Translated…
Being finally relieved of duty of the armed services, for the servicemen, it’s the proof of their two-year’s trials, it’s importance is just as high as having that diploma from the university. And, the deadline for it to be turned in is, zero hour, midnight on the day, NOT a second later. Based off of the rules, the commander must gather everybody who is to be relieved of duty that day on time, and hand out the papers to each and every one of us, one by one.
Every time, deep in the nights, I’d watched the brothers who shared their hardships side-by-side, about to leave the army bases and return home, I’d felt saddened. Once, as the very final discharge paper was handed out, the soldier before me, Chang, started crying, and took the notice of discharge from me. I’d patted him on the shoulders to offer him console, then, I’d, watched this group of men as they left. These young boys had, finally, metamorphosed, into grown men now.
The very next morn after roll call, the personnel reported an emergency situation to me, that the national guards notified our unit, that Chang, the serviceman had, died in a car accident, late last night! I felt so very bad, why did this good man, have such bad luck? I clearly recalled how he was sobbing, as the papers to relieve his group of duty was passed out.
The personnel continued, “Sir, sir! The higher officers wanted to know, why, did you pass the notices of discharge, before, midnight?”, I couldn’t understand it, how the superiors could have this sort of a question for me.
The personnel office saw my confusion, explained, “the troops record the time of the accident it was, 11:30 late in the evening.”
I was shocked, but, toward the investigations of my superiors, I’d not made any more explanations—plus, nobody would have believed me, just thought, that I’d made up a reason, because I don’t want to take the responsibilities. Now, all I can do, is to, shoulder the responsibilities of the death of this young man, on my own, and kept this secret buried, deep inside of me.
Many years later, as I’d gathered with my buddies who got relieved of duty that very night, after they’d had a few drinks, they’d, started speaking of this, and, they’d all told, that that night, they’d all watched Chang, the serviceman, receive his notice of discharge alongside them. I saw that everybody was a bit drunk, and, I’d invited them all, to raise a glass, to commemorate the closeness of brothers back then.
So, why that man died will keep on remaining a mystery, because nobody can know exactly what had happened, but this had, troubled the man who wrote this, because he was the one, who’d signed the relief of duty papers, and somehow, he must’ve felt responsible, for this young serviceman’s death too.
Life, the Obstacle Course 