The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1944-11-16

leyan, guard. All-State last two
years" volunteered another.
ooh. sure. Oh, yeah," chorus
ed the others as they moved slow
ly into the warm, sunny light of
familiarity. I decided they either
all belonged to some national I'M
underground society, or that a
radio program had welded them
into hitherto inarticulate bond
age, for now they were all chat
tering in the code.
Time was just about to force
my hand and I was on the verge
of announcing myself, Lester
Dowd, Mill Creek Hunt Club,
Assistant M. F. H. with one bad
fall at Rolling Rock" when the
machine stopped in front of a
bleak administration building.
We were led into a room and ad-
| dressed by the officer in charge
| of cadets, a salty tar with ten
years service on the good ship
Proctor and Gamble and two
months at Quonset.
"Glad to have you men aboard"
he started in a cold, clammy, in
stitutional tone. Before 1 could
wipe the brine out of my eye, he
went on transforming things into
a nautical world of decks, lad
ders, topsides, and bulkheads.
Men, we're in the Navy now"
he announced, as if the audience
were blindfolded and being led
through the palace. Were in a
twar. We're going to forget all
that bunkaroo we learned in col
lege"-he grinned to show how
easy the process had been for
him. fitting his head back and
placing both hands in his side
pockets, he looked far over every
body's head at something that in
ferentially lay well beyond nor
NAL vision and in mystical ca
dences said:
men, it's a grand old flag"
Tim Carpenter, Virginia Wesle-
yam, All-State the last two years,
shifted nervously.
"Jeez," he muttered.
Remember, men, we're all in
this thing together" the Com
mander finished, and swept into
his office.
"Jeez." muttered Carpenter
again.
suppose this was the same
sort of welcome the incoming
class of Aged and Retired Rail
road Engineers received. I wish
ed to God were back on old 81.
A seaman suspected of having
unusual qualities of leadership
was attached to our group and
given a chance to prove himself.
He commanded us to silence, lin
ed us up, and marched us off to
sick bay, trotting along beside
like Seeing Eye dog. He regard
ed the new men in the fine tradi-
tional way and kept up a fire of
chatter as we went.
Cream of da nations yout,"
huh!-it cointainly soured 8.
Coin to be da Navy's air ahm-
so da Navy's got fractured ahm."
This rich flow of Americana ceas-
ed only when we reached the in
Urinary.
20. K, Doc, pickle 'em"-he
turned us over for NEGOTIATIONS
and the routine physical check-up.
The head of the medical depart
ment supervised these operations
from behind a well-thumbed CO.
py of ''Superman." The skilled
surgery itself was delegated to
subordinates who managed the
dart work we'll enough, but it was
plain there was no Gushing in the
lot.
Ready" I heard the attendant
say to, the candidate in front of
me. He gave the bullying vein a
sporting chance before lunging
on the target. When he took the
offensive again, it was my turn.
He rearmed and came at me.
couldn't you slip up quietly
from the side?" I suggested.
These repeated frontal attacks
were wearing me down.
On my way to the eye, ear, nose,
and throat booth, was intercept
ed by a kindly-looking, portly
medico who asked if I was Dowd.
eyes, sir" l
whats this about 2 backward
niece?" He pointed to my rec
ord.
During the early days of induc-
ton I had filled in a blank that
searched into the activities of the
summer vacations. In order to
impress the selection board with
the fact that I didn't fritter my
days away in a sailboat like some
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