Ram’s turn was faster. He added that he was married. He added that he was father to a son. “It’s a lot easier with the second one of you folks,” the man said. Ram signed quickly. “The medical examinations are at the Masonic Hall. You all have a good day now.”

“It does not matter if you were married or not,” Amarjeet said as they stepped outside. The sunlight hurt his eyes. “You are exempt because you never declared.”

“Never declared what?” asked Ram.

“You never filed any papers with the U.S. government to become a citizen. If you never do that, you don’t have to go fight in the war.”

“Ah,” said Ram. “Good.”

Amarjeet didn’t answer.

“Did you file such papers, Amarjeet?” Ram asked.

“No,” Amarjeet said. He did not add that, sometimes, he had wanted to.

THERE WAS A LINE at the Masonic Hall too; examinations occurred in the banquet hall and the lodge room upstairs. Ram and Amarjeet climbed these steps together, but at the top, they were taken to opposite sides of a cavernous room. Ram gave Amarjeet a look of impatience as they separated.

Curtains partitioned each exam stall. Ceiling fans spun overhead. Amarjeet’s stall was positioned next to a window, and bright sunlight slanted across the space. He could see Mount Signal in the distance. Three men in white lab coats stood waiting for him. As soon as he entered, their eyes rested on his dastar. “I suppose you’ll be claiming an exemption?” one of the men said.

Amarjeet broke out in a sweat. A wave of heat swept through him.

“I don’t know,” he managed to say.

“You don’t know?” another one of them said, raising his eyebrows, a tall man with a beautiful face. Amarjeet felt the pull of him. He had broad shoulders, fine hands.

“I’m an alien,” Amarjeet said.

“So—exemption claimed by reason of alien status,” the beautiful man said patiently. He was about to make a notation on a clipboard.

The third man, older than the others, spoke up. “You aliens aren’t really interested in serving, are you?” He laughed lightly. “All the benefit of living here without all the work. Well, our army needs brave men with spirit. We’ll mark your exemption request.”

“You don’t need to,” Amarjeet said. The moment was running away from him. “I’m volunteering.”

The men exchanged glances. Their surprise satisfied him.

The beautiful man stepped toward him. They were almost the same height. In the small space, they could look each other in the eye. “You speak English very well, Singh.”

“I have lived here since I was fourteen.”