Dear Alice,

How you been, baby? I’m doing pretty good. My sergeant is a nice person. She’s very secretive though. She told me when I got here that I have kindness in my eyes and that’s not tolerable in the military. I guess I gotta work on that. I’m sleeping in a tent, in a sleeping bag on the floor. It’s actually pretty comfortable. I don’t know when I’ll get back, but hopefully it’ll be pretty soon. There was something I wanted to ask you but I forgot what it was. It’ll come back to me later. God, I miss you so much, I can’t take it. I think I might actually go A.W.O.L. This is fucking insane, I starting to regret signing up for the damn military. When I get home I want you waiting for me in the bath tub, just us. Wow, I’m getting ahead of myself. I can manage, I mean, I’ve done good these past six weeks. Now I remember the question, how’s the house looking? I mean, when I last saw it, it was still being built. I was just wondering. I need to go now. Write back as soon as you can.

Love Dana

5/2/07:Military Base-West Germany-1800 hours(6:00 P.M.)

“Fairbanks!”

“Yes?”

“What are you doing?”

“Um, I was writing a letter, but I finished it.”

“Ah, I remember those stages. The first stages of being away from home, constantly writing letters to everyone, only lasts a couple of years.”

“Couple of years? Miss, do you honestly think we’ll be here that long.”

“You know what Fairbanks? I don’t like it when you ask me questions and when you call me ‘Miss.‘ I prefer Wasp.”

“Okay, Wasp?”

“Now I came here to tell you that Private Nelson needs your help with her gun. She can’t load it, I’m a high class sergeant and they assign me to a buncha retards. Now go help Nelson on the double.”

“Yes Wasp.” Dana got up from her old, beat up sleeping bag and walked over to Private Nelson. “Gina, how nay times do I have to show you this?”

“Last time, I swear.”

“Let me see that.” She grabbed the gun from Gina. “Okay you see this?” Gina nodded her head. “Good, this is the jacket. You see this opening?” Gina nodded again. “You slip the jacket in it and lock it in place. Got it? It’s not that hard Gina.”