”Roy was certain, there wasn’t a dry eye or an unconstricted throat among the assembled marines.The OCS commandant finally spoke after several min...tes of silence, “Thank you for your outstanding commitment and accomplishments. As we are in times of war, beings with leader qualities are needed indeed.Please be here at 0900 hundred sharp on September 15th.”A sergeant called the candidates from at ease into attention once more, while the Admiral and the Commandant saluted them and then they were. She kissed Ellen on her back severaltimes but when she received no response, she got up and dressed intoher cotton panties, tight jeans, T-shirt with no bra, heavy white socksand her old black walking shoes.She sneaked out of the room and downstairs to make breakfast. This wasoatmeal time since it was so cold outside. She made that with a littlemilk, sprinkled it with enough sugar to make it sweet, made a pot oftea, with toast and jam. Just as she was finishing, Ellen walked inclad only in her. .. Mom.She understood.I turned to her and got her very wet ... snot even. We howled ... both of us. Mr. Austin's hand went from strike mode to brushing his hair back."I'll never understand women as long as I live," he muttered.We, the both of us, stopped crying long enough to say, "Of course you don't. You're a man." Wendy," Mom said, "Let's go have a cup of tea." My class?" It's going to take forever for them to get the presidents in order. Right now they're arguing about who came first .... James stripped off his dirty uniform dress shirt with its epaulets denoting his rank. "Jessica, you're not the greatest person, but I'd never call you indecent," he teased."We're naked! These are just girls," she gestured towards the Smith sisters.James shrugged and dropped his pants as well, "This is the only place we've found with clean freshwater, Jessica. Are you trying to say that only women can swim here? That's a bit sexist don't you think?"She had no response, and was no longer looking.