Звездный десант
Chapter 11
ButIknowthat’snotwhatistroublingyou,Johnnie.Yougotagirlwaiting?"
"No.Well,Ihad,"Iansweredslowly,"butshe‘Dear-Johned’me."Asalie,thiswasnomorethanamilddecoration,whichItuckedinbecauseAceseemedtoexpectit.Carmenwasn’tmygirlandsheneverwaitedforanybody--butshedidaddressletterswith"DearJohnnie"ontheinfrequentoccasionswhenshewrotetome.
Acenoddedwisely."They’lldoiteverytime.They’drathermarryciviliansandhavesomebodyaroundtochewoutwhentheyfeellikeit.Neveryoumind,son—you’llfindplentyofthemmorethanwillingtomarrywhenyou’reretired...andyou’llbebetterabletohandleoneatthatage.Marriageisayoungman’sdisasterandanoldman’scomfort."Helookedatmyglass."Itnauseatesmetoseeyoudrinkingthatslop."
"Ifeelthesamewayaboutthestuffyoudrink,"Itoldhim.
Heshrugged."AsIsay,ittakesallkinds.Youthinkitover."
"Iwill."
Acegotintoacardgameshortlyafter,andlentmesomemoneyandIwentforawalk;Ineededtothink.
Gocareer?Quiteasidefromthatnoiseaboutacommission,didIwanttogocareer?Why,Ihadgonethroughallthistogetmyfranchise,hadn’tI?--andifIwentcareer,IwasjustasfarawayfromtheprivilegeofvotingasifIhadneverenrolled...becauseaslongasyouwerestillinuniformyouweren’tentitledtovote.
