OFF TO WAR - ARCHIVE

Decisions, decisions, decisions; life is full of them - some good, some bad.   When someone from our town makes a big one you can count on comments.

Transcript

OFF TO WAR          

By James R. von Feldt

All rights reserved 

The chickens are havin mite problems, the dog’s shedding hair all over the yard and I think I got scald on the tomatoes.  It’s just one thing after the other.

Larry Blue’s boy Ralph – you know the twin that played the trombone in the marching band -- well heard he and some friends had a party, too much to drink and ended up driving off a car from Ecle’s used car lot.  Actually, that wasn’t too bad as Ecle’s boy Brett was in the car when it went off the road though I don’t think he was driving.  Nobody killed, but three of the five are in the hospital with broken bones and such.  The car’s a wreck.  They have a court date.  Brett’s uncle is sitting Judge.  Hear tell he’s mad cause Brett embarrassed him and the family.  I suspect that justice will prevail.

On the other side of town and a bit south to the farm, Mary Jane’s cats are getting out of hand.  I was over to see Clifford and I had to stop down the drive by the bridge because so many of the critters were close to the house.  Must have been 30 or more.   I didn’t dare try to park up there.  I might of run over one and then there would be hell to pay.  Her cats are her hobby I guess though coyotes come in from time to time and clean out a few.  I told cliff he should start a glove makin business – it’s my opinion that cat fur makes the best gloves.  Mary Jane just gave me a big frown.  Clifford tells me he’s allergic to cats but I think he’s just putting on.  They have one in the house.

Loren Dean is getting married this fall after harvest.  He met this nice girl from over at West Grove.  She went to school at Centerville then went to beauty school in Ottumwa.  I’ve heard of her folks but haven’t met them yet.  It’ll be a big bash to remember.

I ran into your sister Maggy at Wal-Mart in Ottumwa last week.  She brought me up to speed with the family and all:  told me about your big decision.

So, you're on your way to the army. 

That’s a really big decision....more fun than going on to school and working a part-time job. But look at the bright side - You'll be shooting guns and blowing things up. It'll be exciting for sure. Maybe you will get to go overseas.  Cousin Billy at Mount Pleasant went to Panama during the Korean conflict.  Korea was hell on wheels for soldiers but for some reason they sent him to guard the Panama Canal.  He kept it safe he told me.

How long did you say you've signed up for? -- Four years? Let's see, that’s 48 months -- not too long for an 18 year old to get his bearings in life. And according to Maggy they are gonna give you a pot full of money when you get out too.  Well, you will deserve that pot and a whole lot more. 

If it’s anything like I remember, it will be gone in no time: easy come, easy go the old-timers say and I reckon it’s still true.
 
 Young-uns today don't seem to have a feel for things of value. Young-uns never did as far as I can see. 

Take Ephraim, over yonder on the next block. Moved into the old run-down green house next to where the blacksmith shop used be. 

Came out of the Army, lived with this gal, broke up, started up with this other gal who had two kids -- married her then first gal had his kid -- divorced the second gal – what a mess. 

I’m not makin this up.  All that in 18 months. Now he's in a world of hurt. They’re all hurtin.

He's mad, broke, and working hard at the meatpacking plant for $18 bucks an hour, drivin a junk car, and says he won't pay child support for 3 kids that “aint his”. 

Probably heading for a stay in jail. Now that's gonna hurt even more. 

He says "it ain't right" and maybe it’s not but if he had his values set down to start with he wouldn't be in this fix. It seems to me it’s gonna take a long time to get out of this one. 

"How can I fix it?” he asked me. 

I think he was asking how he could get out of paying for child support. 

I don't know the answer to that question. I suggested he go see Lynch the lawyer but he said that cost money he don’t have.  Wasn’t interested in talking to pastor Martin either.  Maybe you have some ideas. However, it seems to me that if he doesn't get his feet under him and start thinking with a little bit of horse-sense -- well, things don’t look too good that way.

Character is a tough thing to get your arms around. Some think it’s just plain personal discipline but I think there's more to it than that.  His dad seems to be as square a guy as you can meet.  His step-mom is a big help to the community whenever there’s a need.  Went to church when he was a kid.  He’s got good genes as they say.  Easy enough to get along with.

Character.  It’s there, we all know it when we see it in a person but maybe we don’t want to do what it takes to get it: that is until we need it real bad. Then, when we get kinda used to the next bad situation, we forget all about making some changes and just go with the flow. 

Been there too many times myself.
 
 Anyway, I've digressed, the Army will give you a clear chance to learn discipline, master a skill: maybe even build character. It may not be fun all the time either but it will be right in front of your face every day for a while, specially in boot-camp. 

And, believe me when I say you'll need personal discipline like you've never known if you get into a shoot-out overseas someplace.
 
 I wish you the best -- even God Bless if you'll let me.
 
 Where do these values come from? How do the youn-uns get them? Seems like they’re getting a lot of hard knocks nowadays.

Think about it.

 PS:  Send me your address.  I’ll write you in boot camp.

Well, that’s it for now from where the corn grows tall and pigs fly.

Take care. All my love,   

Grampa Jim