________________________________________________________________________Richard S. Kem
didn't drop it fast enough, so we all got a little chewing. He started the process of
understanding discipline and immediate obeying of orders and that sort of thing. After a little
of that, he came and stood in front of me. Well, as my uncle had said, "You want to start off
right, and keep a low profile and go along with the game," so I was mentally prepared to do
that. He took one look at me with his chin inches in front of mine and said, "So, what's your
name?"
And I said, "Sam Kem, Sir."
And he said, "From now on, you are New Cadet Kem, Sir. You understand that?"
"Yes, Sir."
"So, what's your name?"
Well, he had spoken so quickly, it had all slurred together, so I thought he said
"Newcadumpsir." So, I said, "My name is Newcadumpsir."
Looking astonished, he said, "What did you say?"
I said, "Newcadumpsir."
He said, "Say that again," looking agitated.
"Newcadumpsir."
And he says, "Now, let's go over that one more time. Your name is New Cadet Kem, Sir.
You understand that?" Only he still slurred it together. It sounded the same to me.
So, I came back with, "Newcadumpsir"--because I knew, having been to some of those
fraternity things down at Indiana University, that you play these kinds of games. Certainly I
knew one of your best principles is to never deviate from your position.
So, the more he tried to correct me, the more I hung fast to Newcadumpsir. Finally, after two
or three minutes of this, he--rolling his eyes in frustration--moved two steps to the left to
the next new cadet in line, Mario Nicolais. Mario was of Italian background, olive skinned,
Mediterranean looking, where I'm very fair. He looked at Mario Nicolais--we were great
friends later, having just met moments before--and said, "All right, Mister, what's your
name?"
Mario Nicolais was no dummy. He knew that to stay out of trouble, you played along, and he
said, "Newcadumpsir." The firstie looked at him, then looked back to me--my very fair
skin--looked back at the olive-skinned Mario and said, "You two brothers?"
"No, Sir."
"Then what's your name?"
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