The Adventures of an Army Recruit

By Jim Koris

This story describes the excitement and enthusiasm of most young men at the time of the story’s hero, who is about to join the army. It expresses his dreams of future adventures.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Nov 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781645366027

Book preview

Evening.

About the Author

Jim Koris is a Canadian citizen for most part of his life, living in Toronto, Ontario. He is Greek by birth and was born in 1940. He lived the atrocities of WWII and, later, the Communist era. His early life was full of struggles for survival.

He worked hard as a young child in the streets of his birth place, Thessaloniki, while attending high school at night. Later he joined the Greek Army as it was, and still is, a compulsory duty for every male citizen. All his life, he read tons of different books and magazines, and watched hundreds of movies. He likes to write stories of action and adventure. He studied screen writing and wrote more than a dozen scripts.

Jim is married to Lelis and has two grandchildren.

Dedication

I would like to dedicate this book to my wife,

Lelis Montecinos Kopatsaris.

Copyright Information ©

Jim Koris (2020)

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher.

Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

Austin Macauley is committed to publishing works of quality and integrity. In this spirit, we are proud to offer this book to our readers; however, the story, the experiences, and the words are the author’s alone.

Ordering Information:

Quantity sales: special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address below.

Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data

Koris, Jim

The Adventures of an Army Recruit

ISBN 9781645361725 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781645361732 (Hardback)

ISBN 9781645366027 (ePub e-book)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020909725

www.austinmacauley.com/us

First Published (2020)

Austin Macauley Publishers LLC

40 Wall Street, 28th Floor

New York, NY 10005

USA

[e-mail]

[phone]

Neighborhood Streets, a

Summer Evening

Super Salonika, Greece. Civil War. Year 1947.

A group of boys, seven to ten, carrying scraped WWII German weapons march in a military formation. Some of them are barefooted.

A boy who looks older than the rest walks ahead of the group. The word LEADER is written in Greek on the back of his shirt. The boys look serious as they march.

Miriam, a young housewife, in late 20s and of average looks, with a kitchen apron and slippers on and mom of one of the boys, runs behind them.

Miriam’s piercing voice is heard by the marching group of boys.

Aris, come and get your snack.

Her voice breaks the ceremonial silence of the boys.

Everyone turns to look behind except her son who recognizes it and tries to cover himself among his buddies.

Miriam shouts out again in a tempting voice,

Aris, I saw you, don’t hide from me. Look what I’ve got for you.

She holds a plain snack of bread for him to see it.

Aris, seven, with head covered in a German soldier’s helmet, while a broken bayonet hangs from his little pants, turns his head in disappointment.

Not now, Mom, I’m on patrol and have to finish my round first. We are guarding the neighborhood, you know.

You can do that as you eat, Miriam replies.

Then Aris breaks his line and says to his comrades, Wait for me, guys.

Then he turns back and approaches his mother who holds the dark plain piece of bread. His face looks unhappy.

What’s this again, so plain without any butter or sugar on?

We are out of both, you know that, Miriam answers.

That’s what you always say, Mom.

His mother looks irritated now and adds, There is none in the stores. Eat it as it is.

Aris crosses his arms around himself in a defiant manner and says, No, I won’t. All my friends eat theirs with butter and sugar.

Miriam looks annoyed when she says to him.

You won’t eat it? Would you like to be grounded again?

Aris looks at the piece of bread with his head down like defeated and says, Okay then.

Five Years Later.

Aris is at his neighborhood public school. It’s the last class of the day and he prepares himself to return home.

When he reaches home, his mother is outside the door and hands him a cloth napkin that contains inside it a metal lunch plate, with some bread and a spoon.

Aris takes it from her with a hungry face and leaves.

His mother calls behind him, Eat all your food and don’t throw out anything, you hear me?

No, I won’t, Mom, I am hungry.

Neighborhood Public Food Center.

Aris stands in line with a bunch of other boys waiting for the center’s lady matron to open the door.

When she does, all the boys stand in attention and wait for her signal.

Are you ready for your prayer, boys? the matron asks them.

Yes, yes, Mrs. Maria, all the boys say.

Then she appoints by chance one boy who happens to be Aris, You start the prayer.

Aris starts the prayer with embarrassment. When he finishes, the door of the food center opens and all the boys rush in with hungry looks on their faces.

Eight Years Later.

Aris’s Family Home. Day.

Aris is a young man in his 20s now, of average size and looks. He lives with his mother, Miriam.

Their house is a simple old type, with a single floor and clay roof. There are cemented floors everywhere, except for one room the bedroom which is made of wood. Aris returns from work.

Hi, Mom.

Hi, son. How was your day? she asks him.

You know, the same routine like any Friday. Many people screaming and pushing to get first in line. Well, I’m hungry.

The food is ready, son. Sit down and I’ll serve you.

As his mother prepares the table, Aris’s eyes catch a white envelope on a small table at the end of the kitchen.

He gets up and goes to check it.

Excitement shows on his face as he holds the envelope and reads the sender’s address:

Hellenic Army Recruitment Centre – Confidential

He tries to open it, but his mother grabs it from his hand.

It’s not the time for this now, first eat and then read it. It won’t go away, although I wish it should have.

Aris becomes annoyed and asks her in demanding tone, Give me back my letter, Mom. I waited so long for this.

You can wait a little longer, she says in a commanding voice.

Aris looks at her in a strange way, and says, What’s wrong with you today?

Miriam lifts her shoulders and says nothing.

After Dinner. Later.

The dinner is finished and the table is clear.

Can I have my letter back now? Aris asks her.

Yeah sure, it can be your desert, this and any other letter like this. Then she hands him the letter.

"Why you behave like that today?

This is a confidential army document and addressed just to me. He tells her.

You don’t live here alone. I’m your mother and I have every right to know what letter comes in, from where, and why, Miriam answers irritated.

Not my personal letters, just house bills.

Every letter and especially this type you’re holding in your hand.

That’s a confidential letter, Aris defends himself.

Confidential, my foot, you’re too young and naïve to know what’s behind this letter.

What you’re talking about? What’s behind this letter, Mom?

A trap, that’s what’s behind it. An army trap to take you away from your mother.

You sound strange today, your eyes look red. Were you crying?

His mother wipes a tear off her eyes and says, No, I’m not. Well, I shed some tears earlier when this so-called letter came and that’s all. God, how I wish it never came, this letter is my enemy.

He looks at her confused and a spark of an idea shows on his face.

I get it now. You don’t want me to join the army, isn’t it?

Yeah right, I don’t, she replies.

Why? What you’ve got against it?

Because the army symbolizes war and war took my world away, that’s why!

I don’t understand any of this, Mom. You sound so melodramatic today.

Because you didn’t receive a letter from the army before until now.

Listen, Mom. The army will change my boring life.

Aha! A change he says. So living with your mother is boring?

"I didn’t say that, but the army will be something different for