Free Where You Least Expect It by M. Durango

right? As much as we may be able to rationalize our opinions, there’s still an emotional component.”
    The server brought their food while they were talking, causing a brief lull while they dug into their dinner. The food was excellent and the selection of hot sauces to choose from just added to the flavor.
    “I know what you mean.” Matt said, picking up the conversation from where they had left off. “There was more to it than that, obviously, but it felt like she didn’t respect what I was doing. She was waiting for me to get done and decide to settle down. She wanted to get married, buy a house, have kids. I felt like she thought I was playing soldier, not doing something important.”
    “Would you have stayed together if she had felt differently about the war? If she had an opinion beyond how it affected her?” Christian’s eyes widened. “Oh, wow, did that sound as obnoxious to you as it did to me?”
    “It’s okay.” Matt laughed and returned to their original conversation. “I don’t think I’d have felt differently. I don’t mean to sound like an ass, but we were just looking for different things, you know? She hated the giant TV and stereo system.” Matt added, remembering the fights they had about his spending habits.
    Christian nodded. “Maybe we should talk about something besides our exes.”
    “You might be right about that.” Matt smiled to try to take the sting out of his words. “I actually don’t like talking about it that much.”
    “God, I’m sorry. I’m just a dork.” Christian made an embarrassed grimace.
    “It’s no big deal.” Matt switched to a neutral topic. “Tell me about your classes.”
    “Okay.” Christian ate a few more bites before continuing. “I’m a dual major in History and Journalism, but I think I told you that. I’m kind of fascinated by how people can be compelled to follow political movements that have no value to them personally.”
    Matt thought he knew what Christian meant, although it wasn’t something he thought about much himself. “You mean like poor people voting for corporate tax cuts?”
    “Exactly! It seems completely counterintuitive, but it’s based on emotional and psychological needs. People look to something outside of themselves to provide a sense of stability and immutability that they can hold on to when things are uncertain. It benefits them psychologically, but not economically or socially.” Christian stopped and chewed his bottom lip. “Tell me if I’m boring you. It’s easy to forget sometimes that other people don’t share my level of obsession. Trent, my roommate, has to listen to a lot of this.”
    Matt smiled, enjoying Christian’s enthusiasm and the easy conversation. “It’s not boring. Do you know what you’re going to do when you’re done?”
    “My plan is to go into journalism — not that fluffy news casting crap, but real investigative journalism. I probably need my Master’s degree in order to really get into it and get as far as I want.” Christian paused again. “Do you think I’m a freak? Most of the people I’m in school with do. And I keep talking about myself so that must kind of be boring for you.”
    Matt found himself laughing again, amused by the look on Christian’s face, like he must think Matt thought he was a total weirdo. “No, I don’t think you’re a freak. I think it’s kind of cool that you know what you want to do.”
    “Yeah, but you already have a job,” Christian pointed out.
    “True, but I joined the Army when I was eighteen because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. They, well, and my test scores, decided that I would be best working with computers and telecommunications, so I just sort of fell into it.”
    “So, it’s not what you want to do?” Christian frowned.
    “I don’t dislike it and I’m good at it,” Matt explained. “I don’t always like the hours, but other than that, it’s not bad.”
    They both declined the server’s offer of dessert