Brother is in Oklahoma City, preparing to take a physical exam and fill out mountain loads of paperwork that will semi-finalize his enlistment into the Marines. Yes, apparently culinary school is out and the military is back in. Not the Army National Guard as he had originally planned, but the Marines, because his friend/man crush is a Marine who just finished boot camp.
(Philip is a good friend and a good influence, and I appreciate that Brother has such a positive influence in his life, but I wish he wouldn't try to emulate Philip so literally. Pretty much everything the kid does, Brother wants to do. Hence, Philip is his "man crush.")
By tomorrow evening, Brother will have all but signed his name away to the Marine Corps. He won't leave for boot camp until May 18 (he's got to lose 20 pounds before they'll even let him that far), and he's got until May 15 to change his mind. Which he may very well do. He's already done it so many times.
I liked the idea of him going to culinary school and becoming a chef because it seemed like something he would actually follow through with and be really good at. And, it was his own idea, uninfluenced by anyone else. It's the only idea he's ever had that wasn't a direct result of peer pressure or his friends' influence.
Philip, the Marine/man crush, was in town over Christmas vacation and somehow got Steven thinking joining the Marines was a really great idea. Who knows, it may be. But I wonder if, now that his friend has gone back to California and he's alone in a hotel room in another city, away from his family, it will still seem like a good idea. I talked to my mother earlier this evening, and she said Steven had already called a couple of times, saying he was bored (read homesick) and lamenting about the fact that he has to wake up at 4 a.m. tomorrow to start his PT test. I think he said to mom something to the effect of, "Oh well, at least it's only one day." And it's comments like that that make me wonder if he has any idea what the hell he's getting himself into.
I think he kind of thinks being a Marine will be really cool and easy. Like, his friend did it, so it must be easy and he can do it, too. I don't think he has any idea what's coming to him. I don't think he has any idea how difficult it's going to be and how hard he's going to have to work.
Who knows, it may turn out to be the best thing he's ever done. Or, he may get home tomorrow and have changed his mind completely. Again.
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5 comments:
I like reading these little snippets about Brother. Additionally, I like that you refer to him as 'Brother'. I don't think I even know his real name. Nope, I don't. It's sort of cool...reminds me of Prince or Madonna. He needs no possessive adjectives nor a formal god-given name. Just Brother. At least it's more descriptive than 'Sibling'.
Well, I do wish him well, and I hope that he finds his path, although it's dawning on me that most of our paths are ever-evolving anyway. Maybe his just needs to evolve at a slightly slower pace. ;)
Now that I wrote this, I'm really hoping that his actual name isn't Brother, because in that case, I've probably offended you...
Have a great week!
T.
Lunch Friday, anyone?
Sooooo craving Elote!!!
Brother (or should I call him Cousin? No, that's far too vague, I have about a million Cousins) should talk to his Uncle Phil about the Marines. Granted, Uncle Phil was in the Marines about 25 years ago - it still hasn't changed much. Perhaps someone who glamorizes the Corps a bit less would be a more realistic influence?
I have a lot of catching up to do on your blog...as I was skimming I came across this. My brother left for the national guard TODAY. Funny, I call him "brother" too.
Yes, lunch Friday at Elote. Wouldn't miss it.
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