I missed the early calling of the numbers when I met up with my friends, arriving around No. 50.  No one remembered which ones had been called unless it was theirs.  On the repeat go-around I got mine and it was as if we were in mourning. 

The first thought was how to get out of the draft.  Going to Canada was not an option.  I moved the physicals back and forth between Wisconsin and New York until the draft board gave me the option for one more move but I had to agree not the request another one.

I did some other research and found out that if I had braces, it was deferrable for 6 months.  I needed them anyway and so I went to a dentist who put them on.  Naturally, we never discussed the draft.  He told me I was on something like a four year plan for total correction.  I got a two year deferment, and figured after the two years I would go back for another deferment since they were not coming off by then.  I recommended the same dentist to a friend (who really did not need braces) and he would not put them on him.  The draft was stopped before the end of the two year deferment.  I finally got the braces off right before I got married.