3.29c

He pinned the medal to my shoulder.

My mother was crying because her little boy was everything she wanted him to be. My father was crying because he was so proud of his son. My brother was smiling because he knew I was happy. My sergeant was crying because I had saved his life.

I was crying

because

I didn't feel different

and

I didn't want to live under the shadow of my past accomplishments

and

I didn't want people to think differently of me

and

I didn't want to remember the war

anymore.