An alleged guerrillero told me of a looting episode in the early days of fighting. They followed the Americans into an area by car — on "armed patrol" with authority to search. He told me unashamedly that they stopped and stripped people of food, saying: "See Headquarters."

"Let me see your bag," he barked once to a civilian who refused to be intimidated. The stuff inside was his and that was that.

"Open it up," insisted our guerrillero, "I only want the toothbrush."

"Nope. Who the hell do you think you are?"

"I'm a guerrillero," shrieked our man.

"Well, so am I!" screamed the civilian. "And probably with a rank five times higher than yours."

The guerrillero looked him in the eye then relented: "OK, pass."

As for the Japanese, you have no idea how strange they can be. On the 11th of February, one went to Jo-Jo's house asking for a wristwatch. Joe dashed into the kitchen and dumped his watch into a rice bag while his aunt and another yielded theirs. A rendezvous with death around the corner and still grabbing and stealing watches! But there's a better one yet: Four Japanese grabbed and began taking a girl away. In the nick of time, Poppa thought up a fast one. Puffing after them, he offered a nifty watch that pleased the Japanese no end. Fair trade; the gal was saved.

...ooOoo...