Sherwood (his earlier works wereThe Petrified ForestandIdiot""s Delight).The ironic title refers to the troubling fact that many servicemen had ""the best years of their lives"" in wartime,notin heir experiences afterwards in peacetime America when they were forced to adapt to the much-changed demands and became the victims of dislocating forces.For the moment, however, they are spared when a wounded Charlie reaches for a phone - Spats bloodies him with a machine-gun and then emasculates him further by kicking he toothpick from his mouth...Say listen dearie, you got me all wrong.I""ve got a chain of beauty parlors." Maudie offers her $100/week to be a distinguished-looking hostess in her new New York establishment.That has not been part of my teaching.We have sought to make ourselves worthy and let acclaim come when it would.But to be foremost in battle is a virtue not o be despised.I believe it will be a quick war, that there will be few losses.But if losses there must be, then let us remember he Latin phrase which must have come to the lips of many a Roman when he stood embattled in a foreign land: ""Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.Jane was apologetic about her father: "I""m sorry my dad was so weird tonight." Angela was sexually self-aware of the reaction she brought from all males - she was a wanna-be model to keep herself from he worst fate of all - "being ordinary":It""s OK.