Chapter 20 Summary

It's Gilliland's day to depart the Marines and return to civilization. He wears his nice, clean uniform and stands outside the gate waiting to hitch a ride. An old man picks him up and Gilliland recognizes his appearance as an ex-Marine. He thanks the man for the ride and calls him "Tops", which is what ex-Marines are called. The old man smiles at him, glad he's recognized as such.

Gilliland is headed for Pismo Beach, which is where his wife waits for him. The three children stayed behind with her mother. The two men drive for miles in the car, talking about each other's experiences in the war, and Gilliland starts to feel really close to the old man. He also realizes that he's not sure he can talk about his experiences with someone who has not experienced them firsthand themselves. He's afraid...