Wishful Thinking

            Wishful Thinking

   Jeff finished reading the invitation and threw it on the counter.

   Has it really been twenty-five years already?

   He began to think back to those high school days. Things were so different then. His friends were always around to hang with. He could picture Tiny, the gentle giant standing six feet and four inches tall and about half that number in width. Then there was Chico, which was short for Chicory. He was the runt of the group at five feet and four inches in height. Finally, there was Slim. He was Jeff’s closest friend who, as his nickname implied, had maybe 150 pounds soaking wet on his six-foot frame.

   The thought of seeing his buddies again brought a smile to his face. They had kept in touch through the years, but the busyness of their individual lives had taken a toll on that communication. They were down to sending Christmas cards each year.

   Yeah, it would be great to see them all again but there’s no way that can happen.

   Jeff’s thoughts turned to the reason he could not go back to Orrville…his father, the biggest man in town. His name was Clark but everyone called him “Sarge”. As mayor, Jeff’s dad knew everything that was happening in the village. Nothing escaped his attention and there would be trouble if Jeff even showed up for the reunion. The only way he could see his mother was to meet her in Prairie View on the rare occasion that she was allowed to go with a group of ladies on a shopping trip. Millie’s friends were sworn to secrecy, pledging to not say anything of the secret meetings.

   Stupid governments and their wars. I wonder how long it would take to find a peaceable solution if their buts were on the frontline.

   The whole conflict came flooding back into his mind. Boys had two choices. You either enlisted in the branch of your choice or you were drafted and put where they needed you most. Sarge had served on the battlefield some twenty years before Jeff was born. He was determined that his only son would follow in his footsteps into the army.

   Jeff had other ideas though. He didn’t understand why young men had to go to a foreign country to protect it from another foreign country. It was halfway across the world. Why can’t they settle their own war?

   The answer was always the same. Sarge would tell him that, if they let one country fall, there would be no stopping the enemy. One by one they would pick off other nations, using their resources to overrun the next land. Eventually, we would be surrounded and outnumbered.

   It all came to a head shortly after graduation. Jeff had until the end of June to choose or be chosen. He had other plans though.

   “I’m not enlisting. I won’t join the military.”

   “Are you serious?” Slim asked, “Your father will blow his top!”

   “Yeah, man,” Chico added, “You’ll be lucky if he doesn’t pick you up and carry you to the army enlistment center.”

   “Don’t worry, guys. I’ve got it all figured out. He thinks I’m packed to go to boot camp but I will be heading to Winterland. They don‘t have a draft there.”

   “I don’t know, Jeff,” Tiny said, “I think you’re playing with fire. If he finds out--well--I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes. Why are you so bent on avoiding the service?”

   “It’s not my country and not my war. If they were coming after my home it would be different.”

   “Jeff,” Slim said, “don’t you know how evil those people are? Have you seen what happens when they take over a country? Those people become government slaves. They are told where to work, where to live, and their food is rationed. They have no freedoms while the government officials live high on the hog.”

   “That’s not my problem.”

   Jeff’s thoughts then turned to the fateful day when his life totally changed. He got home from biking through the back roads around town. He was heading for his room when he heard, “Jeff, get over here and sit down…now!”

   The tone of his father’s voice sent a chill down his spine. He slowly walked to the chair by the fireplace, noticing that his mother did not even look up at him from her seat on the sofa. Her submissive posture only reinforced the trouble that was to come.

   The tirade started with the question, “Why did you buy a ticket to Winterland?” and ended with “Get out and never come back to this house or to this town.”

   Jeff went to grab his things, glancing over at his mother as he walked. She hadn‘t moved, staring down at the floor with tears winding down her cheeks.

   While walking over to Tiny’s house, Jeff wondered how his father had found out about his plan. He knew that his dad had connections all over the county but still he had only bought the ticket two days ago.

   When he arrived at his friend’s house, he asked for a ride to Prairie View. Tiny agreed to drive him there. On the way, Jeff explained what had happened.

   “Man, I told you I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes. Your mom is probably heartbroken. When does your bus leave?”

   “Nine o’clock in the morning.”

   “Where you gonna stay tonight?”

   “I’ll just hang around town. I can sleep on the bus ride.”

   “You sure you don’t want to stay at our house? I can turn around.”

   “Nah, I don’t want to get your parents involved in this. There’s no telling what my dad might do to anyone who helps his former son. I even hated to ask you for a ride. I hope he doesn’t come down on you for doing this.”

   “Don’t worry about it. I’m headed for boot camp on Monday.”

   “I will worry about you guys. Be sure and tell Chico and Slim I’m sorry I couldn’t say goodbye in person.”

   That was the last time that Jeff saw any of his friends in person.

   His friends made it through their terms and returned home, mostly in one piece. Tiny was just too big for combat. Even boot camp couldn’t shrink him down to a fit size. They assigned him to kitchen duty. Slim enlisted in the air division and became a mechanic, so he didn’t have to worry much about combat. Chico fought on the frontlines and survived a mortar blast that left him with a permanent limp.

   It would be so great to see them again…to be able to give them a hug and talk about old times.

   He thought about calling Slim’s mom, Mrs. White. She was part of the secret group and would relay messages or letters to his mom. He decided against it. He knew his dad too well. Maybe he could go to the fiftieth anniversary of their graduation.

   He picked up the invitation and threw it in the trash can.