[ WP ] He finally said it : I 'm proud of you , son .

He picked up my Silver Star out of a cardboard box on the floor. `` Why's this in a box on the floor? You should display this.'' 
 
 I mumbled something about not having gotten around to doing so yet. 
 
 `` You know, I'm proud of you, son.'' He finally said it. `` The army has really made you into a real man.'' 
 
 I wanted to scoff, `` A real man? Is that what a real man does - shoots a twelve-year old boy who's known nothing but war and famine since birth... who's been indoctrinated to believe America is the enemy... who learned to carry an AK-47 when my own boys were learning how to hit a baseball?'' 
 
 I took the medal from my father's hands and put it back in the box. I did n't like looking at it. I felt conflicted. I may have saved my unit, but that did n't make it any less sad or tragic that a young boy lost his life by my hand. 

