Chapter 1

"Are you serious right now?!"  An old, grizzled voice yelled out.  The voice came from sixty-three-year-old former soldier Johnathan "John" Brighthill, who was talking to an employment office worker.  "I really am sorry, Mr. Brighthill, sir."  The employment officer said with an apologetic face, "But it's true.  You are too old and too scarred to find a comfortable and well-paying job in this day and age."  Johnathan harrumphed and exclaimed, "What nonsense."  The employment officer tried to smile and said, "if you were maybe forty or so years younger and not covered in scars, you would have a whole bunch of jobs available."  Johnathan growled out, "This is ridiculous.  I'm leaving," stood up from the chair he was sitting in, turned around, and stormed out of the employment office building, slamming the door behind him.  After leaving the building he walked over to his old car and drove home.  once home, he went to his bedroom, laid down, picked up the photo of his deceased wife from the nightstand, looked at it and said, "no luck again, mary.  if only i was younger and unscarred i might have a shot at a job."  saying this he put the photo back on the nightstand and went to sleep mumbling, "if only..."

to be continued