The Misfits: A Tale of T-Girls, Priests, Warriors, and Special Children

By Lumi N. Ellos

John Stapleton and Gino Cicarelli, two high school students who met at a wrestling competition, become friends and begin a journey together that explores John's past and Gino's future aspirations. Along the way, they come into conflict with traditional religious institutions and eventually end up in the military. But this is only the beginning.

As their friendship grows closer and their lives become more intertwined, they face a situation that neither understands and neither knows how to deal with. Their opinions on how to remedy the situation differ wildly and result in the first conflict these two young men ever had between them. The results of this conflict are devastating.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9781662480850

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The Misfits

A Tale of T-Girls, Priests, Warriors, and Special Children

Lumi N. Ellos

Copyright © 2022 Lumi N. Ellos

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2022

ISBN 979-8-88654-896-9 (pbk)

ISBN 978-1-6624-8084-3 (hc)

ISBN 978-1-6624-8085-0 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

A Few Final Words

Chapter 1

John Stapleton and Gino Cicarelli woke up early. The day of their military physical examinations had finally arrived. Mrs. Cicarelli prepared a breakfast for them but neither of the boys was hungry enough to eat. They were too excited about beginning their new adventure. The MEPS station (Military Entrance Processing Station) where they would be examined was located at Fort Hamilton, in Staten Island, New York.

Before traveling to Wyoming for their last visit with John's family, Gino and John had practiced the drive from the Cicarelli home to the MEPS station. They must have done this a dozen times. The boys wanted to make sure that they would not be late when the big day arrived. Now it was here. John and Gino said goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Cicarelli at the front door of the Cicarelli home. Mr. and Mrs. Cicarelli waved goodbye as John and Gino drove off in John's old pickup truck.

The letters they had received from the Army specified that John and Gino should be at Fort Hamilton no later than 0730 hours, but they had arrived promptly at 6:30 a.m. The doors to the MEPS building were unlocked so John and Gino walked inside. They were surprised to see a long line had already formed in front of a series of tables and chairs that had been set up at the far end of a large auditorium. The line was so long that Gino and John stood only a few feet inside of the building. Within minutes, the line extended to outside the building. This was the first in-processing date offered at Fort Hamilton since the most recent round of high school graduations. It was exceptionally busy. Gino and John waited patiently in line.

At exactly 0730 hours, five soldiers appeared at the front door. They walked alongside the line of applicants and headed to the tables and chairs at the back of the auditorium. In a very organized and stern manner, they sat down. These soldiers looked directly at the applicants but they said nothing. After a minute or so, a sixth soldier appeared.

This soldier was a very well-conditioned man. He was older than the other soldiers and a muscular physique could clearly be seen through his uniform. This soldier positioned himself in front of the tables. He looked at the line of applicants before him. In a very loud and firm voice, he belted out the words, May I have your attention please. In-processing has now begun. I ask each of you to wait quietly while we are attending to others. There are bathrooms situated to the rear of this room should you need them. Business will be conducted as follows, so listen up: When your turn comes, you will step up to one of the five soldiers who are sitting behind me. They will assist you in completing the necessary paperwork. Once this is done, you will be directed to a dressing room. You will proceed to this dressing room and you will change into the gown that has been provided for you. You will then be brought to another area for your physical examination. After the examination, you will return to the dressing room at which point you will redress. You will then walk over to the chairs that are situated to my right. You will sit quietly on these chairs and wait for further instructions.

When he had finished speaking, this soldier marched back through the front doors and addressed the applicants who were waiting outside. What he said to them was word for word the same speech that he had given inside. Once this second speech concluded, this well-built soldier reentered the building and disappeared through a side door into a private office. This office had a window that looked out onto the main waiting area.

The soldiers who were sitting behind the tables now began motioning for inductees to come to them. Based on the time it took to in-process even just one applicant, Gino and John realized they would be waiting in line for a long time. Neither of them were very bothered by this. They were still extremely excited to be there. What John and Gino could not have anticipated, though, was that a series of events was about to unfold which would change their Army careers forever.

John and Gino had been slowly inching forward in the line. Forty minutes had already gone by. Suddenly, the boredom of waiting was interrupted by a loud noise which came from behind them. John and Gino turned around to see what was going on. They witnessed the doors of the building swing violently open and four large individuals walk through them. These individuals were aggressive. They cursed at and pushed around people who were waiting in the line.

As they made their way toward the tables at the back of the auditorium, these four individuals came upon Gino and John. They stared at John and Gino for several seconds but none of them made an aggressive move. These individuals had decided correctly that it was probably not a good idea to mess with either of these two fellows. Gino and John were both quite large, and both of them were in great physical condition, no doubt because of their intense training while wrestling in high school. The four aggressors walked past Gino and John without saying a word to them and then once again began to verbally and physically harass other people who were waiting in the line ahead.

Nobody who had been pushed around and abused by these four aggressors contested them. They just took it. Gino and John, however, were growing quite angry. When the aggressors had reached a point about ten feet in front of where John and Gino were standing, they made a cut into the line. Each of the four aggressors grabbed someone and physically pulled them out of the line. The aggressors then took their places and started to laugh. One of the aggressors said, I told you these sorry-ass losers wouldn't put up a fight. They are all pussies. See how easy that was. Gino and John looked at each other and shook their heads. Neither of them said anything but they instinctively knew what they were about to do.

