8. Size 8
When I was in the Army, at AIT, we had our last chance to turn in damaged uniforms without paying for the replacements. I was right behind Lopez as he went up to the counter and told the lady there that he had been given the wrong size cap. He had one size 8 that fit and one size 7 1/.4 that didn’t. He asked if she could replace it.
“No, honey (Georgia nice), I can only replace damaged uniform components,” she said, casually pulling a seam ripper out of her pocket, placing it on the counter, and turning away. I am guessing Lopez didn’t have a mom who sewed because he just looked at it and up at her, wondering what was going on.
I reached past him, grabbing the seam ripper and the cap. A quick “zzzzzzip” sound later and the lady turned around, looked at the cap and said, “Oh, honey, you didn’t say it was ripped. You need a size 8, then?”
Not sure if we were putting one over on the Man or just participating in a really, really stupid system. Stayed in through Gulf War I, so I think I know the answer.