Звездный десант

           Youcouldlosethatprivilegeinseveraldegrees;youcouldberestrictedtocamp...oryoucouldberestrictedtoyourowncompanystreet,whichmeantthatyoucouldn’tgotothelibrarynortowhatwasmisleadinglycalledthe"recreation"tent(mostlysomeParcheesisetsandsimilarwildexcitements)...oryoucouldbeundercloserestriction,requiredtostayinyourtentwhenyourpresencewasnotrequiredelsewhere.

           Thislastsortdidn’tmeanmuchinitselfsinceitwasusuallyaddedtoextradutysodemandingthatyoudidn’thaveanytimeinyourtentotherthanforsleepanyhow;itwasadecorationaddedlikeacherryontopofadishoficecreamtonotifyyouandtheworldthatyouhadpullednotsomeeverydaygoof-offbutsomethingunbecomingofamemberoftheM.I.andweretherebyunfittoassociatewithothertroopersuntilyouhadwashedawaythestain.

           ButatCampSpookywecouldgointotown—dutystatus,conductstatus,etc.,permitting.ShuttlesrantoVancouvereverySundaymorning,rightafterdivineservices(whichweremoveduptothirtyminutesafterbreakfast)andcamebackagainjustbeforesupperandagainjustbeforetaps.TheinstructorscouldevenspendSaturdaynightintown,orcopathree-daypass,dutypermitting.

           Ihadnomorethansteppedoutoftheshuttle,myfirstpass,thanIrealizedinpartthatIhadchanged.Johnniedidn’tfitinanylonger.Civilianlife,Imean.Itallseemedamazinglycomplexandunbelievablyuntidy.

           I’mnotrunningdownVancouver.It’sabeautifulcityinalovelysetting;thepeoplearecharmingandtheyareusedtohavingtheM.I.intownandtheymakeatrooperwelcome.