Imaginary Letter to a Soldier at the Front

My Dearest,
 Of course I've been looking forward to your next trip home, I miss you so much. 4 years is a long time. However, I've been thinking that maybe we should meet in another place, perhaps Europe or Canada.

 This is very difficult to say to you my Dear but, the way of life that they sent you off to defend no longer exists.

 I've been talking to the new bank that just bought our old bank and I'm saddened to tell you that they will be starting foreclosure on the farm as soon as the flood waters go down. Remember the muskrat that lived in the old levee you were after last time you were home. Well, he won.  Most of the family photos and old movies were ruined.  I watched our past and our future disappear in one day. Maybe it's time to start over somewhere else.

 
 
 

As it appears that the Army will never let you out since they started that Stop-Loss thing, maybe we can go to Canada like the guys did during Vietnam. If I remember, they eventually gave them amnesty and many came back to resume their lives in America after Nixon left.  

I'm not sure about Europe since I tried to fly to Aunt Betty's funeral last month and was stopped by security and told I was on a no fly-list.  A man came and talked to me about the people I know in Pakistan.  I told him that I don't know anyone there. We only know that one Pakistani family from Jim Junior's school and Little League team that live down the road.  Jimmy and their son play together and talk on the Internet.  Any way, I took the train to the funeral. Everyone says hi and hope you come home soon.

Also, I had to sell your truck and we took a beating on it.  I just couldn't afford $100 dollars a week to take the kids to school and go shopping.  I know you loved your truck and that we needed it for the farm but since there's no farm now I guess we don't need it. I bought a little used Honda  that gets good mileage.

Just something to think about honey.  I'm tired and need to go to bed now as I was up all night with Jimmy at the Emergency Room again last night.  He's  OK now but his medicine went up again.  Thank God the Doctor had some free samples for him.  I should be able to buy some medicine by next month if I cut back on some other things.  I told Jenny that she would have to stop going to dance school.  She cried for a few days but now she understands.  She'll be OK too.

Baby, I hope this isn't too depressing for you over there in the dessert, but I can't hide the fact that things aren't like the way they were when they sent you there anymore.  Something is wrong with the way things are happening and I've given up hope.

I only hope that you come home on your next leave and we can talk about this idea before they send you back again.  I worry about you day and night and try to keep up with the news of what's going on over there but there is nothing on the TV or in the papers about it any more.

We love you and miss you,
Your loving family