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Show Skullduggery By J. D. RYAN McClure Newspaper Syndicate. WNU Features. AS BILL SMITH hiked along the macadam road toward Sum-merfield, Sum-merfield, the draft board center, he had ample opportunity to calculate his chances of being drafted. It was now six months after Pearl Harbor; he was twenty-two, strong and physically sound. He recalled how eager he had been to sign on when his boss sent for him. "Now, Bill," he began, "I don't want you to get any of these wild ideas in your head about enrolling. So far as war contribution is concerned, you'd be doing far more for your country by remaining here. You're a pretty valuable man." Bill cleared his throat noisily. "That's all right for you to say, Mr. Jones, but I'm wondering what people will think about an able-bodied able-bodied man working in a factory when he should be shouldering a rifle." The executive pursed his lips. "Yes, there's something to that. Bill." He gazed reflectively out the office window. "Tell you what Bill, you forget this volunteer business. In time, if you're needed, you'll be called. That way I'll have a chance to break in a new man. How's that strike you?" Bill considered this proposition carefully. "O.K., boss," he decided. "I'll help you here until my number comes up." "That's swell." Mr. Jones shook hands with him to end the interview. Bill carried out his part of the bargain. Night after night he stayed overtime to expedite production. He was earning big money but dissatisfaction dissatis-faction gnawed within him. "Won't be long now before I'll receive my selective service papers. They'll be singing 'You're in the Army Now.' " When the questionnaire came, Bill filled it out scrupulously, fearing to make an error which might delay Qis classification. His job seemed drudgery now. Each day at mail delivery time he telephoned his landlady to inquire about letters. Then, when he had resigned himself to disappointment, a penny postal arrived with the curt statement Your classification is 2A. Necessary to defense. A wave of bitterness swept over him 2A. Who were they to decide on his case without a physical examination? ex-amination? He had expressly noted that he preferred the rating 1A. And this was their answer. How did they come to settle on that? Then with stunning clarity he knew. Mr. Jones. He must have written, asking for deferment. If the boss said Bill was necessary to his business, that would end it. No wonder won-der they had placed him in 2A. "What am I going to do about it?" Bill asked himself. There must be some way to beat the old man at his own game. At the plant he noticed how the chief avoided him. Just as well for his peace of mind, Bill thought, his blue eyes flashing dangerously. A few weeks later Bill was called for a physical examination for reclassification. re-classification. The boss was wearing wear-ing a "cat that swallowed the canary" ca-nary" expression. "You're in this time, old boy," he prophesied. "I told you not to worry, but I suppose you couldn't help it. Young fellows are always impatient." Bill had traveled about a half-mile when a car overtook him. "Lift, Buddy?" the driver invited. Bill looked at the out of state plates, and shook his head. "Thanks all the same. Just a short distance to go." The driver meshed his gears and was soon out of sight. Then another car stopped. Bill smilingly refused re-fused the offer of a second lift. When the third car stopped Bill accepted. "Going far? the driver inquired. "To Summerfield." "Just where I'm going." "That's swell," said Bill. "I have to take a physical at the draft board." "Think you'll make it?" Bill tongued his cheek. "Heck, so far as that's concerned I'm all right. They won't take me and that's all right, too." The driver flicked his gaze from the road to stare at BUI. "How do you figure that?" Bill smiled sardonically. "A guy's a sucker to get in the army for fifty bucks a month when he can make that in less than a week in a machine ma-chine shop. They praise you, too, and tell you how patriotic you are." He nudged the man to press his point. "Why, my boss just writes the board, tells them I'm indispensable indispen-sable and presto, I'm deferred. It's a racket, I tell you." The driver edged away from him. At the outskirts out-skirts of town Bill said, "I'll get out here." and thanked him. "Be seeing you," he waved. "You're right, you will," the other promised grimly. Bill grinned. "I'll have to seem awfully surprised when I see that guy on the board. Let Jones try to get me in 2A now." He headed toward the local office humming, "You're in the Army Now." |
