A year has come and gone, and I can hardly believe it. Last year I saw most of my family that I hadn’t seen in years. I probably won’t see them for another span of uncounted years. I hardly stay in touch with them, only hearing second hand stories from my mother. The last time I saw my cousin we were reminiscing about our days playing war, when we built forts in our grandpa’s pile of scrapped farm implements. He was just going into high school. The time before that we were actually playing war. I saw him last summer and he was a senior in high school. He looked so much older and capable. The wild kid I always saw in him was subdued. That wild kid always filled me with a sort of fear and dread. We had fun playing as kids, but you never knew if he was going to turn on you. I sensed that same quality now, but it was hidden, buried under a high school facade. But what do I know? These are just off hand thoughts from the passing conversations we had.

Now he’s joined the marines and is playing war for real.