Gino was standing on the left side of the line and John on the right. They left their places in the column of applicants and walked toward the four aggressive young men. Each one of the aggressors was as big as or bigger than John or Gino in size but none of them were as physically fit. At the same exact moment and without saying a word to them, John grabbed one aggressor and Gino grabbed another.

John violently threw the guy he had grabbed to the ground. This fellow landed about six feet away from the line and he did not get up. John then turned around to see another aggressor charging at him. This young man was coming to the aid of his fallen buddy and was about to punch John. However, he was not quick enough. By the time the aggressor's arm began to move forward, John had already launched at the guy and smashed him in the face with a hard right elbow. Facial bones could be heard breaking as this young man fell to the floor. The guy was dazed but not unconscious. Blood was pouring from his nose. He was out of the fight.

In the meantime, the first aggressor John had thrown to the ground had gotten to his feet. He looked at his friend's bleeding face and decided he was going to make John pay for this. This guy presumed he was going to get help from his other two friends. However, he was unaware that Gino was taking care of business on the other side of the line. No help was coming. This fellow now charged John. John could have knocked him down in the same way he did the first guy, but instead, John decided he would have a little fun with this one.

John had previously been shot on numerous times by the best wrestlers in the country during his high school athletic career. He knew that this novice aggressor would offer no serious threat. As the guy charged, John dropped to a lower position and lunged forward. John caught the young man at the level of his mid thighs and then lifted him off the ground and above his head. John began to twirl his prize around in circles.

If the young aggressor would have simply given up, John would have put him down and it would have been over. However, this guy still tried to fight. He began pounding John's back with his fists. This was a mistake. It only made John angrier.

John now dropped the guy to the ground. A large thud resounded as the young man hit the floor. Like any good wrestler would do, John stayed attached to him.

John put the guy on his back and then placed him into a wrestling hold called a full Nelson. This is a painful position to be in. As John did this, he kept an eye on the other aggressor with the busted face to make sure that he would not try to re-enter the fray. He did not. This fellow was still sitting on the floor holding his nose and trying to get it to stop bleeding.

On the other side of the line, Gino was doing just fine. He had also thrown the aggressor he grabbed to the floor. Gino's plan was to then go after the other aggressor who was still standing and quickly take him out of the fight. He would then return and finish off the first one. It was exactly the same thing John had done on the other side.

Independently, John and Gino had formulated the same plans in the spur of a moment and they were executing them. Once Gino had put the first aggressor down to the floor, he made a move toward the second one. Much to his surprise, however, this second aggressor was already under attack from another applicant. This applicant was one of the young men whom the aggressors had pulled out of the line.

The fighting applicant stood only 5'6" tall. He weighed 175 pounds at most but was ferocious. This young man had launched a barrage of punches into the face and chest of the aggressor. The punches were lightning fast and the aggressor could not block them. None of the punches were knockout blows, but they did damage as they kept coming fast and furious.

The aggressor could not get in any punches of his own so he decided to try and tackle the punching machine that was attacking him. He charged the much smaller man but never got close. The smaller fighter leaned back and hit the aggressor in the face with a high turning kick. The aggressor fell to the ground. He was knocked out cold and was now lying facedown on the floor. A large cut on his right cheek was bleeding.

Gino watched with amazement. He couldn't believe how well this small man could fight. There was no way to judge from his physical appearance that this young man could be so effective and so devastating in defending himself. Gino was impressed, as was John, who watched the whole thing while still keeping his victim tied up in a full Nelson.

Gino's eyes met the eyes of the young fighter who had just knocked out a much larger man. They gave each other a satisfied glance. The young fighter then yelled to Gino, Behind you! Gino turned around quickly to see that he was being charged by the same guy he had pushed to the ground just moments before.

Gino's first instinct was to throw punches at the aggressor like he had just witnessed the other fighter do, but he quickly realized he was not trained for this kind of a fight. Gino briefly glanced over the line to see that his buddy John had taken care of business with a full Nelson. He decided he would do the same. With equal bravado, Gino grabbed hold of the attacking guy and wrestled him to the floor. Sparing no pain, Gino put this young man into a full Nelson hold as well. The excitement was now over. All four of the aggressors had been taken down. The other inductees in the line began cheering and yelling out their approval.

The cheering died down quickly when the senior soldier who had barked out the initial instructions now appeared in the frame of the door to his office. He began walking toward the area where the fighting had occurred. He had watched the entire sequence of events through his window. This senior soldier could have stopped the fighting before it had even started, but he chose not to. He allowed things to play out and he seemed satisfied with the results.

This senior soldier stood 5'10" tall and he weighed over 250 pounds. He was solid. The shoulder sleeves of his uniform bore epaulettes that had three semicircle bars down, three bent bars on top, and a diamond in the middle. None of the recruits knew exactly what these symbols represented. They did know that this man carried himself in a very measured manner and was not to be messed with. There was an air of absolute authority about him. His name was First Sergeant John Kromenhauk.

This first sergeant approached the individual who had been knocked out cold by the kick from the smaller applicant. He did a brief examination on the downed fellow to verify that he was still breathing. The first sergeant then called over to his soldiers behind the tables. Tanner, he said, I need you to come over here and help me. Johnson, I need you to call for four civilian ambulances. Jones, I need you contact our medics. I want them over here until the civilian EMS arrives.

