Inspiration from a Most Unlikely Source

Perkins, one of my TC4ME Marines, often comes in to the USO with his buddies to play video games. When he came in last night he also signed up to use the phone. He said he wanted to call a girl that had contacted him through Facebook. He said he hadn’t seen her for about 4 years, but she had seen his picture on-line and asked him to call her. Perkins said that even when they knew each other she wouldn’t talk to him. I said that she must have seen that he’s a Marine now and suddenly was interested. He said that could be it, although he figures the reason she wouldn’t talk to him before is because at that time he weighed 310 pounds! I was flabbergasted. I asked him why and how he lost so much weight. He said he always wanted to be a Marine so he lost 120 pounds by eating better and exercising; (I’m so sorry; I can’t help myself; I must insert: Duh!) then he lost another 20 pounds after he joined the Marines. To me Perkins is an example of, “If that kid can do it, so can I!” and another incredible case of “Who’da thunk?!?” Good thing he's serious in the picture. If he was smiling he would look really young.