Too Young to Die

Paula Kenner's life finally seems near perfect. After a rocky start to her relationship with Richard Greenwald, thanks to her mother's disapproval, the two have never been happier. Richard is her first steady boyfriend and her mother has finally accepted the fact they are going to continue to date. This, by no stretch, means that she approves. Paula feels certain though, that in time, this too, will work itself out. Richard, on the other hand, isn't so sure. He feels certain that Diane...
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Paula Kenner's life finally seems near perfect. After a rocky start to her relationship with Richard Greenwald, thanks to her mother's disapproval, the two have never been happier. Richard is her first steady boyfriend and her mother has finally accepted the fact they are going to continue to date. This, by no stretch, means that she approves. Paula feels certain though, that in time, this too, will work itself out. Richard, on the other hand, isn't so sure. He feels certain that Diane will never accept him, or anyone else for that matter. Diane, widowed at an early age, is very protective of her only child. Her fear of losing Paula, often overrides her desire to see her daughter happy. Richard accepts these circumstances though, just so he and Paula can be together. She is one of the few people in his life that put no demands on him. Accepting him for who he is, she never questions what he wants from the future or his choices for the present. There is one exception though. His choice of a best friend. Gary Griffith is Richard's best friend. They have been inseparable since the first grade. Raised by an alcoholic father, Gary has never known a normal family life outside of what he has experienced at Richard's. Following in his father's footsteps, Gary has evolved into a user and abuser. Recreational drug use, supplemented with alcohol, is slowly becoming a way of life for him. And Paula is terrified that Richard will be sucked into this vicious cycle. The one thing that Richard and Gary do share in common, is their fear of dying in an unpopular war. The war in Vietnam is at its peak and the U.S. Army is drafting young men at a dizzying pace. It seems the only choices they have is college or the draft. Both Gary and Richard know, that as Vo. Tech. students, college is out of the question. And the alternative scares them both to death. For Richard, the fear is even greater after reading the letters he receives from his older brother serving in the Army, describing the horrors that he has witnessed. This, plus pressure from his father and uncle that have both served in the military, makes him feel he has nowhere to turn. Except to Paula. Paula has never felt about anyone the way she feels about Richard. He makes her feel whole. Never putting demands on her, she feels he is the yin to her yang. She has never known anything but studying and working toward goals her mother has set, while Richard seems perfectly happy to just let life happen. She finds his carefree attitude contagious. And more than anything, she wants to give to him, what she knows will make him happiest. Herself. But, her strict upbringing keeps her from giving in to what she wants almost as badly as Richard. Though disappointed, Richard never pushes. He lets himself be satisfied with whatever Paula feels comfortable with. Above all else, he doesn't want to lose her, no matter what. As perfect as life can seem at times, we never know what the future holds. And events half way around the world are about to change everyone's life forever. Not only will it change Richard and Paula's lives, but those of everyone around them. The ripple effect of certain events reach out farther than we can possibly imagine. And the end result can make or break just about any relationship. Not only between boyfriend and girlfriend, but between mother and daughter and father and son.