A unified response came from these soldiers, Yes, First Sergeant, right away. Tanner came from behind his table and approached the downed individual. He and the first sergeant then carefully rolled the still unconscious aggressor onto his back. Once this was done, the first sergeant approached Gino.

Son, he said, You may now release this man. Gino released the hold on the guy that he had trapped in his arms and the guy slowly stood up. The first sergeant then directed Gino to go and wait inside his office.

The first sergeant then directed Gino's victim to stand by his unconscious friend and not to move. There was no longer any fight or aggression left in this guy. He did what the first sergeant told him to do without argument. The first sergeant then walked over to John. John was instructed to release the aggressor who was locked up in his arms and then go wait in the office with Gino.

The smaller fighter was also ordered by the first sergeant to head over to the office and wait for him there. The Army medics now arrived on scene and attended to the unconscious man on the floor. They placed a cervical collar around his neck and provided him with supplemental oxygen. Other medics applied bandages and held pressure on the nose of the man who John had elbowed in the face. This man's nose was still bleeding.

In a short time, the civilian medics arrived and took over the care of the four aggressors, now called patients, and loaded them onto the ambulances. They were taken to the nearest hospital with an emergency room, which was Victory Memorial Hospital. After the injured aggressors were removed from the MEPPS station, another group of soldiers appeared to clean up the blood on the floor. Once this was done, the business of in-processing resumed. The first sergeant walked back to his office.

Gino watched the bulldog of a first sergeant walk toward them and whispered to John and the smaller man, Well, I guess our Army careers are just about over. Before they could answer, the first sergeant was upon them. He sat down in the chair behind his desk and looked up at the three young applicants who were now standing in front of him. The first sergeant focused on Gino and spoke to him.

First Sergeant. Do you mind telling me what the hell you think you were doing out there?

Gino. Well, I saw something…

Before Gino could finish answering, the first sergeant interrupted.

First Sergeant. Son, I don't expect you to know who I am because you haven't even made it through in-processing yet, but I am a first sergeant. You, and your two colleagues here, from this moment on, will address me as First Sergeant. Do you understand this?

Gino. Yes, I do, First Sergeant. Sorry for the mistake.

With this answer, the first sergeant smiled. He liked these guys. They showed respect. He already had a plan for them.

First Sergeant. Please continue.

Gino. First Sergeant, I didn't mean to cause any trouble. John and I saw these four guys bullying everybody else. It seemed like it was the right thing to do and take them down.

The first sergeant now looked at John.

First Sergeant. You must be John, is this correct?

John. Yes, First Sergeant, it is correct. I am John.

First Sergeant. And why did you get involved in this altercation?

John. I don't know, First Sergeant. I guess my answer is the same as Gino's. I really don't like guys like that.

First Sergeant. Are you and Gino friends?

John. Yes, First Sergeant, we are. We enlisted together on the Buddy Plan.

First Sergeant. Very well.

The first sergeant now looked at the smaller applicant.

First Sergeant. Since you were not in line with John and Gino, may I assume that you are not with them?

Slim Man. That is correct, First Sergeant. We did not come together and we have never met before.

First Sergeant. What is your name son?

Smaller Applicant. My name is Tommy Jenkins, but everybody calls me Spider.

First Sergeant. Your nickname is Spider?

Spider. Yes, First Sergeant.

First Sergeant. And how did you come to get that nickname?

Spider. I am not sure, First Sergeant. It is just a name that stuck with me since I was a kid. I think I killed a lot of bugs and stuff.

First Sergeant. So may I call you Spider?

Spider. Yes, First Sergeant. Spider is the name that I go by.

The first sergeant looked at Gino again.

First Sergeant. What is your full name, son?

Gino. My name is Gino Cicarelli, First Sergeant.

The first sergeant then asked the same question to John.

John. My name is John Stapleton, First Sergeant.

First Sergeant. Do any of you have any regrets over what just happened?

There was silence for a couple of seconds before Gino answered.

Gino. Yes, First Sergeant, I do have a regret.

First Sergeant. And what would that be?

Gino. Well, First Sergeant, I wish that I could have been on John's side of the line. He got to take down two idiots and I only got to take down one because Spider got involved.

Hearing these words, the first sergeant lost control of his concrete military demeanor and started to laugh out loud. When he regained his composure, he spoke to the three young men who stood before him.

Here's the deal, said the first sergeant. Normally, fighting while in-processing would result in your immediate dismissal and forfeiture of the opportunity to be in the Army. However, I have been in the military for twenty-two years. I am a ranger and I am also a member of the Special Forces. Unfortunately, the modern-day military process of selecting soldiers is flawed. We put too much emphasis on individuals who are paper pushers and administrators and not enough emphasis on those individuals with the tenacity to fight. What I have just witnessed with the three of you was outstanding. You all independently recognized a threat, a wrongful event, and took it upon yourselves to correct it. I commend you, all three of you. I would like to offer each of you an opportunity that is pretty rare. Instead of having you enter the Army in the usual manner, I would like to place you in a special program. This program is new to the Army and it is designed to seek out and train war fighters. If you are interested, you will go through the basic training that is required of all soldiers. After completing this, you will be removed from the general pool of soldiers who will be given secondary assignments based on their grades and on their aspirations. Instead of going this pathway, I can enroll you into a program that will be both challenging and exciting. It will make a true warrior out of you. It will not be easy. You will first attend training to become a ranger. If you can get through this, you can continue on with even more advanced training and become a member of the Army's elite Special Forces. It requires great dedication, great skill, great athleticism, and great attention to detail. You must be fearless. It is an amazing journey and may be the greatest thing that you will ever do in your life. If you succeed, you will enter into the domain of the very few Americans to have achieved such an accomplishment. You will be feared by whatever enemy is stupid enough to confront you. Are any of you interested?

