Long Walk to Forever

Newt and Catharine had grown up next door to each other. There had always been playful, comfortable warmth between them, but never any talk of love. Now, Newt is in the army and Catharine is back home, about to marry Henry Stewart Chasens. Word of the impending wedding galvanizes Newt into action. Realizing that he loves Catharine, Newt goes AWOL from the army and hitchhikes home to see her. Meanwhile, Catharine makes final preparations for the marriage—secure in her love for Henry Stewart Chasens—and anxiously awaits the sensible and comfortable life to follow. When Newt arrives back home, he convinces Catharine to take a walk in the nearby woods, as they used to do when children. Deep in these woods Newt and Catharine must resolve whether this is a short walk for old-times' sake or a Long Walk to Forever. Clearly, this is one of Mr. Vonnegut's most lyrical stories, a subtle and cautionary tale examining his familiar theme of personal values versus social mores.