Grant – My father didn’t come out to see me off.

Juan – Mine neither.  I wonder –

Grant – He doesn’t approve of the war, but I don’t have a lot of choice, do I?

Juan – No.  I –

Grant – He says he would protest, go to jail, run off into hiding, but he’s hardly reliable in that, is he?  He doesn’t actually have to do any of those things, just say them.

Juan – Yeah, and –

Grant – And once he’s said it then of course that’s it.  That’s decided.  In his mind, I mean.  I don’t know.  He didn’t seem so rigid before all of this.  I suppose he’s scared.  Worried about me.  But he never listens, he never remembers, he takes no care with me, with my mother, with the others.  Just talks and talks.  Admonishes.  He is like an enormous bulldozer demolishing any objections or responses I might have.  I can’t run away.  He wouldn’t run away.  Why pretend?  Why does he need to have one over me?  What does it gain him?  Where will it end?

Juan – I don’t know, Grant.  But.  Just.  Please, for a minute, leave me alone.

Grant – Juan?

Grant – Juan?

Grant – Juan?

Juan – Grant, please.  Just for a minute.

Part of the Railroad Perfection series