John looked at Gino. Without any hesitation, they both responded at the same time, Yes, First Sergeant.

The first sergeant now looked at Spider. How about you? he said. Are you interested?

Spider responded, Absolutely, First Sergeant, count me in.

The First Sergeant then stood up and walked through his office door and into the main auditorium. He stopped after a few feet and called out to one of the soldiers who was working behind a desk on the other side of the room. The First Sergeant yelled out, Specialist Jones, I would like you to come to my office right this second and in-process these three young men into the Special Forces program. When you finish the paperwork, I want you to leave it in my inbox. Please make sure that you get several contact numbers for each of these young men.

The first sergeant walked back into his office and looked at Gino, John, and Spider. Gentlemen, he said, I remain quite impressed with your behavior today. I look forward to enrolling you into a program that will change and challenge you in every way. If you succeed, you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams. You will hear from me personally in the next couple of days. With that, the first sergeant left his office and then left the building. He was on a mission.

With a firm gait that resembled a freight train roaring down the tracks, the first sergeant headed straight to his commander's office. He needed to relate to the commander firsthand the events that had sent four applicants to the hospital in ambulances. He knew this kind of thing never sat well with the command group.

When John and Gino arrived back home, Mr. and Mrs. Cicarelli were anxious to hear all about their day. Gino told them everything that had happened. Wow, said Mr. Cicarelli, what a first day! It was dinnertime, and after eating, Gino stayed in the kitchen to hang out with his parents. John excused himself to go upstairs. He wanted to speak with his father and also with his mother and grandfather. John had been raised by his mother in the absence of his father. John carried his mother's last name. He had only met his father several months earlier.

John called his father first. Mr. Reid was excited to learn that his son was selected to enter a pathway that led to the Special Forces. After hanging up with his father, John called his grandfather's home. Judith Stapleton, John's mother, lived in this home as well. She was recovering from a nervous breakdown. John's girlfriend, Amanda, had moved into the Stapleton home to lend assistance to Judith. Mr. Stapleton answered the call and John filled him in on the details of his MEPPS station experience. Mr. Stapleton then gave the phone over to Judith. She was very proud to learn that her son had stood up to bullies at the in-processing center. When John finished speaking, Judith initiated a conversation of her own.

Judith. John, I must tell you that things are going pretty well here. Your grandfather takes me to the hospital every day for outpatient visits and waits for me until I am done. Amanda has made it her own personal mission to take care of me and Grandfather. She makes lunch for us, she goes out and gets groceries for us, and she even takes me shopping. She is such a delightful young woman. We speak at length to each other almost every day. I think being with her does me better than the meetings at the hospital. She is always very interested in you and asks me a lot of questions about what you like and what you don't like. She wants to know every little detail of what I can remember about how we lived and what we did. I am not sure, but I think that she really, really loves you.

John. Well, that's great, Mom. You sound so different and it seems like you are getting stronger. I can hear it in your voice. As far as Amanda goes, I must say that I really like her too. I had a girlfriend here in New Jersey, but after meeting Amanda, I kind of broke up with the one here. I don't know if anything will ever happen between Amanda and me, but just having met her, it was clear that my present girlfriend was not what I wanted. Does that make sense?

Judith. It does, John. It makes perfect sense and I hope that something good does happen between you and Amanda. I am getting to know her a little more each day. I think she is wonderful. It is clear to me that she has also been wounded very deeply in the past, but together, I think we are doing well. Your grandfather says that Amanda and I are like two peas in a pod. I guess sometimes Amanda and I get so involved in our conversations that we kind of leave Grandpa out.

John. I don't think Grandfather is too upset with this.

Judith. No, he's not. He has said numerous times he is so glad that Amanda came to stay with us. I know it makes it easier on him too. Well, there is a young lady in the next room who has been anxiously waiting to talk with you. Is this okay?

John: Oh, absolutely. I have been dreaming about talking to her all day.

Judith called Amanda to the telephone and then excused herself from the room. Amanda smiled at Judith. She put the telephone to her ear.

Amanda. Hello?

John. Hi, Amanda. It's John. How are you doing?

Amanda. Oh, John. It is so good to hear your voice. I know you may not believe this because we really haven't known each other for very long, but I miss you so much.

John. Amanda, I feel the same way. I miss talking with you and I miss holding your hand. I think about you all day long.

John proceeded to tell Amanda about all of the things that had happened at the MEPS station.

Amanda. Oh my goodness! Are you and Gino okay?

John. Oh yeah. We are both fine. Gino was just a little upset because I got to beat up two guys and he only got to beat up one. He'll get over it. He made me promise that next time he gets two guys to fight.

Amanda. John, that's not funny. I don't want you two going out and fighting.

John. Actually, Amanda, other than wrestling matches, this was the first time I actually got into it with someone. Well, this is not exactly true. I did take down an escaped prisoner once. Anyway, Gino and I didn't start the fight. It all ended well, so no big deal.

Amanda. I hope that you are very careful. You never know. You may someday run into someone just as tough as you are.

