In​ ​the​ ​last​ ​two​ ​sentences​ ​of​ ​“On​ ​the​ ​Rainy​ ​River,”​ ​the​ ​narrator​ ​writes,​ ​“I​ ​was​ ​a​ ​coward.​ ​I​ ​went​ ​to the​ ​war.”​ ​What​ ​does​ ​this​ ​story​ ​have​ ​to​ ​say​ ​about​ ​choices​ ​and​ ​consequences?

Really, for Tim, running to Canada would take more courage than going to war. Going to Vietnam is what's expected of him, the status-quo. Running to Canada would mean the loss of family, friends, and everything familiar. Going to Canada for something he believed in would take more courage than going to war.