the shit made him remember back to how out of touch he 'd been when he 'd finally maneuvered himself free of xops : he 'd known only that he was done with the whole killing-for-the-government thing ; he had n't thought much about being a civilian , or what a simple joy it was to get in your four-year-old car and leave your two-thousand-square-foot ranch and drive three-point-three miles to your local home depot or lowe 's and buy a cocktail of lawn fertilizer , a new hammer , and weatherstripping for your back door .