Звездный десант
Chapter 2
SowhenCarltoldmethathewasnotgoingstraightonwithschool,butserveatermfirst,itgavemetopause.Hereallymeantit;heseemedtothinkthatitwasnaturalandrightandobvious.
SoItoldhimIwasjoiningup,too.
Hegavemeanoddlook."Youroldmanwon’tletyou."
"Huh?Howcanhestopme?"Andofcoursehecouldn’t,notlegally.It’s
thefirstcompletelyfreechoiceanybodygets(andmaybehislast);whenaboy,oragirl,reacheshisorhereighteenthbirthday,heorshecanvolunteerandnobodyelsehasanysayinthematter.
"You’llfindout."Carlchangedthesubject.
SoItookitupwithmyfather,tentatively,edgingintoitsideways.
Heputdownhisnewspaperandcigarandstaredatme."Son,areyououtofyourmind?"
ImutteredthatIdidn’tthinkso.
"Well,itcertainlysoundslikeit."Hesighed."Still...Ishouldhavebeenexpectingit;it’sapredictablestageinaboy’sgrowingup.Irememberwhenyoulearnedtowalkandweren’tababyanylonger—franklyyouwerealittlehellionforquiteawhile.Youbrokeoneofyourmother’sMingvases—onpurpose,I’mquitesure...butyouweretooyoungtoknowthatitwasvaluable,soallyougotwashavingyourhandspatted.Irecallthedayyouswipedoneofmycigars,andhowsickitmadeyou.YourmotherandIcarefullyavoidednoticingthatyoucouldn’teatdinnerthatnightandI’venevermentionedittoyouuntilnow—boyshavetotrysuchthingsanddiscoverforthemselvesthatmen’svicesarenotforthem.
