Letters from a Soldier

[alxeu]

Dear Mom,

I’m sorry. I’m sure you read the return address on this envelope and realized very quickly that your little boy isn’t at university. I just couldn’t stand by as all my friends from home fought in this war while I stayed behind and studied to be a lawyer, and you’ve always taught me that when it comes to doing what is right, it’s better to beg forgiveness than ask for permission.

I’ve already been here a week and am getting along swell with the other guys in the bunkhouse. Paul Fabisiak, another enlistee, bunks beneath me and is a shark at cards – he cleared everyone else of their cigarette rations, and would’ve taken mine, too, if I didn’t freely give them to him earlier in the day. Other than him, there’s another 23 men in our “class.” Two of us will graduate from the program as corporals and command half of the remainder. I reckon I have a good chance of earning the promotion, though I know better to take anything for granted!

We’ve not done any firearms training yet (they’ve said that won’t come until after we’re properly “broken in”) and I can tell a handful of those here are just itching for a chance to prove themselves. Other than that, though... Food’s alright. Honestly, it’s more than we’ve had at home some nights, but it isn’t quite cooked right. I don’t think the kitchen staff know how to do anything but roast chicken to a blackened coal, but they cook kielbasa and mash close to right, so it isn’t all bad.

Tell Nick his brother’s a soldier fighting the good fight now, and that I'll come home with all kinds of stories of glory and heroism, and please send my regards to dad the next time you two visit him.

    Lots of Love,

        Luka

P.S. I’ve included with this letter another one, sealed, for Ame. Please see that she gets it, I promised to stay in touch, and the officer in charge of the post seems a bit too grumpy to constantly hand letters to.