Звездный десант

           Ifancythatthepoetwhowrotethatsongmeanttoimplythatthebestthingsinlifemustbepurchasedotherthanwithmoney—whichistrue—justastheliteralmeaningofhiswordsisfalse.Thebestthingsinlifearebeyondmoney;theirpriceisagonyandsweatanddevotion...andthepricedemandedforthemostpreciousofallthingsinlifeislifeitself—ultimatecostforperfectvalue."

           ImulledoverthingsIhadheardMr.Dubois—ColonelDubois—say,aswellashisextraordinaryletter,whilewewentswingingbacktowardcamp.ThenIstoppedthinkingbecausethebanddroppedbacknearourpositionincolumnandwesangforawhile,aFrenchgroup—

           "Marseillaise,"ofcourse,and"Madelon"and"SonsofToilandDanger,"andthen"LegionEtrangere"and"MademoisellefromArmentieres."

           It’snicetohavethebandplay;itpicksyourightupwhenyourtailisdraggingtheprairie.Wehadn’thadanythingbutcannedmusicatfirstandthatonlyforparadeandcalls.Butthepowers-that-behadfoundoutearlywhocouldplayandwhocouldn’t;instrumentswereprovidedandaregimentalbandwasorganized,allourown—eventhedirectorandthedrummajorwereboots.

           Itdidn’tmeantheygotoutofanything.Ohno!Itjustmeanttheywereallowedandencouragedtodoitontheirowntime,practicingeveningsandSundaysandsuch—andthattheygottostrutandcountermarchandshowoffatparadeinsteadofbeinginrankswiththeirplatoons.Alotofthingsthatwedidwererunthatway.Ourchaplain,forexample,wasaboot.