countrymen.
'You'll have to take a full physical tomorrow morning,' was all the recruiting sergeant said at the end of Abel's monologue, adding, as though he felt the comment was no less than his duty, 'Thank you for volunteering.'
The next day Abel had to wait several more hours for his physical examination. The doctor in charge was fairly blunt about Abel's general condition. He had been protected from such comments for several years by his,position and success. It came as a rude awakening when the doctor classified him 4F.
'You're overweight, your eyes are not too good, your heart is weak, and you limp. Frankly, Rosnovski, youre plain unfit. We can't take soldiers into battle who are likely to have a heart attack even before they find the enemy. That doesn't mean we can't use your talents; there's a lot of paperwork to be done in this war if you are interested.'
Abel wanted to hit hinee but he knew that wouldn't help get him into uniform.
'No, thank you ... sir,' he said. 'I want to fight the Germans, not send letters to them!
He returned to the hotel that evening despondent, but Abel decided that he wasn't licked yet. The next day he tried again, going to another recruiting office, but he came back to the Baron with the same result. Admittedly, the second doctor had been a little more polite, but he was every bit as firm about his condition, and once again Abel had ended up with a 4F. It was obvious to Abel that he was not going to be allowed to fight anybody in his present state of health.
The next morning, he found a gymnasium on West Fiftyseventh Street and paid a private instructor to do something about his, physical condition. For three months he worked every day on his weight and general fitness. He boxed, wrestled, ran, jumped, skipped, pressed weights and starved. When he was down to one hundred and fifty - five pounds, the instructor assured him he was never going to be much fitter or thinner. Abel returned to the first recruiting office and filled in the same form under the name of Wladek Koskiewicz. Another recruiting sergeant was a lot more hopeful this time, and themedical officer who gave him several tests finally accepted him as a reserve, waiting to be called up.
'But I want to go to war now,' said Abel. 'I want to fight the bastards!
'We'll be in touch with you, Mr. Koskiewicz,' said the sergeant. 'Please keep yourself fit and prepared. You can never be sure when we will need you.'
Abel left, furious as he watched younger, leaner Americans being readily accepted for active service, and as he barged through the door, not sure what his next ploy should be, he walked straight into a tall, gangling man wearing a uniform adorned with stars on the shoulders.
'I'm sorry, sir,' said Abel, looking up and backing away.
'Young man,' said the general.
Abel walked on, not thinking that the officer was addressing hirn, as no one had called him young man for ... he didn't want to think for how long, despite the fact that he was still only thirty - five.
The general tried again. Toung man,' he said a little more loudly.
This time Abel turned around. 'Me, sir?' he asked.
'Yes, you, sir.'
Abel walked over to the general.
Vill you come to my office please, Mr. RosnovskiF Darnn, thought Abel, this man knows who I am, and now nobody's going to let me fight in this war. The general's temporary office turned out to be at the back of the building, a small room with a desk, two wooden chairs, peeling green paint and an open door. Abel would not have allowed a junior member of his staff at a Baron to work in such surroundings.
'Mr. Rosnovski,' the general began, exuding energy, 'my name is Mark Clark and I command theU.S. Fifth Army. I'm over from Governors Island for the day on an inspection tour, so literally bumping into you is a pleasant surprise. I have for a long'time been an admirer. Your story is one to gladden the heart of any American. Now tell me what you are doing in this recruiting office.'
'What do you think?' said Abel, not thinking. 'I'm sorry, sir,' he corrected himself quickly. 'I didn't mean to be rude.' it's only that no one will let me get into this darnn war.'
'What do you want to do in this darnn warT asked the general.
'Sign up,' said Abel, 'and fight the