By Joshua Ryan
Chapter 10: So Long!
That was on a Friday, so maybe that’s why I didn’t hear from SLPOUTREACH until Monday. Which is when I read:
“SLP Participant Barlow: You have completed Step 4. Permission to proceed to Step 5 will be transmitted within the next three weeks.”
I was all serious serious serious when I opened the email, cuz I expected to see some big heavy statement, and then I felt like, “Oh. OK. What do I do now?” I didn’t really have anything to do except to keep going to school, which at least got me out of seeing my parents. I read in a book about some guy that was gonna be executed, and they gave him X amount of time to “put his affairs in order.” But I didn’t have any affairs; I just went back to school.
I knew that the SLP would come through with my orders, and I would do what they told me. Maybe you’re wondering, hey, you’re an American, how could they, like, enforce this commitment you signed? I mean, how could they come and get you, if you changed your mind? You’re right—they couldn’t. I had time on my hands, so I looked it up. Under “extradition.” The only way they could get me was if I actually went to St. B. But that’s what I’d agreed to do.
