It looks like war, but that is far away and yet nearby – the draft lottery was a year ago – my number was 136. I had begun college in 1966 feeling honored and selected for my skills in math, science and engineering. Now it seemed that my country had changed its mind and was contemplating sending me off to die – for… what? The tech economy of 1970 was presenting me with few opportunities for work.

A sad beauty as former grandeur loses its luster

Is this happening to me?