A week later, Dad seemed much better, as he at least agreed to go fishing with me. While we were together at the river waiting for a fish to bite, I decided to tell him my plans.
- Hey dad, I have something to tell you.
- What's up, son? - He asks distractedly.
"Well, as you know, I've already finished high school, so I've decided I'm going to join the army." Hearing this, Dad turns around and looks at me with a mixture of disbelief and anger.
- You're crazy! Why do you want to throw away your life and your future for something so trivial?
"Well, if I'm honest , I think it's the best option I have. I barely made it through high school, and I doubt I'd be accepted into any university. Besides, in the military, I'd be able to protect my country and have adventures and accomplishments without having to get on a boat." I say as a fish tugs at my line, and I try to pull it in.
"It's stupid. Many people have joined the army and have nothing to do with it. All you'll be doing is marching and guarding a fortress in God knows where," he tells me angrily.
- But what about your time there during the Civil War? I saw your medals, your uniform, and your rifle. I'm sure it was great.
"No, it wasn't," he says, though I sense a hint of sadness in his tone. "Why don't I get you a job at the factory instead?"
"I doubt they'll accept me. After all, there are plenty of other young people who'll get the job because they're better. I still think I'll do much better in the army. People say I have good eyesight," I say jokingly.
- William, be honest, why do you want to join the army?
"I feel like it's the only thing I'll really be good at. I don't have many talents, and being a soldier might be my only chance at doing something great," I said, a little discouraged.
"Believe me, son, the glory of war really isn't worth it," he says, grabbing his rod and standing up.
"I'm going to join anyway. I've graduated, and it's time for me to create my own destiny," I say, trying to pull harder for the escaping fish.
"Do as you wish. You're grown up now. I can't punish you, nor can I kick you out of the house. I just ask that you think carefully and understand that you could be making a big mistake. Often, those promises of glory aren't what they seem." And as Dad left, I heard a noise and saw the cane's string break.
"Damn. I should be more careful with these things." And I decide to go home to get ready for tomorrow.
The next day I woke up, excited for what might be my best chance at glory. In the sack I use as a backpack, I put the clothes I'll wear during my stay, a box of matches, which always come in handy, and a book of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to pass the time. Even though I probably won't need it, I don't lose anything. When I leave my room, I say hello to Dad, and he only bothers to say hello, so I head out the door. I honestly didn't expect the weather to be so cloudy, but a few clouds won't stop me, so I head off to the recruiting center. Along the way, I say goodbye to some of the neighbors, my father, and all my acquaintances, which weren't many. I barely had any friends during school, and many have gone east. But it was nice to know someone back home will miss me. After an hour's walk I arrived at the center, it was a fortress built a few years after the civil war called Fort Langford, a fairly large base with high wooden walls, towers where you could see soldiers with rifles watching the area and inside you could hear the marching of the troops, so without wasting any more time I went to the entrance to see if they would let me in.
As I approached the entrance, I saw a soldier sleeping next to it. He was short and had a big mustache. I took the opportunity to approach him and try to wake him up so he would let me in.
"Excuse me, could you let me in so I can join the army?" I say, shaking him a little roughly, causing him to jump up in alarm, though he then relaxes when he sees me.
"You gave me quite a scare, kid. I almost thought it was the colonel. He's keeping an eye on me so I don't fall asleep, but I can't help it," he says, laughing. "What do you want?"
"I plan on joining the army," I say confidently as he looks at me in confusion.
" Really? The truth is, there haven't been any volunteers like you since the civil war, but if that's what you want, I can take you to the doctor so he can examine you and see if you can join," he says as he stands up and begins to guide me through the fortress.
The fortress inside was as large as it looked from the outside, you could see some soldiers marching, others practicing their aim with shiny rifles and a few were fixing artillery that looked like it was from the civil war.
- Impressive. - I couldn't contain my amazement at that imposing place.
"At first glance, it looks impressive, but after a few days, you'll get used to it and it won't be that big a deal. I can tell you this from experience," he says, leading me to a small hut at the back of the fortress.
Once inside, I saw four white beds in a row, although they were dirty. Next to them were tables with various medical supplies I hadn't noticed.
"I recommend you don't touch them, or the doctor will tear your limbs off," she tells me when I try to grab some peculiar tweezers, but, to be safe, I don't.
At that moment, a tall, pale, and thin man wearing a worn white coat and carrying a bucket of water entered the hut. When he saw us, he stopped and approached the soldier who was with me with a smile.
"Hey Jared, did they finally give you a free shift or did you run away?" she says, approaching slowly to avoid spilling water.
"Sadly, no. But this guy came to try to join, and since he's the leader, I can leave my post without being punished." He says with a smile, while I look at him, somewhat confused, but at least the tension has dissipated.
"Oh, I'll see you in a moment. I need to help the guy over there first." He says, pointing to the stretcher in the back, and for the first time, I notice the boy lying on it. As I get closer, I see with horror that the guy has bloody bandages on the area where his arm should be. At the same time, I see his face and notice he's about the same age as me, maybe a few months older.
The doctor behind me signals for me to move so I can let him through and starts shouting with a sponge and water over the wound, trying to heal it, although the soldier's face only shows pain. After a few minutes, he lets the soldier rest and turns to me.
"Okay, now, young man, if you want to join the army, I'll have to analyze you to see if you're fit enough." At that, I think for a moment that it was humiliating, but it would only be for a while, and in the end, it would be worth it.
"Okay, by the way, my name is William," I say to make the conversation feel less awkward after being stripped down to my underwear.
"It's okay, William. Let's see. You don't seem to have any injuries, signs of serious illness, or missing limbs," he says, though he ignores the man on the stretcher. "Any particular talents?"
- Well, my acquaintances often say that I have good eyesight.
"Well, you seem to be in good condition, but before you go in I must consult with the colonel. He's the one who runs the camp, and with his approval you'll be able to enter." With that, she walks over to the soldier who was keeping me company, and I take the opportunity to put on my clothes.
Since there was nothing to do, I decided to continue looking at the small hut when something tugged at my shirt and I saw that it was the soldier on the stretcher.
- Hey, do you have a match?
"Oh, yes, I have one in my bag. I'll bring you one." After saying that, I go to my backpack, take out the box of matches, and give one to the soldier. After receiving the matches, he takes out a box of cigarettes, takes one out, puts one in his mouth, and starts smoking thanks to the match I gave him.
- Aaahhhh , thank you so much, this is just what I needed. By the way, your name is William, I heard your conversation, mine is Micheal , but they call me Mike.
"Nice to meet you, Mike. You can call me Will if you want. Hey, I don't mean to be rude, but what happened to your arm?" Mike draws on his cigarette and then blows out the smoke.
"Well, what happened is I was trying to check the condition of the cannons when one exploded and blew out my left arm. Luckily, I'm right-handed." He laughs, trying to make his situation less tragic.
- Oh. And how long have you been here?
"Two months. At first, my parents sent me here to teach me discipline, but it didn't work out for them. Did someone else send you here?"
-No, I joined on my own, I thought it would be great.
Well, in my case, they'll probably kick me out after I recover. Here's some advice: never let your guard down, so you don't end up like that.
Faced with that response, all I can do is nod at the awkward situation. After a few minutes, the doctor returns with the soldier.
-After arguing with the colonel, he said you could come in, but if it caused any trouble, he'd kick you out.
Hearing that reassured me; the trip wasn't a waste.