Staying Gold

Chapter Twenty One *Sodapop*

I couldn't believe I actually was being drafted into the war. I remembered when I was little and I hated the fact of sacrificing your life for war. My dad was drafted in when he was Fifteen but he was one of the few lucky ones to survive. I knew I was probably gonna die and I didn't like one bit of that thought.

"You need to stop unpacking so I can leave on time," I told Ponyboy. He mumbled something but I didn't hear what he said.
    "I don't want to go but I have to! If I could choose I wouldn't go, Pony," I turned around and hugged him but he didn't hug me back, "It's okay to be mad at me. I made a stupid mistake. I promise I will come back."
    "I hope you can keep that promise unlike others," Ponyboy murmured.
    "Ponyboy! Don't you talk like that to your kid-brother!" Darry yelled from behind.
    "Sorry, I guess I just got a little mad," Ponyboy apologized.
    "It's okay, you deserve to be mad at me anyways for being off my rocker lately," I replied.
    I walked over to the front door and peered out into the pitch black darkness. Dark blue-grey clouds swallowed the night sky. Trees were swaying in the strong wind and pounding against the houses. Old newspapers were flying around in the gust. Cigarettes covered the ground. Screaming calls from houses. Train horns blaring at frightening hours. Even though this side of town can be horrific, It's where I've lived my whole life and I will miss it. This is place is home to me. I turned back to look at Darry and Ponyboy.
    "I'm gonna miss you guys so much," I cried.
    "I'll miss you too, Pepsicola," Darry responded.
    "Soda," Ponyboy started as he ran into my arms, "make sure you write to us, okay?"
    "I'll write to you right when I get there," I answered.

    We hugged some more and I headed off to the train station. I boarded the 9:15 train that would take me to Pittsburgh, PA. I slept for most of the trip but I woke up every once and a while to get something to eat. After what seemed to be days, I saw it. That tall brick building that would hold me captive for the next month until I headed off to Vietnam. That's when I knew everything was going to change.

**********
    "Chin up, Curtis!" The General screamed in my face the next morning. I wasn't used to being yelled at all the time. I guess this is what Pony's life is like with Darry yelling at him.

    I stared ahead of me at the barbed wire I was about to army crawl under. What did I get myself into? As I was crawling, my shirt got caught and it ripped right off.

"Start over!" the General yelled again, "and this time, make sure you do it right."
I got up and the General gave me a questioning but mean look.
"Hey Curtis, don't think you're better than anyone else and that you can take your shirt off. Nobody wants to see your bare skin."
"But..."
"But nothin," the General snarled.

Thats when I finally got a good look at him. I noticed that there was a scar going from the bottom of his left ear to the corner of his mouth. His eyes were a deep blue and sharp like ice glaciers floating in the ocean waiting to tear down anything in his way. His hair was different than the rest of ours since they made us all get crew cuts, it was golden and swept across the right side of his face.  He must have been a good six feet at the least. Handsome too, but not handsomer than me! As I was fantasizing about how I looked I didn't realize that I was given instructions.
"I'm sorry sir, what was that?"
"Curtis, I'm about done with you, and it's only the first day!" the General screamed.
"I'm sorry sir..."
"Shut it or I'll skin ya. I don't wanna hear your stupid apologies, DROP AND GIVE ME 40!"

I got down on my knees, flexing my muscles and beginning my push-ups. I was sweating, it was hot as hell at the boot camp. I didn't know how much more I could take.

**********
Weeks had passed that consisted of waking up at three in the morning and not going to sleep until eleven. I used to think I worked hard at the DX but now I knew what real work, pain and grief was. Today was the day that I would board an airplane that would take us soldiers to Vietnam. I hadn't ever been on a plane before but that wasn't the point. I needed to stop making a joke of everything because I was a man now and I needed to act like one.

"Write?" the General started roll call.
"Sir, yes sir!" Jonathan Write, another soldier replied.
"Brown?"
"Sir, yes sir."
"Ugh, Curtis?"
"Sir, yes sir," I said with a frown. After he finished the call, I stepped forward and said, "Sir, I wanted to apologize for my childish behavior, I realize this is a very serious matter, Sir."
"I accept your apology, Curtis. Now, lets get a move on!"

We all headed toward the airplane that we would be on for exactly 25 hours and 45 minutes. I slept for most of the way and began to write my first letter to Pony and Darry.

Dear Curtis Family,
    Hey, Its Sodapop. I just wanted to let ya'll know that I'm on the airplane right now and we got about 10 hours left. What's been new with you guys? How's the rest of the gang? I miss you guys a whole lot but I can't focus on that right now. I need to worry about getting home. The General here is pretty strict and I think we got off to the wrong start but oh well. I'll see yall soon.
                    Love,
    Sodapop Curtis

    I knew that the first bundle of mail wasn't going out until the day after we got there but I couldn't wait any longer. I just hope I can keep my promise to Pony and make it home. I thought to myself then, slowly drifted off to sleep.