So today was unlike most other days, today was the US Navy's birthday, they were serving all kinds of good stuff at our DFAC, including steak, lobster tails, shrimp, and other generally celebratory foods, of course, today is, in fact a day to celebrate (at least if you're in the Navy, I guess. )
I walked up the stairs and into the building, washed my hands and took some plastic flatware and a foam tray as usual, but here's where everything goes completely wrong, where everything twists into some kind of surreal nighmare. I waited in line eyeballing the steak, it's alluring smell and wonderful taste almost tangible from here, I had my eyes on one of the best looking steaks I've had since I came here (granted this is a military dining hall in Afghanistan). I pushed my foam tray over the sneezeguard to the worker and, while I stared intently at the heavenly piece of steak, he grabbed in his tongs and put into my tray a half-charred piece of misery. It had to have been the worst looking piece of steak there. I thought for a brief second, mentally vocalizing a "really, guy? fuck you".
Whilst I ate fruit that I'd picked up to compensate for the steak, I thought to myself "do I really look like a burnt steak kind of guy?". Evidently yes, though I'll never know for sure.