Pen Pals

Dear Mr. Dave,

I am writeing to you because my teacher told us to write to a soldier & you are the soldier she told me to write to. I am sorry that you are away from your family right now and hopefuly you do not die and can see them again. Miss Blatchley told us that war is bad but I don’t know anything about war. Can you tell me more about it? All the grownups won’t talk about it, not really. My teacher said you are in a place called Afgan’s Tan. My mom said that grandma made a afgan for us but its just a blanket so I’m not sure why she was making it or why we are at war over it. Maybe because the sand is tan where you are?

Yours truly,

Bobby

Dear Bobby,

Thank you for the letter, Bobby—it’s good to hear from someone back home. I was born and grew up in the same province you live in, Manitoba, and I miss it terribly. Afghanistan is much different from Canada. There are some valleys here that are green, but the only areas where I’ve been stationed have mountains that are rocky and dusty. And it’s hot. Imagine being in the inside of an oven and then turning up the temperature—it feels like that sometimes.

I think the reason why most people don’t want to talk about war is that it’s too painful to talk about when you are living through it, and then when it’s done you just want to forget it. And there are also a lot of people who have never been in war and don’t know that it’s like. I suppose it would be better if everyone talked about what happens, just so people would know how terrible it is and wouldn’t want to start a new war, but people seem to have short memories unfortunately.

I hope to be home soon—my tour is almost over here. Just another couple of months. It will be good to be back.

Sincerely,

Corporal Dave Walker, Jr.

Dear Mr. Dave,

I was happy to get your letter back. I have never had a pen pal before. Miss Blatchley said that I can write you letters and get extra credit for English because my grade in English is not good. I do not know why except maybe its because I talk a lot and sometimes the letters of the words get away from me. You know they don’t like to stay in place when I try to look at them so I have a hard time reading them and then get in trouble for talking instead. But I try to listen I really do. I do not think Miss Blatchley believes me all the time but its good she will give me extra credit for writeing to you.

I would not want to be a soldier I think. I do not like it when it is too hot. Do you get enough to drink? My mom always tells me to drink a lot in the summer or I will get dehidratd. I do not know what that means though, just that it’s bad. Is that why war is bad? You get dehidratd? You should drink more maybe.

I would send you a water bottle but my teacher say that would cost a lot of money and it might not arrive. I wonder why not?

Yours truly,

Bobby

Dear Bobby,

Thank you for the kind thought about sending me a water bottle, Bobby. I want to reassure you that we get enough to drink here, although some people do get dehydrated if they forget how hot it is. Your body needs a certain amount of water to survive and when it’s very hot, you don’t always get enough water—that’s what dehydrated means. Your mom sounds like a smart woman.

Your teacher sounds like a smart woman too. The funny thing is I knew an Edwina Blatchley when I was young—we went to the same school together. Could she be the same one? That would be quite a coincidence, but a welcome one. She was always very interesting and fun back when we had classes together, and I was sorry not to stay in contact with her after we graduated high school, when she went to university and I headed into the Armed Forces. If it's the same Miss Blatchley I knew, then I'm sure she must be a wonderful teacher to you now.

It’s sometimes hard to get packages out here, true, although I’m glad to keep on receiving your letters. And things are slow to be delivered. But please do keep writing—I’m glad to hear that it’s doing both of us some good. And please tell me more about your school and your class and what you like to do. It’s helping me remember home in the midst of some pretty tough days.

Sincerely,

Corporal Dave Walker, Jr.

Dear Mr. Dave,

Yes, Edwina is my teachers name. I forgot it but when you wrote it I remembered she told us on the first day of class but no one uses her first name except other teachers. Its a funny old name. I have not met any other Edwinas before but there are two Sallys in my class and there is another kid whos name is Robert which is my name too but he goes by Robert and I go by Bobby. It was my uncles name and my mom named me that because he went to war and did not come home again. But that was before I was born. He was a hero she told me but I never knew him when he was alive.

Because you get packages there and you do not need any water I am sending you my uncles medal because I am sure you are a hero like he was since you were both in war. I took it out of my moms drawer where she keeps it and told Miss Blatchley it was a surprise for you but did not tell her what it was and wrapped it up myself. I hope you like it. Miss Blatchley told me that I should thank you for your service but I do not know what that means so I want to thank you for writeing to me because I like having a pen pal. You are the best.

Yours truly,

Bobby

Dear Bobby,

I received your package today and it has brought tears to my eyes. You have a very big heart. I will hold onto your uncle’s medal until I am able to come home to return it to you—I worry about it getting back to you through the mail and I wouldn’t want it to be lost. I’m sure this medal is very special to your family, so I can’t keep it forever, but I am happy to keep it safe until I can bring it back to where it belongs.

Your uncle sounds like he was a very wonderful man and a hero, like you said, and I hope you grow up to be just like him. I think you’re well on your way.

I only have another couple of weeks here, so I will be back shortly.

Sincerely,

Corporal Dave Walker, Jr.

Dear Mr. Dave,

That was the most awsome thing ever! When you walked through the door and Miss Blatchley introduced you to the class I could not believe it. And when you came up to me and shook my hand and thanked me for the letters and gave me back my uncles medal that was even more awsome. You are so tall you are like a giant.

And you were right about one thing. My mom is mad at me for sending you my uncles medal and she was super glad to get it back even though she did not see it was missing until I gave it back to her. I am grounded for a week because of it. Its not your fault though so I do not want you to feel bad. Its my fault. My mom says I should have asked first. But of course if I asked she would have said no.

Thank you for giving me the address of the armed forces base to write to you even though you are not in war anymore. I am glad that I do not have to find a new pen pal. I still think you are the best and you are a hero like my uncle even though he is dead and you are alive. I hope you stay alive and we can be friends forrever.

I have changed my mind about being a soldier. Maybe I could be like you when I grow up. It would be cool to help people like you do. After you left the classroom Miss Blatchley said you were a hero and she said she wished she had not lost touch with you for all these years and you were a very nice man and her face turned red as her hair and the whole class laughed at her red face. But I think the world needs more heros like you and I would like to be a hero too and maybe grow up to be super tall like you too. I will write you again tomorrow because Miss Blatchley said she might have a letter to send to you too and maybe we can send them together and save the stamp and the envelope. My mom always wants to save money on those things.

Yours truly,

Bobby