Modern cultural trends truly left Soldier Boy deeply shaken.
"Normal."
Ian explained, and Soldier Boy was left dumbfounded.
They walked into a wider street. Shops lined both sides, their display windows lit up, showing off all kinds of goods. Soldier Boy stopped in front of a clothing store window and looked at the clothes on the mannequins inside. Men's clothes, women's clothes, children's clothes—everything was there.
"I like the way women dress now."
Soldier Boy licked his lips. His uniform was still dripping water, several cuts torn into the legs by shattered stone, and the eagle emblem on his shoulder was smeared with dust.
The man looked at his reflection in the shop window, then at the clothes on the mannequins.
"I need to get some clothes," he said.
"There's a store up ahead," Ian said.
They kept walking.
There were more people on the street now: some carrying shopping bags, some walking dogs, some pushing strollers. Soldier Boy looked at what they were wearing, and his brow furrowed. A young man walked past them in a tight pink T-shirt, his hair dyed green.
His fingernails were painted black.
"That's not manly at all!"
Soldier Boy turned his head and watched him walk away, then turned back.
"That was a guy?"
"Yeah."
"A guy wearing pink?"
"Men can wear any color now."
Soldier Boy's mouth opened, then closed again. They walked a little farther. A woman came toward them from the opposite direction, with short hair, wearing a suit and a tie.
Soldier Boy's frown deepened.
"That's a woman?"
"Yeah."
"A woman wearing a suit and tie?"
"Women can wear suits and ties now too."
"Then this really is a crazy world. Listen, we have to turn everything back—especially Black people. Since when can Black guys have their arms around