Today’s Theme Music

This is another one from my military annals.

I was stationed with the 7405th Ops Squadron at Rhein-Mein AB in Germany in the late 1980s. This song, ‘Roxanne’ by the Police came out in 1978. The movie was featured in ‘Beverly Hills Cops’ with Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte in 1984. Yet, here we were seeking it at a fundraiser five years later.

We had an charity unit, the Tipplers. Joining the Tipplers cost five dollars. The Tipplers subsidized purchases that were then sold to members at cost. This things included our squadron coins and memorabilia, and the squadron wine. But this organization was mainly about charity. We supported an orphanage in Spain and another one in Germany. We also supported the annual Marine toy drive for Christmas and a few other charities throughout the year.

I was the Tipplers secretary for a few years, an elected position, at was so at this particular event. Several organizations on base had donated money, time and material to build a booth that could be used for these things. Setting up the booth on a cold sunny morning in the Main Exchange parking lot, we were grilling hamburgers and cheeseburgers and selling them to people entering and leaving the exchange.

I have a habit of singing to myself. On that morning, as I manned the service counter and awaited customers, I began singing ‘Roxanne’. 

Except I was doing it like Eddie Murphy’s character in BHC, slightly loud and off key.

And my unit decided to sing along with me.

I laugh even looking back at it. Bunch of people in jeans, jackets and hats, trying to keep warm, grilling burgers and selling them, singing ‘Roxanne’. 

Ah, good times.