This morning I went to the CPIC (Combined Press Information Center) to pick up my badge. For this I underwent an iris scan and my ten fingers were being fingerprinted.
I had to roll my fingers from left to right, this maneuver was not without difficulties -- I got help from a female soldier who pressed and rolled my fingers tenderly.
I’m not sure about her rank; I was smitten with her soft hands. To a certain degree the taking of my fingerprints could be described as an erotic experience. While she was rolling my fingers I was wondering if she would roll and knead (some of the fingerprints were not recognized by the computer the first time, it was a lengthy process) the fingers of all journalists coming to Baghdad or that she would knead and roll and massage my fingers a little bit longer, all in the name of security of course.
There is tenderness in Baghdad; you just have to be open for it.