Звездный десант

           AsthiswasbeingdoneIheardapolite,respectfulvoicebehindme:"Excuseme,Sergeant,butthatboatthatjustcamedown—isitfromtheRodger—"

           Iturnedtoseethespeaker,flickedmyeyesoverhissleeves,sawthatitwasasmall,slightlystoop-shoulderedcorporal,nodoubtoneofour—

           "Father!"

           Thenthecorporalhadhisarmsaroundme."Juan!Juan!Oh,mylittleJohnnie!"

           Ikissedhimandhuggedhimandstartedtocry.Maybethatcivilianclerkatthequarantinedeskhadneverseentwonon-comskisseachotherbefore.Well,ifIhadnoticedhimsomuchasliftinganeyebrow,Iwouldhavepastedhim.ButIdidn’tnoticehim;Iwasbusy.Hehadtoremindmetotakemyorderswithme.

           Bythenwehadblownournosesandquitmakinganopenspectacleofourselves.Isaid,"Father,let’sfindacornersomewhereandsitdownandtalk.Iwanttoknow...well,everything!"Itookadeepbreath."Ithoughtyouweredead."

           "No.Cameclosetobuyingitonceortwice,maybe.But,Son...Sergeant—Ireallydohavetofindoutaboutthatlandingboat.Yousee—"

           "Oh,that.It’sfromtheRodgerYoung.Ijust—"

           Helookedterriblydisappointed."ThenI’vegottobounce,rightnow.I’vegottoreportin."Thenheaddedeagerly,"Butyou’llbebackaboardsoon,won’tyou,Juanito?OrareyougoingonR&R?"

           "Uh,no."Ithoughtfast.