I just finished Harper's current cover story, AWOL in America: When desertion is the only option by Kathy Dobie, and couldn't help but think about Eskimo's son. He had no prospects, no skills, had failed out of community college, given up his classical music training, was unwilling or unable to get and keep a job, and hadn't even gotten his driver's license by age 20. The world's greatest slacker, living with his mom and attached umblilically to her and his XBox.

Instead of living in Eskimo's house and playing video games for all eternity, he decided to enlist. In the Marines. And they took him, despite the dreads, the lack of skills, the history of psychiatric problems and therapists and medications. And now he's going to be a soldier, whereas a few weeks ago he went with other war protestors to raise hell at W.'s second inaugural. Reading in Harper's about the lies recruiters tell made me fear for Eskimo's boy--he was assured a position as a mechanic and told he wouldn't have to fight if he didn't want to. This was no small consolation to Eskimo herself. But there's no question the Marines will do whatever they want or need to do with him now that he's at Paris Island.

Perhaps this is his path--for some it's a necessary thing, a valuable experience. I hope that's so in his case. What happens to others is truly horrible.