John. That would be a great challenge for sure, but don't worry. Bad guys tend to act tough, but inside, they really aren't. I'll be fine. How are you doing?

Amanda. John, your grandfather and mother have been so sweet and kind to me. I hope that I never have to leave this place and I hope that I never wear out my welcome here. I have been so happy. We jelled as a group very quickly. Your mother is so cool. She always asks me how I feel. She makes sure that I have enough to eat and that my clothes are clean. I never had anybody care for me like this.

John. I think the person you are calling my mother is actually my real mother. The person that raised me did none of those things. But you know, she was suffering at that time and wasn't really a person at all. Thank you for helping her out.

Amanda. I can't wait for you to get to know her. I think you will be pleased. And your grandfather, well, he is great too. The other day, he called me over to the garage door. He said, "Amanda, I think you and I are going in too many different directions at the same time. We really need another car. Instead of buying one, though, I want you to use the one that I had purchased for Judith a long time ago. It is about twenty years old. I start the engine every week and drive it several times a month to keep it in good shape. It is kind of small, but just the same, it runs great. If you don't like it, I will save up some money and buy a car that is better for you.' Your grandfather then opened up the garage door. Do you have any idea of what car was in that garage?

John. Let me think about it. The year is now 1987. Twenty years ago would have been 1967. I say you were looking at a Ford Fairlane or Buick Skylark. Am I right?

Amanda. Nope, not even close.

John. Oh, I don't know then. I am not a car guy. What is it?

Amanda. Well, I hope you are sitting down. It is a 1968 white Chevrolet Corvette with red seats. It only has 1,200 miles on the odometer.

John. You have got to be kidding.

Amanda. Your grandfather has no idea how valuable that car is. I told him about Corvettes but he didn't seem to care much. He said his only concerns were about Judith, and since she can't drive yet, I am free to use the car whenever I need to.

John. That is so amazing.

Amanda. I think so. I drove it to grocery store the other day and three cars followed me into the parking lot. The drivers of these cars asked me how much I wanted for the 'Vette. I told them that I didn't think it was for sale but I would ask the owner.

John. What did my grandfather say?

Amanda. He said it might be a good idea to sell it because it sat so low to the ground. He was worried it might be hard for Judith to get in and out of.

John. What did you tell him to do?

Amanda. I told him not to sell it. It is such a valuable car and it will double or even triple in value in a couple of years.

John. What did he say to that?

Amanda. He said that if it is such a great car, he wants you to have it. He is planning to give it to you the next time you come home. I wasn't supposed to tell you this, but I figured if I did, maybe you would come home sooner rather than later. Kind of selfish on my part, don't you think?

John. I don't know about selfish, but I am glad you want to see me.

Amanda. Yes, I want to see you!

John. I don't know for sure when I will be home. The first sergeant is supposed to call us soon. I should know a little more about my schedule after he speaks with us. As far as the car is concerned, I am honored that my grandfather wants to give it to me. Honestly, though, things like fancy cars don't bring me much joy. A good workout and jog with Gino feels better to me than any material things.

Amanda. I figured you might feel that way. Speaking of workouts, your mom and I joined a yoga class. She is better at it than I am. She loves it.

John. My mother is doing yoga? This is absolutely amazing. She has never done anything like that before. Thank you again for watching over her and keeping her going.

Amanda. You are welcome. By the way, your father and stepmother come by frequently. They are both such sweet people. We eat dinner together every Sunday. Mrs. Reid is experimenting with Italian cooking. I think she is doing a pretty good job with it. She heard you say that you loved Mrs. Cicarelli's cooking, so she is trying to duplicate it. She actually called Mrs. Cicarelli to ask her for some recipes.

John. Really?

Amanda. Yes, and it was kind of funny. Mrs. Cicarelli said that in Italian neighborhoods, you never divulge your secret gravy recipe to anyone. But since we were so far away and since you were such a good friend of Gino's, she would make an exception. I think she was kidding, but then again, I'm not sure.

John. She was kidding. You couldn't find anyone with a bigger heart than Mrs. Cicarelli. She would drive the recipe to you if you asked her to.

Amanda. Well, that's good to know.

John. I think I should go now. I don't want to run up a big phone bill on the Cicarellis until I have some money to pay for it. I look so forward to seeing you. I will call you in a day or two when I know more about the plans the Army has for me.

Amanda. Okay, that would be great. Please be careful and no more fighting. I will talk to you in a few days.

Each party hangs up their phone.

Gino and John anxiously waited to hear something from First Sergeant Kromenhauk. As promised, a telephone call came from him two days later at 9:00 a.m. Mrs. Cicarelli answered the call and quickly handed the telephone over to Gino.

Hello, Gino said.

Good morning, Mr. Cicarelli, this is First Sergeant Kromenhauk. How are you this morning? he said.

I am fine, First Sergeant, responded Gino.

Well, I am glad to hear that, said the first sergeant. Listen, I think that I have some really great news for you and John. If you don't mind, I would like to deliver it to you in person. If it is okay with you, John, and your parents, I would like to pick you up at six o'clock tonight and take you out to dinner. Mr. Jenkins, Spider, will also be joining us. Does this sound okay with you?

Oh absolutely, said Gino. We look forward to it.

Great, said the first sergeant. See you at six o'clock.

