 How did Read's parents feel about his work with the UN?
It's not so much the decisions a man does make that mark him as a Man—but the ones he refrains from making. Illustrated by Schoenherr Read locked the door and drew his pistol. If Umluana noticed Read's gun, he didn't show it. "Corporal Read is very young," Rashid said, "but he's a crack shot. Two men with rifles plunged into the gas; sighing, they fell to the floor in a catatonic trance. Read walked backward, covering their retreat. A grenade arced from the bushes and the pursuers recoiled from the cloud that rose before them. Two types of recruits are accepted by the UN Inspector Corps: those with a fanatic loyalty to the ideals of peace and world order, and those who are loyal to nothing but themselves. It was the home of factory workers, clerks, semiskilled technicians, all who do the drudge work of civilization and know they will never do more. "You could join the American Army," his mother said. The UN Inspector Corps had been founded to enforce the Nuclear Disarmament Treaty of 1966. Trained to use small arms and gas weapons, they guarded certain borders, bodyguarded diplomats and UN officials, even put down riots that threatened international peace. As the UN evolved into a strong world government, the UN Inspector Corps steadily acquired new powers. Read went through six months training on Madagascar. Rather than resign, he accepted punishment which assigned him to weeks of dull, filthy extra labor. One power implied in the UN Charter no Secretary General or Inspector General had ever tried to use. Could the World Court try and imprison a politician who had conspired to attack another nation? Men planted bases on the moon and in four years, 1978-82, ringed the world with matter transmitters; but the black population of Africa still struggled toward political equality. For years he had preached a new Africa, united, free of white masters, the home of a vigorous and perfect Negro society. His critics called him a hypocritical racist, an opportunist using the desires of the African people to build himself an empire. He began a propaganda war against neighboring South Africa, promising the liberation of that strife-torn land. Most Negro leaders, having just won representation in the South African Parliament, told him to liberate his own country. The European countries and some African nations joined in the accusation. China called the uproar a vicious slur on a new African nation. The United States and Russia, trying not to get entangled, asked for more investigation by the UN. Umluana was defying world law.
 They were upset he wanted to leave the United States for work.
 They were thankful he finally did something important with his life.  They were thankful he did not go to trade school.  They were upset he wanted to leave the United States for work.  They were surprised by his choice but did not keep them from going.