Didn't see Archie a lot over the next three years. He finally got his driver's license and drove up a couple of times to do some fishing but it wasn't the same. 'Spose it was part of him growing up. Learning to be a man. If it was, he was sure taking his time. Maybe that's the way it is these days. Time was you learned to be a man a lot earlier in life. Worked the farm with your old man. Maybe even brought in money to pay the bills. Did some of the things an adult had to do to survive. As a result, a kid opened up quicker to what it was like to make his way in the world. Maybe even understood his parents a little better. Of course me and Lena never had any kids of our own so maybe I'm not one to talk.
The way I saw it, Archie was floundering but not letting on. Said it didn't bother him that his friends were off to one branch of the military or another. But that's the way it was. Every man-jack of them, one at a time. There was a war going on and a draft. Sooner or later you had to make up your mind as to what to do.
Had to bother Archie not being registered for the draft. Knew him well enough to know he couldn't take a stand on the war one way or the other 'til he 'fessed up. And as he saw it, there was no compelling reason for him to do so. Total idiot. Passing through years of misery 'cause he didn't take ten minutes to sign up. Maybe part of the problem, a small part, was he didn't have anyone there to kick him in the ass when he needed it. Oh well, when push comes to shove, it'll be time for him to grow up, suck it up and go see the boys at the Draft Board. Then it won't mater much how he feels about the war.
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