Leaving for the Army...

Sometime in May of 1960, right before I graduated from High School in Marion, Indiana, I decided I would join the army and possibly go to West Point via the military. When I went to the recruiter, they presented me with a series of tests to determine my interests and general intelligence. I did well, so they pointed me in the direction of the Army Intelligence area. And, while that seems to be an oxymoron, it really isn't. However, the specific course that best suited my interests was full up until October of that year. This, actually, was fine with me, since I figured that way I would have my entire summer and some of the fall to just relax and have fun.

Graduation came and went. I settled into a routine of getting up when I felt like it, playing tennis, staying out late at night, and generally having a good time. Until one morning in late June when the phone began ringing quite early. I didn't bother to answer it since I was still in bed and figured it wasn't important at that hour anyway. When I finally decided to get out of bed, I showered, and made ready for the days events, called a friend who agreed to pick me up, and began to eat breakfast before leaving.

When the phone rang once again, I answered it, totally unsuspecting young person that I was. The voice on the other end said...

"You're leaving at five o'clock this afternoon!" That was all she said. It was my mother.

"I am... what for?"

"The recruiting sergeant tried to call you, but you never answered. So, he called your sister (they worked in the same building) and told her someone had dropped out of the program you want. He asked her if she thought you would take it, and she replied you would. So, you're leaving this afternoon for the army!"

Needless to say, that put a definite crimp into my plans for the day, and occupied my life for the next three years as well.

That afternoon, after hurriedly saying my goodbyes to the people I knew, I, my closest friend, and my family, such as it was back then, drove me to Indianapolis, where we said our goodbyes, and I entered a new world. My new world was not only a lot of fun, but one that also opened the door to 'the' world itself, and the realization that there was a lot more to life than a small town in Indiana.