Gino hung up the phone and ran upstairs to tell John what the first sergeant had said. John was pleased. Gino then jumped back down the stairs to tell his mother that he and John were going out to dinner with First Sergeant Kromenhauk tonight.

Oh no, you are not, said Mrs. Cicarelli, That poor first sergeant has probably not had a homemade dinner for a long time. He will eat here with us. I have plenty of leftovers and will make some fresh lasagna as well.

Mom, said Gino, we don't have any authority over this man. We just can't make him eat here without asking him.

Yes, we can, said Mrs. Cicarelli. You just watch your momma in action. He will be eating dinner with us and I don't want to hear anything else about it.

Okay, Mom, said Gino. Inside his own mind, Gino began picturing the conversation that his mother was going to have with the first sergeant. He knew his mother would win because she always won. He couldn't wait to see how this massive, decorated first sergeant would fare against the iron will of his Italian mother.

First Sergeant Kromenhauk arrived at the Cicarelli home at exactly 6:00 p.m. Mr. Cicarelli answered the door, introduced himself while shaking hands, and invited the first sergeant into the house. The first sergeant entered the home and stood close to the front door. Gino and John were inside, seated on the couch. Both boys stood up and walked over to the first sergeant. They shook hands with him. The last person to enter into the living room was Mrs. Cicarelli. She wore an apron. Mrs. Cicarelli walked briskly toward the first sergeant. She was drying her hands with a small towel as she approached the first sergeant.

Mrs. Cicarelli. Hello, I am Rosemarie Cicarelli, Gino's mother.

The first sergeant extends his hand to shake hers.

First Sergeant. Nice to meet you Mrs. Cicarelli. I am First Sergeant John Kromenhauk. With your permission, I would like to take your son and John out to dinner.

Mrs. Cicarelli. Oh my goodness. Of course you do not have my permission. I would like instead for you to join us here for dinner. I have prepared a special dinner just for you.

First Sergeant. Mrs. Cicarelli, this is so kind of you, but I could not possibly impose upon you in such a manner.

Mrs. Cicarelli. It is no imposition at all. Now come on in and sit down for a minute while I get everything on the table. Would you like a glass of wine or perhaps a beer while you are waiting?

First Sergeant. Mrs. Cicarelli, again I thank you, but it is not our policy to intrude on families. Maybe we could arrange a dinner at a later date.

Mrs. Cicarelli. Nonsense. You will stay for dinner with us. After all, I am giving up my son to you for who knows how many years. Don't you think you could break protocol one time and make this mother happy?

First Sergeant: Mrs. Cicarelli, I apologize. I didn't think of it like this and I certainly did not intend to offend you. I would really love to have dinner here with you, but I can't. There is a problem. I have two other soldiers in my car who are also scheduled to go out to dinner with Gino, John, and I. I have no choice but to decline your offer.

Mrs. Cicarelli. Well, that's no problem at all. We have plenty of food. Please invite them in and I will get dinner on the table.

First Sergeant. Mrs. Cicarelli, the problem may be a little deeper than that. Both of the individuals in my car were involved in the altercation with your son and John two days earlier. One of them, Spider, was on their side. The other, a boy named Roger Adams, was not on John and Gino's side. In fact, he had his nose broken. I believe that John was the one who had hit him. In any event, circumstances being what they are, I do not think it would be a good idea to bring Roger into your home. Mrs. Cicarelli, with your permission, may I bring your son and John outside for a minute to speak with them?

Mrs. Cicarelli. Of course you may, but don't be too long. I don't want dinner to get cold. And when you come back, I expect those other two boys to be with you. I am sure that John and Gino will not object. There must be a good reason why that boy Roger is in your car.

First Sergeant. Yes, ma'am, there is.

The first sergeant left the house and walked outside. John and Gino followed him through the door. They descended the front steps and stood on the edge of the grass. First Sergeant Kromenhauk looked at his car and waved to Spider for him to come and join them. Roger remained in the car. Spider got out of the car and joined the others at the base of the stairs. He greeted John and Gino with handshakes.

First Sergeant. Listen boys, it is not in my nature to explain my decisions to subordinates. This being said, I feel that in this case I need to tell you why Roger, one of the guys you beat down two days ago, is sitting in my car. On the evening of the altercation, I made my way to the hospital to check on the four boys that were injured. They were all in the same room. The two boys that were wrestled to the ground were fine. They were sore, for sure, but were sitting in chairs. Both had been evaluated in the emergency department and discharged. The other two boys were in hospital beds. They were both admitted for observation. They seemed fine. Three of the four sets of their parents immediately became hostile with me. I was in uniform and I had a nametag on. They threatened me and each of you with lawsuits. I told them that it was within their rights to pursue legal action, but I didn't think that it was in their best interest to do so. I informed them that they themselves were subject to being sued as well. When they asked why, I told them that the entire sequence of events regarding their sons' behavior had been captured by surveillance cameras. In reality, the incident was much worse than I had known at the time. The cameras not only caught their sons' activities inside the building but also on the outside. It was quite clear that all four boys, after getting out of their car, began beating on people who were waiting in line. Two individuals had suffered significant injuries at their hands. The four boys were recorded being very aggressive. They turned over garbage cans, spit on others, and kicked bystanders who were not even waiting in line. I told the parents that the actions of their children were pathetic. I informed them that several of the people who were struck while standing in line were considering filing charges against their children. The United States government was also contemplating the submission of charges. I suggested to them that they should indeed hire an attorney but they should prepare to be defendants rather than the plaintiffs.

