Hillbilly Elegy

miles away.
In boot camp, mealtime is a marvel
of efficiency. You walk through a
cafeteria line, holding your tray for the
service staff. They drop all of the day’s
offerings on your plate, both because
you’re afraid to speak up about your
least favorite items and because you’re
so hungry that you’d gladly eat a dead
horse. You sit down, and without looking
at your plate (that would be
unprofessional) or moving your head
(that would also be unprofessional), you
shovel food into your mouth until you’re
told to stop. The entire process takes no
longer than eight minutes, and if you’re
not quite full by the end, you certainly