By JoyStick

There he sat, Private Joseph Benson, on the bus, looking out a grimy window at the skyline of New York City. God, except for seeing it on the TV or in the movies, he had never seen a sight like that before. He was a real country bumpkin, a hick from a small town in upper New York State. His blue eyes were wide in amazement and his heart pounded with excitement; he was looking forward to this new adventure. Even if the skies were overcast and it looked like it might rain, nothing, but absolutely nothing, could or would dampen his joy at having finally made it to the "Big Apple."

Joseph had finally gotten out of that upstate hellhole by joining the army. He felt he was liberated at last. Sure the Army was restrictive and demanding, but, he still felt he was at last free. What was it that the enlistment guy had said "Free to be the best you can be." Yes, no more having to answer to anyone but himself. Freedom had come in more than one way.

When he had first joined the army, he had hopes of earning enough money to marry his girlfriend back home. Also he wanted to make use of the army to finish his education. However, things just didn't work out. Just last month he turned 21 years old and for a birthday gift what did his girl send him? ---- A Dear John letter, telling him that she could not wait for him and that she had found someone else.

That bitch, before her, except for one or two dates and a good night kiss or two, he had never had a steady girlfriend. Not that he wasn't good looking enough, he was. He was just under 6 feet tall, blond hair and steel blue eyes. Weighing 165 pounds, he had a really good body which basic training had only improved on by adding a bit more muscle. His 'manhood', seven inches long and one half inches in diameter, was enough to satisfy any girl. This trip into the city was to be the long awaited 'event of events' he had been looking forward to. This would be the place to celebrate his 21st birthday and forget that rotten bitch. To spread his wings without anyone back home having to know anything about it.

The bus pulled into the terminal. Taking his canvas traveling bag down from the overhead rack, smoothing his class 'A' uniform he proceeded to join the mass of people getting off the bus and followed them into the inner terminal, for a moment he froze in his footsteps looking all around at the throngs