It is unclear why Melvin would do this because this was a solitary and personal time for him, but he was most likely dreaming about a life beyond Mahaffey as any young man who had aspirations to achieve something great would be doing. Melvin was unsatisfied with small town life, and was determined to make a difference. He told his sister that he was going to be like Douglas MacArthur, the famous General that fought in both of the World Wars. In World War II General MacArthur was famously known for his campaigns in the Pacific and in Asia, a place where Melvin would soon have his own mettle tested.
Having the desire to walk in a General’s shoes can quickly lead a man to become unsatisfied with the pedestrian life of small town USA, which is exactly what happened to Melvin Brown. A lack of satisfaction can sometimes cause a young man seek