As I sit here putting polish on the shoes that go with my whites [uniforms], I wonder what idiot ever thought it was a good idea for senior sailors to wear white shoes. I mean, really. If you're on a ship, white sucks. If you're off a ship, white sucks. Grass stains them, nonskid gouges them, and anything, but anything leaves a mark. I don't care if Lackey's Heralds always wore white. By the time I read those books, I was several years into the Navy and thought, "Yeah, right."

I think the white uniforms are on the chopping block. While a ship certainly looks spiff pulling into port with the sun gleaming on ranks of white-clad sailors, let's be realistic. White attracts dirt. Lots of dirt. And as an old friend will attest, one should never overindulge in red wine when wearing whites. (Sensible me chose the white. And a bit less of it than he did.)

But 'nuff said. While they are testing new uniforms right now, they won't make the changes before I am done with my twenty [years]. Time for a new coat of polish.