mocked as a youngster. In my head I was still eighteen, but it was getting harder every day to ignore what I saw in the mirror.

"Do you still have a sense of adventure?"

Damn right!

"If you are interested in finding out more, reply to this email and one of our consultants will get back to you."

So I replied. The risk was fairly minimal. At worst the disposable email address would have to be trashed if I found I starting picking up too much SPAM. And that was it, two minutes out of my day. I really didn't expect much to come of it, and I put it aside and almost forgot all about it.

Three days later I got a call on my cell-phone. I hate it when it shows "Number Withheld" because I like to mentally prepare myself before answering the call ... but that's just a pet peeve.

"Cy Peter, good morning" It's my standard greeting and if it sounds like I am telling someone to sigh, blame my parents for naming me that.

"Good Morning. This is Roger de Vries. Do you have a moment to talk?"

"Sure. How can I help you".

"You replied to an email a few days ago with the subject War Brothers and I am following up on that."

That was a surprise. It took me a moment to gather my thoughts. I had certainly not expected to receive a phone call, and especially not from someone local. I had thought that I would get some sort of email outlining a corporate 'team building' exercise. The other option, that this was a mercenary recruiting exercise, was that one that I half feared and wished for however.

"Ok. Thanks for calling. Sorry for the pause, I was just a little thrown for a second there."

Roger laughed. "Yes, we get that a lot. Would you prefer to talk on the phone or could we meet somewhere for coffee?"

"Well ... I am very interested to hear what you have to discuss, so I would prefer to hear as quickly as possible. I would prefer to meet in person, but I suppose the phone will have to do."

"Not at all," Roger surprised me, "I am here in Durban and I have a number of people to speak to. I would also prefer to speak to you in person. Do you have a recommendation for a place we could meet?"

I thought about it for a few seconds then decided that I was frustrated enough with what I was doing, and intrigued enough about the topic to want to meet.