Ernest Hemingway was a World War II veteran and prolific writer, including works such as “A Farewell to Arms,” considered a classic. He wrote many short stories, often on war-related themes. Today’s selection is an excerpt that embodies the detachment many veterans feel after their experiences in war. The full story is in the public domain and available as a free PDF at https://www.somanybooks.org/eng208/SoldiersHome.pdf

“Soldier’s Home” pages 5-7

“Have you decided what you are going to do yet, Harold?” his mother said, taking
off her glasses.
6
“No,” said Krebs.
“Don’t you think it’s about time?” His mother did not say this in a mean way. She
seemed worried.
“I hadn’t thought about it,” Krebs said.
“God has some work for every one to do,” his mother said. “There can be no idle
hands in His Kingdom.”
“I’m not in His Kingdom,” Krebs said.
“We are all of us in His Kingdom.”
Krebs felt embarrassed and resentful as always.
“I’ve worried about you too much, Harold,” his mother went on. “I know the
temptations you must have been exposed to. I know how weak men are. I know
what your own dear grandfather, my own father, told us about the Civil War and I
have prayed for you. I pray for you all day long, Harold.”
Krebs looked at the bacon fat hardening on his plate.
“Your father is worried, too,” his mother went on. “He thinks you have lost your
ambition, that you haven’t got a definite aim in life. Charley Simmons, who is just
your age, has a good job and is going to be married. The boys are all settling
down; they’re all determined to get somewhere; you can see that boys like Charley
Simmons are on their way to being really a credit to the community.”
Krebs said nothing.
“Don’t look that way, Harold,” his mother said. “You know we love you and I
want to tell you for your own good how matters stand. Your father does not want
to hamper your freedom. He thinks you should be allowed to drive the car. If you
want to take some of the nice girls out riding with you, we are only too pleased.
We want you to enjoy yourself. But you are going to have to settle down to work,
Harold. Your father doesn’t care what you start in at. All work is honorable as he
says. But you’ve got to make a start at something. He asked me to speak to you
this morning and then you can stop in and see him at his office.”
“Is that all?” Krebs said.
“Yes. Don’t you love your mother dear boy?”
“No,” Krebs said.
7
His mother looked at him across the table. Her eyes were shiny. She started
crying.
“I don’t love anybody,” Krebs said.