Gino. So why is one of these boys in your car ready to go out to dinner with us?

First Sergeant. After I told the parents about their sons' behavior, the room became quiet. Once I saw that none of the boys had been seriously hurt, I turned and left the room. As I made my way toward the elevator, one set of parents followed me and then called out to me. They were Mr. and Mrs. Adams, Roger's parents. Mrs. Adams was crying. Mr. Adams was more composed, but his voice was shaky. He apologized for his son's behavior. I accepted his apology and gave him my opinion that his son was heading in a very bad direction. I let him know that two days ago, his son had the bad luck of running into three other guys that weren't going to put up with his crap. I told them that this would be a recurring theme for their son if things didn't change. I also informed Mr. Adams that I was about to escort his disruptive son and his friends out of the MEPS station, but before I could, you three boys took it upon yourselves to deliver justice. Quite frankly, I said to Mr. Adams, I was glad that it happened this way. I told him that I would not have been allowed to deliver retribution and physical pain like you boys had. Mr. Adams then asked me if there was any possibility that his son, Roger, could have a second chance. I told him that this would be unlikely. Mr. Adams then spoke again. He said to me, "Please, First Sergeant. Please give him a second chance. We are at the end of our ropes. He was once such a great kid. He played football, he had a lovely girlfriend, he was popular, and he had good grades in school. But for the last two years, life with this child has been pure hell. For reasons that are completely unknown to us, he hooked up with these other hoodlums, the ones in that hospital room, and ever since then, he has spiraled downward to become this monster of a human being. I told him that I had had enough and that after high school he was out of the house if he did not straighten up. Much to my surprise, he said that he decided to join the Army. I was happy about this. I had served in the past. I knew that the discipline the military provided would he be good for him, especially if it comes from someone like you. I had no idea that he was trying to join alongside with those other monsters. I don't understand any of it, but I am begging you to give him a second chance. When I came to see what happened to him, he was away from the others. He said to me, ‘Dad, I am sorry for what happened today and how I have been acting lately. I didn't mean for anything to go down like this. I want to go to the first sergeant and ask him for a second chance.' Please, First Sergeant, see if you can find it in your heart to give my boy another chance. I know my son. The kid who apologized to me is my son of old. Please do not give up on him.' I thought about this for a moment, and then I told Mr. Adams to go and get his son. I wanted to speak with him in private. After I spoke with Roger, I felt assured that this young man was looking for a new start. I made my mind up. I would try to give him a second chance but not in the regular Army. If he was insincere, ranger school would weed him out in a heartbeat, and this is where the three of you come in.

John. I don't understand, First Sergeant. How does your decision to give him a second chance have anything to do with us?

First Sergeant. Well, the program that I have entered you into is unique. As you already know, it gives a straight pathway toward becoming a Special Forces operative. The Army higher-ups have realized that soldiers who train together right from the very start perform better in real operations. I was asked to find a group of four to send to this new program. I think that you three boys are excellent choices. Having met privately with Roger, I think that he has the potential to be an excellent warrior. However, after what happened at the MEPS station, I will not force him on you. I want you all to speak with him. That was the purpose of us going out to dinner tonight. If after doing so, you feel like he will not be a good fit, then I will let him go. I need you to help make this decision. Is that fair enough?

John looked at the others and then spoke for the group. Sure, he said, "I think we can at least hear what he has to say.

After hearing these words, the first sergeant walked over to his car, opened the door, and asked Roger Adams to follow him. They made their way back to where Gino, John, and Spider were standing. The first sergeant said, Boys, this is Roger Adams. The first sergeant then left the boys alone. He said that he would be waiting by his car for a decision.

Roger stood directly in front of John, Gino, and Spider. He looked bad. The skin of his entire face was yellow and blue in color from contusions and his eyes were nearly swollen shut. His nose was twice its normal size. Roger spoke first.

Roger. I owe you all an apology. I am so sorry for the way I behaved.

Gino. What made you think that you had the right to push everybody around and then cut in line?

Roger. I don't know. Since I started hanging out with these other guys, that is just how we behaved. If we wanted something, we went for it. It didn't matter who was in our way. We did what we wanted to do. Nobody ever stopped us, that is, until we ran into you three.

John. So until you ran into us, you had no remorse about beating up on people because they did not stand up to you?

Roger. At first I did. But the other guys I was with were the only friends I had, so I went along with everything they did. Over time, it didn't seem like such a big deal anymore.

Spider. That seems like a pretty lame excuse to me.

Roger. It's not an excuse. I was weak on the inside, and I was wrong to fall under their spell, but I did. We were a gang. I had to go along with it. Until my nose got broken, I got to feeling pretty comfortable about being a bad ass. People feared us. You could see it in their eyes when we showed up. We owned whatever place we went into. It's a powerful feeling. But when you whooped us, it was humbling. I was not the tough guy that I thought I was. In reality, I was the weak one. I was only strong in the gang because we picked on people who didn't fight back. I am so ashamed of myself right now. I want to be like you guys. I want to be the one who fights the bad guys. I want to be the one who protects those who can't defend themselves. That's what I want to do.

Gino. How is it that you ended up hanging out with such a bunch of lowlifes?

