Danger Close

I've been hanging out with my old friend, Ali, the former Governor of Baghdad. He recognized the Ford Expedition I drive as the same one that he was driven around in by the army officer that preceeded me before I arrived in July of 2005. The truck has been passed down a couple of times, and now I have it back. It's not up-armored, as many in the IZ are; just a regular Expedition with tinted windows. Not a 'red zone' vehicle. But the other day our parking lot received a couple of rounds of indirect fire. A couple of mortars. Looking out the window after the attack I saw my truck sitting in a parking lot full of broken glass and blown tires. Practically every vehicle in the lot had some damage. When the all-clear was sounded I made my way down to the lot. Not a scratch. Every window intact. When I meet Ali later this week I'll have to tell him that the SUV he knows so well is still in action.