Gen 4 - Carl (The Vietnam Vet)

Born as Thomas and Betty's second child, Carl had a good childhood. A bit restless, not as studious as his brothers or as politically aware as his sister, he spent most of his days running, swimming, swinging or climbing around, dreaming of becoming an astronaut one day. Unfortunately, he was never studious enough for that, and so he turned to another type of hero - the soldier. As the Vietnam war broke out he saw his family hesitate in their support, leaning liberal they found other issues more important than fighting communism in a country no one had really ever heard of before. For Carl this felt like betrayal of his ideal, and as the world changed around him he grew more and more conservative, eager to throw himself into the Vietnam war and become the hero he so worshipped. 

When he finally could leave, the war was already winding down. In Vietnam he found no heroes, just men tired of the war, wishing to go home, and in many cases hooked on bubble blowing and juice. Disillusioned, Carl fought to find meaning in the war the world most wanted to be over. Instead he found Chi, a beautiful bar girl who he feel madly in love with. She was his first - in every respect, and he did not care what she did for a living, as long as she said she loved him. She happily did, making him promise to take her with him when he returned home - an impossibility from the start but a lie they both wanted to believe in. Just before shipping out, Chi told Carl she was pregnant. As he returned he told himself there was no way to be sure the child was his, even as he tried to push his feelings of guilt aside. 

Back home, Carl feel into a depression, sleeping well into the day and doing little else but watching sports on TV or jogging. Having been patient at first, Thomas eventually decide and intervention is needed. He brings Carl to the ranch, where Anna is happy to have him stay and help. With hard work, and the company of horses, Carl slowly returns to himself and starts putting Vietnam, and the people in it, behind him. 

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