A wonderfully written short story set Christmas Eve 1943. Mr. Axelson manages to re-create a moment in time and allows us to take a glimpse into the warm and festive interior of The Powers That Be Cafe as families and lovers are saying farewell to soldiers bound for war. Nat, the proprietor, 4F'ed out of military service, does what he can to make the wait for the train as pleasant as possible for everyone, including Kent, a very young soldier, half frozen and hungry in the alley behind the cafe.

I couldn't give 5 stars because of the very end...I read it as Kent deserting but then it just ended. Did they run or did Kent end up in Leavenworth or what? See - too many questions left for me to give it 5 stars.

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Nat is trying to feel down at Christmas reaches out to a lonely solider. You are left with a vague hope but no clear picture of the future for these two men. ( )