The Letter

A short short by

Jerry A.G. Ericsson

A Soldier sits at a table outside a small quaint French restaurant in Sigon, pen in hand.

My Dearest Darling. He wrote.

I sit here, somewhere in the jungles of Viet Nam. Should an enemy bullet take me tonight, know that my last thoughts would be of you.

Last night, we had a fire fight, tracers crossed into the night. You remember I wrote you of my friend Ralph, well he didn’t make it, his body will be shipped home tomorrow.

Please know I will do everything in my power to get home to you knowing that you will wait for my return. Must sign off now, as the light is leaving, the war is so frightening in the dark.

All My Love

Ron.

Folding the letter, he sips from his glass of cognac. Well Ralph, lets hit Tu Do Street, and see if we can find ourselves a couple of boom-boom girls. He smiles as they leave, and tips the waiter with two twenty-five cent bills of Military Script.