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In My Underwear: A War Story

Image by Staiman Design (AI generated image)

Graphic by Staiman Design (AI generated image)

I drove around in my underwear tonight.

Kind of strange behavior for a religious man of a certain age, I would think. But I did it anyway.

We had the opportunity to visit with our son Arky outside of his base today. It was amazing to see him, and it calmed some of our anxiety.

Love was in the air. But so was something else.

The smell of a soldier who’s been in the field for a couple of days without access to a shower or a washing machine. And I use the word “smell” liberally.

So we offered to take his uniform home and give it a good washing. The only problem was that he had to get back onto base wearing something, or he couldn’t leave his uniform with us. So I gave him my pants.

Most people would give the shirts off their backs for their kids.

For my beloved soldier boy, I was willing to take it just a little further than that. And no, I didn’t let my wife take a video for posterity.

About the Author

Jeremy Staiman and his wife Chana made Aliya from Baltimore, MD in 2010 to Ramat Beit Shemesh. A graphic designer by trade, Jeremy is a music lover, and produces music on a regular basis -- one album every 40 years. He likes to spend time with his kids and grandkids slightly more often than that.