In Vietnam

Leaving

Pony's POV
The next morning, we got up at 0500 and got ready to leave. The previous night, Two-Bit's mom had offered to watch over the house for us, and Darry thanked her. We got rid of all the food and cleaned up the house nice and tidy.

I was the second one up after Darry, because you could hear his alarm clock clear through the thin walls that we had.

I took a shower, brushed my teeth, changed, and then met Darry in the kitchen. The rest of the gang finished getting ready, and then we packed the last things into our bags and left.

It was a tight fit in the truck, but we made it work.

Pulling up to the station, we saw about forty other boys saying goodbye to their families. We didn't have anyone to say goodbye to except for Two-Bit's mom.

About fifteen minutes later, the bus pulled up. A few men got out and started shouting orders.

"Get on the bus ladies, and put your bags in the compartments above your seats. You have 60 seconds."

Immediately, everyone rushed onto the bus and sat down after putting their bags away. We did the same.

They made us sit in alphabetical order, so I was sitting next to Darry, Soda was across from us next to Steve, Johnny was in front of us next to Dally, and Two-Bit was sitting behind us next to Randy.

When the soldiers came back onto the bus, they started shouting names. You had to loudly reply, "Here, sir!"

When they got to me, and after them being disappointed at how quiet everyone was, I shouted, "Here, sir!"

Everyone in the gang was taken aback.

When the bus started moving, we all watched Tulsa get smaller and smaller until we couldn't see it no more.

After, I fell asleep.
~~~~
I was shaken awake by Darry about three hours later, and we arrived at Fort Sill Basic Training Center. We entered through black gates into a dusty brown landscape, and the General stood up.

"Ladies, you have thirty seconds to get off this bus! Go, go, go!"

We wasted no time and scrambled off the bus. I clicked back into reality, and it hit me where I was and what I was doing. I needed to man up, because they were either going to make us or break us. Once everyone had gotten out of the bus, they gave us strict orders to march straight to the tables to get our uniforms. Darry was the first one in line, and when he walked up, the man said, "First name, last name."

"Darryl Curtis."

He gave my brother a disgusted look, and I already knew what was wrong. "You will address any authority here as 'sir' private. Now get in line to get your uniform. Next."

I walked up and said, "Ponyboy Curtis, sir."

He checked my named off the list, and I headed straight to get my uniform. After getting my uniform, I headed straight to the locker rooms to change. The new uniform was stiff and I didn't like it. Darry was already dressed by the time I was out, and he looked very uncomfortable.

When everyone was done changing, we had to go get our heads shaved. I had mine cut short before in Windrixville, but I was still dreading it. Again, I was the first in line. I sat down in the chair, and a big guy with tattoos started shaving my head. It took a few minutes, and then I walked past the gang. Two-Bit was cackling, and I said, "You're next baldy." We had to head to the barracks to find our beds next. I walked down the line of beds and found mine quickly, and I was bunking with S. Curtis!

Soda came over moments later after he was done getting his head shaved. He looked a little grumpy, but I didn't blame him. Then I noticed the dog tags and put them around my neck. They were uncomfortable, but I didn't touch them. Darry and the rest of the gang did the same, while I handed Soda his tags.

After everyone else was in the room, General Hutch came into the room.

"Morning, ladies. My name is General Hutch, and welcome to boot camp. This is going to be your home for the next six weeks. You will do everything we say and address every authority here as 'sir.' Are we clear, privates?"

Everyone weakly replied, "Yes, sir," except for me. He nodded at me, but his face twisted in disgust at everyone else. "That was super weak, ladies. Are we clear, privates?!"

This time, everyone replied with full force. "Yes, sir!"

"Better. These next six weeks are going to be hell, but we're not here to have fun. If I wanted to have fun, I would be with my girls and wife back home at a barbecue, and not training you farm boys. We're going to train you pansy ass baby boys into men so you can survive life in the jungle. These privates around you will become your brothers that you will eat, sleep, and breathe by every day. Use communication and encourage each other, because that will help you. Before we continue, I am seeing a lot of things that I don't like seeing in the military."

General Hutch started going down the line and started chewing people out. Soda needed to stop moving around so much, Dally needed to have his hands against his sides and not balled up into fists, Darry needed to stop slouching, Two-Bit needed to wipe the grin off his face, Steve needed to stop rolling his eyes, and Johnny needed to fix his uniform. While everyone else was getting chewed out, I made sure that I looked okay and everything was right.

When he got to me, he just nodded and moved on. I smiled to myself, and most of the guys were looking at me in shock. I wasn't fazed in the slightest. After he chewed out everyone, we had to learn different postures. General Hutch called in his assistant, George. He was a pale boy with skinny arms and legs. His nickname was ghost boy.

"At rest, private."

He demonstrated it, and it was very sloppy. "Do it again."

This time when he did it, he got it right. Then, he had to demonstrate attention.

"That's at rest and attention. Now, attention!"

We all got into position, and it was sloppier than ghost boy's demonstration. Hutch grunted. "Again!"

This time, we did it right. Then we were told, "At rest."

We did that right the first time.

When he was satisfied, we were shown multiple things; how to eat, sleep, fold our clothes, and walk military style.

Finally, at 2300, it was lights out.