The Whole Damned Town Continued "You know what I mean. You've got everything on your side; why should anything bother you?" "Now listen, Fred, you don't have to take your spite out on me." "It's not only you. It's the whole damn town. Look at Barton, his dad publishes the only rag around here so he's frosh class president. Dixie got a scholarship because her dad's a board member and" "I know. I was voted the most likely to succeed because my father did, but that was last year." "It goes on all the time." Fred pushed open the door of the drugstore and Phil followed him in. They sat on the stools at the counter. A pretty girl smiled and said, "What for you, please?" "A coke," Phil said and winked at her. "Coke," Fred added sullenly. The girl looked surprised. All of the college fellows winked at her. She glanced at Phil. "Don't worry about him," he told her. "He's off the beam tonight." The girl laughed and Fred thought she was too loud. Anyway, whose business was it how he felt or why? The girl came back and put the cokes down. He drank out of his glass and looked at himself in the mirror. The girl stayed to talk with Phil. Fred finished his coke. He reached into his pocket for a nickel. Phil and the girl were laughing. He looked at the girl as he put the nickle down. She was just like everyone else believed everything-Phil said because he had a little money. It was too early to go home. His dad and mother-would still be up. His dad would yell at him and then his mother would say, "Let's not have a scene tonight. I've been working hard today." Then they would start yelling all over again to find out who made so much work. He walked past the Post Office. The glow from the neon sign lighted the posters in front of the building. "See the world while you learn." "Men, learn a trade in the Navy." "Navy offers six month college training." Fred laughed to himself as he stopped to read the posters. Why couldn't he do something like this. It would show those punks who thought he would always just follow the crowd. It would show his father and mother that he wasn't a kid any more. Even Phil would sit up and take notice. He read the poster closely. That wasn't bad what they were offering. A chance to travel he'd meet new people. He could see someone else's point of view. He'd be learning. Every Navy man had a trade. Wouldn't they be surprised? He wouldn't tell them until after he'd signed up and made sure he was going. Then maybe just a day or two before it was time to leave he'd tell them. He really had something this time. He was over eighteen, not much but enough so he wouldn't need his parents' signatures for anything. As far as the government was concerned he was a man and that was all that counted. He walked briskly toward his home. Now he had something at last to prove to them that he could do something. The light was on in the living room that meant his father and mother were still awake. He didn't care though now. He'd show them. The rubbers were gone but there was a dark blue spot on the rug. Fred took off his coat and hung it in the hall closet. He sat down in the blue chair and picked up a magazine. His father and mother were playing cards and laughing at each other's silly mistakes. "They've forgotten all about me," he smiled to himself. He was happy. He'd show them. He put his magazine down. "Goodnight," he said as he went out of the room. "Goodnight," they answered without looking up. He ran up the stairs and opened the door into his room. He wondered what his room on the ship would be like. Or if he'd have a room. He'd seen movies of sailors talking about girls all the time. Well, maybe that would be fun too. Page Sixteen He undressed himself and slipped in between white sheets. What ship would he be assigned to? Would he get seasick? He was going to get away from all of them. He turned out the light. Yep, tomorrow would be his big day. He ate his breakfast hurriedly the next day. He picked up his books and started to school. Once around the corner from his house he was free. He couldn't even bother with school this morning. It wouldn't hurt if he cut classes any more. He went into the Post Office. There was a sign pointing to a door with a sign above it that read, "Enlist Here, Uncle Sam Needs You." He opened the door and went up to a desk with a little man behind it. The little man stood up and smiled and offered his hand. "So you've come to enlist." He was a confident man, Fred thought; a man the service ought to be proud of maybe he'd be like that some day. "Yessir," Fred said. He was a bit shaky. He hadn't said 'sir' for a long time. "What branch of the service would you like to be in?" "The Navy," was all Fred could answer. The little man laughed. "All right," he said. He reached into a drawer and pulled out some papers. "You fill these out. Go over to the court house and get a copy of your birth certificate. Bring them back as soon as you can. If you're accepted you'll get your call in about a week. We need men fast." At first the week dragged on; then it ran faster. Fred was always glad to get home at night in his own room. He could plan things there. Monday some guy from the Navy was going to talk to the assembly. Fred wanted to hear that. He wanted to have every student hear how grand the Navy was. Then he wanted to see how they would act when he said he was going to join up. No, he stopped suddenly he had joined up. It was just a matter of days now before he could see how they would act. "Fred," his mother called him from downstairs. "This letter came for you this morning. I forgot about it until just now." Fred came down the stairs quickly. It had come sooner than he had expected. "It's from the government. Do you have any idea what it is, Karl?" "Probably a letter for volunteers," Karl said. Fred took the letter from his mother. His hands trembled and he laid the letter on the newel post so his father and mother wouldn't see how his hands shook. "What is it?" his mother asked. He didn't quite know how to say it. "Do they want you to volunteer?" his father asked and grinned. "I already have," he managed to say. "I've got to report tomorrow to the recruiting officer." "But your schooling?" He knew his mother was going to cry. His father was just staring at him. He wished they wouldn't act this way. He tried to sound gay. "Yep, it's the army and navy forever." His voice sounded grim. Tomorrow was so close. Then he explained because his mother was crying. "I've got to get away. The Navy isn't a bad place really. It's just about like going away to college." "But why didn't you tell us?" his father asked him. "Well it's over with now." He had to sound like he was glad. He couldn't tell them it all happened just because he wanted to be smart. "No more of this little town that's just run by six men." His voice wasn't sounding right so he turned and went up stairs. He didn't stop to look behind but he could hear his mother crying and saying, "He's our only son, Karl." They didn't have to act this way. This wasn't the way he'd planned it. He couldn't stay around here forever. Maybe he ought to go back and say something. No, he wouldn't go back. Tomorrow they'd see his way of thinking. He wasn't a boy any more. He couldn't stay here forever. He opened the door of his room and went in where he could be alone. Page Seventeen