Chapter 22 - "Gibbon's Secrets" - January 1942

 January 1942
 
     World War II is now so much a part of everyone's life Bud just wanted to be around his 'Five Friends Forever' for strength and support.  He headed for Donny's house to start gathering his friends.  His breath puffed out visibly as he hurried through the snow.  There was a strange peacefulness on this cold, Saturday morning, which made it more difficult for him to understand the violence of the war in Europe, and now in the Pacific.
     Reaching Donny's house, he knocked on the door.  "Well, hi there, Bud.  How are you today?"
"I'm okay, I guess, but all of this war news is causing me to be down in the dumps."  Mrs. Hawk gently looked at Bud, and reached out to give him a hug.  "Come on in, I'll go get Donny.  Maybe I can rustle up some hot chocolate to warm you guys up."  "I'd like that, Mrs. Hawk!"
     Donny ran into the room.  "Hi Bud, I'm really glad you came over.  Friends need to stick together during these tough times."  "I will always be your friend, Donny; let's gather up the rest of the guys today, and share our thoughts about this war."  Donny said, "Let's do!  Maybe we could go over to Mr. Ross's barn.  It always seems to be nice and warm up there in the haymow."
     Mrs. Hawk brought them their hot chocolate and said, "I included a small plate of sugar cookies for you boys."  Bud quickly responded, "Thank you Mrs. Hawk, this is great."  "Thanks Mom, this really hits the spot."  The two boys sat close together at the kitchen table, but neither knew how best to start this important talk.  For the longest time they both just sat there quietly thinking, and enjoying their hot chocolate and cookies.
     Finally, Bud said, "You know, this is probably the very worst feeling that I have ever had.  There is an ache in the pit of my stomach that just won't go away."  "I agree with you, Bud, I feel the same way.  It makes you feel sick."  The feeling of loss was hanging over the two boy's heads, and they both knew they just had to do something about it.  "Donny, let's go round-up the rest of our buddies.  We'll go over to the barn, and just talk this out."  "You are so right, when we get together as a group we can solve about anything!"  They quickly finished their hot chocolate and cookies, thanked Mrs. Hawk, and headed over to the other guys' houses.
     After gathering everyone, they immediately went over to the big red barn to get out of the cold.  Arriving at the barn, they walked into the lower area, quickly feeling the warmth from the big horses in their stalls as steam drifted up from their backs.  The boys stopped at each stall, and said good morning to the big horses.  Then they noticed Mr. Ross milking one of his cows.  Bud said, "Hi Mr. Ross, it sure is nice and warm here in your barn."  Mr. Ross said, "Good morning boys.  How are you today?"  Bud said, "We are kind-of down in the dumps, Mr. Ross."  "What's the problem, boys?"  They all started to talk at once.  "Hold on guys, one at a time, how about you Bud."  "Well, Mr. Ross, tell us why you think the Japs attacked Pearl Harbor?"
     Mr. Ross, being a very wise man, wanted to explain the brutality of this new war on a level the boys could understand.  "You know boys; sometimes it is difficult to understand why one country would choose to attack another country.  I have my own feelings though.  I think that Japan decided to attack other countries because they were running out of room in their country, and just needed more land for their people."  He went on to say, "They made some very bad choices, in their attempt to solve their need for land.  They attacked a very large country, China, and several other small countries.  When the United States protested about their aggressive actions, they got mad and attacked us at Pearl Harbor.  That was a very bad mistake, because the United States hadn't threatened them with war."

I'm sharing this start of 1942 with you from my book, "Gibbon's Secrets", as it was a very important part of these young boys lives.  Times were different then, maybe simpler, but a wise older man was sharing with these young boys a possible reason why the Japanese choose to attack Pearl Harbor.  How young ten and twelve year olds would react today may be a whole lot different but hopefully there would be a wise older man there to tell them - why.