Watashi always pronounced the word “feel” as if it had quotation marks around it. In other words, he scorned the word absolutely. In Watashi’s lexicon, feel and feelings had no meaning in war. They had no meaning in competition. They had no meaning in life. “Watashi don’t give a shit how you ‘feel.’ The Marine Corps don’t give a shit how you ‘feel.’ Did the Marine Corps issue you ‘feelings,’ dirtball? Then you ain’t got none.” All that mattered to Watashi was that you do your job—on time and to the best of your ability—whether you “felt” like it or not.
