Dearest G,

Your letter today couldn’t have come at a better time. We headed north after my last letter, and it hasn’t been easy. We’ve reached Binh Phuoc and will be here a while. We came under enemy fire, and suddenly being here got very real. Since I arrived, I felt kind of removed from the war. I mean, there are always helicopters and gunfire in the distance, and minesweeping, but nothing like this.

It was the second platoon, another US unit, that saved our asses, and we’ve joined forces to hold this location. They’re okay. They’ve been here longer, some of them on their second or third tour. I can’t even imagine that. The stories they tell. G, it’s… it’s the stuff of nightmares. You can see it in their eyes. They get a blank, faraway look, and it scares me.

Anyway, sorry for being such a downer. It’s just hard here. Like I said, your letter arriving was a much-needed lift to my spirits.

And the photograph…

The photograph brought tears to my eyes. I had to step away so the guys wouldn’t see, but Karel kept watch of me. He asked if I’d received bad news, but I told him it was the opposite. I showed him the photo, telling him you were a dear childhood friend. It felt wrong to lie, but I can’t tell the truth. They can’t know. If anyone found out…

Karel said he understood. He misses home too, and his mom sent a photo of her and his brother, and it upset him.

I sent my parents a letter to let them know I’d arrived, and they replied once. Just a few lines. I don’t know what I expected or why I keep expecting more when I know I’ll never get it. Not from them. I haven’t written back to them. If and when I get news about leaving, maybe I’ll let them know.

It still rains a lot. It comes down like buckets, and sometimes we have to walk through fields with water up to our waists. If it’s not water, it’s mud, and my feet hurt. I don’t think they’ve been dry for weeks. They keep warning us not to get foot rot, but there’s not much else we can do.

Of course you can send care packages. Guys get them every so often. It makes everyone happy just to see the smiles when they get something from home. I don’t know what I miss the most. I’m craving a burger and fries, but I don’t think that would mail too well sitting in a box for a few weeks. Ha!

Most of the guys here get sent gum or taffy. I guess it ships well. Or maybe you’ve got some leftover Halloween candy. I don’t really mind. It’s your letters I like the most.

Our CO said he might try to get us a special dinner for Thanksgiving, but I’ll believe it when I see it. Are you going back home for Thanksgiving? I hope you have a real nice time. Have a double serving of turkey for me. Extra cranberry sauce, please!

I guess it will be getting cold there now. It’s hotter than hell here. When it’s not raining, the air is so thick it’s hard to breathe. I’d much rather be shoveling snow in driveways.

I’ve been here for almost three months. It feels like a lifetime.

I think about you every day. Especially at nighttime. I don’t sleep much, so thinking about you, what you might be up to, helps pass the time.

Oh, some random facts about to me. I like chocolate milkshakes over strawberry, my favorite time of year is fall. I grew up on a farm, so I had a bunch of animals as pets. Dogs, cats, birds, rabbits. Dogs are my favorite though. Don’t know if I have a favorite smell, but when the crabapple trees are in blossom, it makes me think of my grandma. Her garden in spring was always beautiful. My favorite food of all time is a homemade apple pie, and my least favorite thing is Jell-O. No food should wobble. It’s not right.

I look forward to your next letter. More than I can say.

Yours,

R