Roger. Well, to be honest, it is somewhat personal. I had been having trouble with my parents and having trouble with other things in my life as well. It seemed like joining this gang would give me a new start and take me away from the things that were bothering me. I wanted adventure. I didn't want to be like my father and get married out of high school, get a job, have kids, and live a most boring life. I wanted more than that, and the gang I joined seemed to provide it. Looking for adventure is still what I want, but I made a bad choice when I joined a gang. I thought excitement was something they were looking for as well, but in reality, they were just bullies. They wanted something for nothing. Picking on people was the way they got what they wanted. I am done with them. Whether or not I am allowed to be in the Army, I still intend to spend the rest of my life chasing down these kinds of assholes. Maybe I could be a police officer. I don't know. I just need to make up for the horrible things I have done.

John, Gino, and Spider all look at each other.

Gino. Roger, wait here for a second. I would like to talk things over with Spider and John.

Spider, John, and Gino then walk away from Roger and reassemble near the side of the house.

Gino. Well, I heard enough. I think he is sincere. I am willing to give him a chance.

Spider. I am not buying it. I think he has nowhere else to go. He is sorry because he has a very painful face. If we didn't stand up to him, he would still be in the gang and he would still be the same old person. I say we don't need to take a chance on him and risk ruining our own careers.

John. Hold on, Spider, not so fast. A year ago, I might have agreed with everything you just said, but I am not so sure now. You are seeing Roger as a guy who is bad at the core and who is making excuses for his behavior. Is it possible, though, that he is actually a decent guy who just made some bad choices? Gino and I recently met a girl who on the surface, appeared to be nothing more than an antisocial, Gothic monster. But when you stripped away her outer layers, she turned out to be a remarkable woman. She had only done what she had to in order to survive. I get the feeling from Roger that something similar may be going on with him. I vote to give him a second chance.

Gino. Yeah, Spider, I think John has a good point.

Spider. Well, it appears to me that I am outvoted, so I will go along with you guys. Let's make sure with the first sergeant, though, that if Roger turns out to be a loser, we can get rid of him.

Gino. Sounds good to me. How about you, John?

John. Yes, I agree.

The three boys walked back over to Roger. Gino reached out and shook Roger's hand. Gino said to him, Roger, welcome aboard. We will all head out on this adventure together, the four of us. The first sergeant was watching from where he was standing by the car. He could see that things were going the way he had hoped. The first sergeant started walking toward the boys, but Gino met him halfway so that he could speak to the first sergeant in private.

Gino. First Sergeant, we have all agreed to accept Roger's apology and give him a try as part of our group. We do have one concern, however.

First Sergeant. What is that, Gino?

Gino. If Roger turns out to be a problem, the rest of us don't want him hurting our own careers. Can we drop him if he is not sincere about turning himself around?

First Sergeant. The answer is yes, you can get rid of him if he doesn't meet up to your standards, but you really don't have to worry about that at all.

Gino. How is that, First Sergeant?

First Sergeant: Because you are not entering into a regular Army program. You will be experiencing a high-speed, fast-moving, and rigorous lifestyle. If he can't keep up or if he is truly a slacker, the system will cause him to wash out. You won't have to do anything. Okay?

Gino. Yes, First Sergeant, that is what I needed to hear. On another note, we do need to get inside the house quickly. My mother can get pretty upset if anyone is late for dinner.

First Sergeant. Gino, I am so thankful that people like your mother and father exist. They are truly the heart and soul of our country. They are the reason that I never hesitated to go into harm's way. We have in this country something that is worth defending. I still feel, though, like I am imposing on your parents. There was no plan for your mother to feed me, Roger, and Spider.

Gino. Yes, First Sergeant, I have been blessed with good, old-fashioned American parents, and I do understand what you are saying about imposing. However, if you yourself don't want to enter into harm's way right now, you better come inside for dinner. My mother does not negotiate in a nice way.

Almost on cue, Mrs. Cicarelli appeared at the door. She started talking in a friendly but very stern voice, Dinner is on the table and getting cold. You all need to get in here and get seated immediately. The first sergeant looked at Gino and smiled. He knew it was fruitless to resist, so he walked up the stairs and entered the house. The boys followed.

Mrs. Cicarelli had stayed behind to hold the door open for everybody. As Roger passed, she said to him, My dear child, what happened to you?

Roger replied, Hi, Mrs. Cicarelli. My name is Roger Adams, and I thank you for inviting me to dinner. I kind of ran into a steamroller a couple of days ago.

Mrs. Cicarelli did not make the connection that Roger was one of the boys involved in the fight with her son and John. My goodness, you are swollen. Don't worry though, I have soup which you should be able to get down, and I will chop up the meat balls so that you don't have to open up your mouth very wide. Will that be okay?

Yes, said Roger, that would be great. Thank you.

Gino and John witnessed this exchange. They realized that Roger was probably going to work out just fine. They also realized how great Mrs. Cicarelli was. She cared about everybody. The first sergeant was right, they thought to themselves—this way of life, these people, were all worth fighting for.

Dinner turned out to be very enjoyable. The first sergeant, after a few glasses of wine, dropped his military demeanor. He turned out to be a very funny guy and told some humorous stories about things that happened during his military career. The first sergeant was obviously enjoying himself. Roger, on the other hand, kept very reserved and quiet. What was interesting, though, was how Roger reacted to Boomer when the big English Mastiff strolled into the kitchen. It was normal for Boomer to assess new visitors. He first went to the first sergeant and sniffed him a bit. The first sergeant