Another Place Another Time - Episode Two

Another Place Another Time

Book One

Jake and Whispers

Episode Two

I walked to Mr. Jones’ office, knocked lightly, and heard a soft, “Come in, Leonard.” Mr. Jones was sitting behind his big, government-issue, gray metal desk. He didn’t look up from shuffling through my records which had become a huge, untidy affair that always seemed on the point of exploding.

I didn’t interrupt him. I knew he wasn’t going to find anything new there, and I knew that he knew that. It was obvious to me that he was just stalling, thinking of what he was going to say. So I waited.

I wasn’t a smart-Alec, or a troublemaker, which Mr. Jones had confirmed often enough in previous meetings. After noting that, he would always add, “You’re just different, Leonard. That’s why you don’t fit here. You do everything your way without making a visible disturbance, but still it’s disturbing to the other students and the faculty. I know you aren’t aware of this, and maybe your classmates aren’t aware of it either, but Leonard, the truth is that no student at this school does anything they’re told until they first see what you’re doing. Leonard, that means you’re more influential here than I am.” At that point, the conversation would usually die away, leaving us staring at each other until Mr. Jones said, “Well, go on back to class, Leonard.”

I knew Mr. Jones was right. I did upset the school, and not just the school but every organization that I encountered. I didn’t do it intentionally or aggressively. I just didn’t fit, and I wouldn’t pretend to fit or try to fit. I just did what I knew was right for me to do and let the world do what it was doing without any judgment or interference from me.

Finally, Mr. Jones looked up from my file. He smiled a bit sheepishly and said, “Leonard, I’m going to miss you around here.”

“Miss me, Mr. Jones? Are you going somewhere?”

He smiled, “No, Leonard. I’m not going anywhere. You are. I’ve talked with the school board, and I’ve talked with your parents; and everyone agrees the best course of action for you and for the school is for you to graduate a bit early, four months early to be exact. By rights, you are the Valedictorian of the class. However, if you will forgo that honor, I’ll give you your diploma right now.”

That should have been a major league surprise for me, but I’m not easily surprised. In fact, I’m never surprised. So I simply said, “That’s fine by me, Mr. Jones. I wasn’t looking forward to talking to all of those people anyway.”

Mr. Jones, obviously relieved, smiled and slipped a large manila envelope across the desk toward me, “Well, then, here’s your diploma.”

I took the envelope and we stood and shook hands. “There is one more thing I’d like to discuss with you, Leonard.”

He paused, looked at me, and I nodded. He continued, “You’re close to your eighteenth birthday. When you turn eighteen, you will have to register for the draft, and there is a war going on. Thousands of young men your age are being drafted every day. Don’t waste this time, Leonard. Find a school where you think you can fit in and enroll. If you don’t, you will be drafted before Christmas. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Sir,” I replied.

The last words Mr. Jones ever said to me were, “Do it quickly, Leonard.”

I didn’t enroll in college, but I did spend a lot of time in the library researching Vietnam and the selective service system. Then I reviewed all of my choices. Since school was not an acceptable alternative for me, I had with only three ways to avoid the Army and Vietnam. I could pretend I was gay; I could pretend I was a conscientious objector; or I could run away to Canada. None of those were right for me. Therefore, I didn’t choose any of them. I waited for Harris County Selective Service Commission to make the next move.

I spent my bonus months and the summer fishing, hiking in the national forest, reading, and, occasionally, writing a bit. When I needed spending money, I did chores for the neighbors or worked in my parent’s neighborhood supermarket.