Angry, angry rant
At 4:30am tomorrow, my 17 year old niece will be “rousted out” to get on a bus to go to boot camp. She just completed her junior year of HS and will return the day before her senior year begins. What a way to spend the summer. I spent the summer before my senior year running around with my best friend, Darla, and cruising on Air Depot. I don’t even think either of us worked that summer, but for some reason my young niece has decided that this is what she wants to do. I’m terrified.
I’m not sure how many political rants I’ve had on “l’espirit d’escalier” or “Le Truth” and realize that this is probably not the time to bluster, but, suffice it to say, I’m not happy with her doing anything militaristic during the current administration. I talked to her about this for a long time. I also talked to her mother (my brother’s ex) about this, and she PROMISED me that she would not sign the papers that would allow my niece to enter the military before her 18th birthday. This is where I’ve chosen to focus my anger.
I know that it is irrational. I should be (and am) angry with the current administration that any of our soldiers are in Iraq. I know that I should be angry with my niece for signing up, but I’ve known for a while that this is what she wanted; this is her way of escaping. I’m so angry with my ex-sis because I cried to her, held her hands, and begged her to not sign the papers, and she PROMISED me with tears in her eyes that she wouldn’t sign anything – then she did. I know that this really isn’t about me but still I feel betrayed.
Here is what I think happened (a view from my angry little part of the world): my ex-sis really likes attention. I mean A LOT more than anyone else I know. My best guess is that she decided to go one on one with the recruiter thinking that she could beat him at his own game while also getting a really healthy dose of attention. My niece did tell me last night at our farewell dinner that her mom “never intended to sign anything, she was just going to talk to him a little.”
Well, great fucking job. You had your little talk. She leaves tomorrow, and you’ve already rented out her bedroom. It just isn’t right.
posted by Anonymous @ 5/31/2005 08:00:00 PM
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