De Niro and the HQ Kids

We arrived expectantly unexpected, but we never know what we'll find at the downtown Diwaniya Police Headquarters. Our mission to re-affirm that all operations were going smoothly inside is typically interrupted by a local gang making demands outside.

Before we even had the trucks parked I spotted the one called "De Niro." He was enjoying his breakfast and seemed to be in a good mood for this visit.

No sooner than you can say "...sugar cone special" we were spotted, and De Niro alerted his gang, The HQ Kids came running out from around corners and barrier walls from all directions in the dense downtown district and surrounded our trucks. While some of our squad went inside to conduct business, some of us stayed back to keep watch and one careful eye on De Niro and his rowdy bunch.

The gang were asking for "Halloween," apparent street slang for...candy! Demands for "footballs," and "money" were also made, but we stood our ground...and we don't carry soccer balls in our trucks anyway. A couple of dangerous gangsters inspected the razor wire, no doubt an attempt to find out how we got in through the guarded entrance.

This reminded me of a previous encounter when De Niro and the kids were asking me and the other soldiers, "fallafel me-sta?" On that visit we tried the fallafels that they got for us from a near-by shop, and they tasted quite good, although the price went up a dollar each visit after that.

De Niro was happy to do business with us, and this kept the peace. We got fallafel again and the gang got their cut I'm sure as 2 for a dollar has become 1 for three bucks! But none of us mind, and how could we, really?

Soon it was time to go again, on to the next station, but not before De Niro made a final demand, and the HQ kids waved good-bye, till next time.

I could see De Niro sipping my cold soda in my rear-view mirror. He's tough that one.

We encounter the same kids a lot as we go out to the same stations a couple times a week. We've gotten to know them and given them nicknames. De Niro because of his facial expressions. Some soldiers aren't real keen on the kids hanging around, and others like myself enjoy their presence which breaks the monotony and mood.