I am a hard-working medical intern at a hospital in my hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1971. Twenty-five years old. The military draft is in force, especially for physicians. I have not been granted the deferment that would allow me to complete a medical residency without interruption by conscription.
What to do? Though nothing is certain I know I am likely to be drafted and thereby leave any residency I am in shorthanded. I am not, as are some of my colleagues, reluctant to join the service. I decide to remove uncertainty and enlist. I sign up for the Navy and whistle “Anchors Aweigh” as I return home from the enlistment office …
Bio:
Harvey Silverman is a retired physician who writes nonfiction stories primarily for his own enjoyment. His stories have appeared in Ocotillo Review, West Texas Literary Review, 3288 Review, Avalon Literary Review, Existere, and elsewhere.