I wonder what my Mom’s parents think about my going overseas after four months of service, with my uncle Ralph in over two years and still in the states.
I can’t blame any parents for not liking to have their sons in the army, but it seems to me my grandparents are being rather unreasonable about Ralph.
I’m sure it hasn’t been easy for my parents, not nearly as easy as I expected, but they’ve stood up well compared to their Mom and Dad. And my Mom and Dad have more reason to feel badly than their parents do.
Ralph was much more a “man of the world” when he went in than I was, as well as being a couple of years older. During his entire first year and more, he was in California, little more than 1000 miles from home. I was 3500 miles away in two months, something like 7000 miles in four months.
Then too, many folks in our family have been leaving home to get married over a period of more than 20 years. They should be getting a little used to it, it seems. I had hardly been away from the family overnight.
In saying these things, I hope it doesn’t sound as if I’m complaining. My family knows me better than that.
I just want to show Mom and Dad how well they have done. They have taken everything as it came along, good news and bad. They have kept their sense of humor and always have a few cheery words for me each time they write, no matter how they feel.
As for myself, I have been growing up some and feel that I have done a fair job of adjusting myself to army life. I wonder how much Ralph has had to do with my grandparents feeling the way they do.
I wonder if my uncle Ben is still afraid of the draft. Ben is almost 10 years older than I. He always told me the army was just the thing for a young man, makes him tough! If he wants to toughen up, he should know that enlistments are still being accepted.
Well, I believe I will close on a lighter note.
When Bob Hope was here, he and Frances Langford pulled what I thought was a good one. Bob (I call him “Bob”. You see, we used to go to different schools together.) was getting fresh and Frances (now I’m getting fresh) wanted to know what the idea was. Bob said it was just his protective instinct, that he was once a Boy Scout. Frances said, “You’re not acting very much like a Boy Scout.” And Bob replied, “Well, I belonged to the Wolf Patrol.”
If my parents don’t get it, they should see if my brother Cleon is available.
[letterstohome copyright 2008]