I had two weeks of freedom before I would depart for Oakland and then on the Vietnam.

I was not happy with the thought of going to Vietnam. Not only was the war very unpopular I frankly didn't want to get hurt or killed. I contemplated two thoughts during those two weeks.

One option was to desert and go to Canada. I had thought about this option even before being inducted but I took a chance that I would not have to go to Vietnam. Now that Vietnam was my destiny the thought of Canada crept back into my mind. To many other men, including my dad, served honorably for their country and did what their country had asked. It was the act of a coward and very unpatriotic to escape to Canada so that option quickly disappeared.

The second thought was to get busted. I had started smoking marijuana shortly before entering the army. I drank beer and smoked so pot was not so strange. I really likes pot over beer anyway so it was something I picked up real fast. Besides it was somewhat of a rebelious thing to do. So I thought about getting busted for pot, while on leave. I guess I was a little uncaution about my marijuana smoking during that time but I knew that this was not the right dirrection for me either.

So in the end I have a wonderful two weeks back home in Santa Ana and bravely set off for my adventure in Vietnam.

Here are a few pictures during my leave.