After landing in Okinawa, Japan, it was time to receive our assignment for a roomy. Looking through my lens of autism, all of this adjusting was purely matter-of-fact, for me. My father taught me (and my siblings) to become expert situational adapters. Sometimes there’s no choice but to make due with the situation 
you’ve been given. There was, certainly, nothing I could do about the circumstance of deployment, so, adapt. I made the best of it and remember: I’m just 18 years old. As for my roomy, he introduced himself as Stanley K. Burrell. He said the “K” was for Kirk. I’m a big Star Trek fan, so, his name being Kirk (like Captain Kirk) and the fact we were in the Navy was, ironically, perfect. From that moment forward, I knew him as Kirk Burrell.
Always curious and ready to take a new experience head on, my first purchase was a 10 speed bicycle. This was my transportation to everywhere on the island. I had money, now that I was getting a salary from the Navy ($750 usd per month), so, I used this opportunity to invest in myself. I, immediately, started purchasing music equipment. I started with an electric 
guitar. Later, I bought a double cassette boom box (a big one!) to record the music I was about to create. It was a poor man’s recording studio. Next, I got a bass guitar and Kirk was starting to notice a pattern. His interest was piqued enough to involve himself. Kirk became so enamored with how I could play these guitars I purchased with such professionalism that he offered to help purchase the other pieces of equipment I wanted. To round out the ensemble, I needed a drum machine, a synthesizer and an electric piano. He fronted the cash for all of them. He became my earliest investor. He even purchased a trumpet for himself!
My music instrument shopping spree seemed to awaken Kirk’s desire to do something musical for himself. I saw that metaphorical light bulb turn on over his head. He was a frequent dancer at the NCO (Non-commissioned Officers) club. He became 
my defacto agent, ensuring that if other military personnel wanted to hear me play, they had to pay. No joke! He did that! I was told this by a few shipmates many years later. He protected me from being taken advantage of, during that time. He knew I generously wanted to share my love of creating music to any and all who would listen. Kirk made sure I focused my energies on becoming the best at what I was doing. I, still, feel I owe him a great debt for that. His continued friendship, down to this day, is one that I cherish, extra. Kirk truly took care of me, then and now. He didn’t have to, but, he has. 
I’ll be detailing this story more in a book. The details surrounding this part of the journey are simply amazing. They are prophetic. Everything we did during that time led to the creation of “MC Hammer“. No one else knew, but, Kirk and I knew. Some of what happened next, after we exited military service, was insane.
So, what did happened after we got back to the states? Well…
Additional clarifying details on how this situation really went down will be covered in a book, coming soon.
LOVE, PEACE & MUSIC
