(Author’s note: I’ve been a year at my job now. I am quite pleased. Celebrate with me in the Fictioneers!)
©J. Hardy Carroll
Only The Young
by Miles H. Rost
Bradley turned nine today.
The party was spectacular. His friends played in the yard, ate hot dogs and burgers, devoured cake like it was nothing.
After it was all done, he sat by my side, watching his favorite evening TV show, Tour of Duty.
“Daddy, will I ever have to go to war?”
I looked down at him, my eyes remembering the days when I asked that question.
“Not unless you want to.”
“Are you sure?”
“They don’t force you to go anymore. Not like when I was 18.”
He curled up next to me, as we silently finished the show.
Music and Fiction 
The realities of war and deployment and uncertainty and worry …. Well done.
It just seemed to jive with the idea of youth in the song, and the real difference between my generation and those following, compared to that of my parents’.
I wonder if the draft will ever be resurrected. Those were difficult times.
I think there’s enough out there who are willing to make that choice where it will not have to be done again. For some, duty and country are their driving factor.
There is still plenty of war for those who want it, but luckily no draft. Hopefully it stays that way.
Yep. It’s all a matter of choice on that part.
God I can’t imagine having to go to war, I’d be absolutely terrible at it.
They’d have to put me in the communications corps, working on AFR.
I have no idea what AFR is, something radio?
Nice father son bonding. Good that son was reassured.
Generation to generation, wisdom passed.
Wonderful telling of an important memory being built for the child. I hope he never has to go to war 😦
There are enough men and women who will make that choice that being forced to go will not happen again.
Good thing dad is there with good advice. War!
Your story has reflections of mine – https://patrickprinsloo.wordpress.com/2014/12/17/just-a-cleaner/ although totally different context.
He’s just reassuring his child that he won’t have to go through what he did. As for your story, I have a character in my book that did exactly that. And he’s doing penance for it as a pastor. Interestingwork.
I hope he never does have to go but these days going to war can be sitting in a room pressing a button to send bombs and missiles thousands of miles away.
The thing is that there’s enough people to make the choice to do that, so that others who don’t wish to, don’t have to.
Not going to war at one point in history was not an option. I am glad it is not so anymore. Nice story.
Quite. You got it correct.