Tues Dear Maxie, Sorry about the letter last night – it must have been pretty bad. I can’t help it, Maxie, I get so mad every time we have people killed over here that I have to let it out or go crazy. I’ll never get used to people getting killed in this useless war. I got a package form your mom yesterday with all kinds of goodies – oysters and kosher (in Hebrew) maccroons – what a combination. She’d even written me a couple of times on her trip. Wow. Guess I’d better get busy tonight and write her. When is she coming home? Today has been hectic – it always is when we have casualties. I tried to type some condolence letters tonight but couldn’t get them right. Maybe I’ll have better luck tomorrow. They’re such a pain because they have to be flawless or they come back. And I’m a long way from a perfect typist. By the way, you said you had a plan to really turn me on when I get home – what have you got up your sleeve? If you’re planning to play hard to get, forget it, because I’ll be harder to push away – you’ll see. Guess I’ll cut this short and write your mom and make a tape or 2 before it gets too late. I love you completely. Gary
Forgive the pencil – I lost my pen and can’t write with a ballpoint. How about next time you get to the exchange picking up a Parker pen? A $5 job will cost about $3 there. Don’t get the cartridge type – I can’t get cartridges here. A regular point. If you can’t get a Parker, don’t get me one – I don’t like any other
Many, many years later, while our son Kevin was in Iraq, we went to a military air show. There were all types and models of aircraft to climb in. Maxie wouldn’t set foot in the C130 because, as she said through tears, “It was one of these that took you away from me when we were married and I hate it!” (I loved the C130s because they brought me home). PTSD is not limited to servicemen, but also includes their families. I think that we should give medals to our wives, husbands, lovers, mothers and fathers who stay at home and live in constant fear that someone in uniform will show up at the front door. They are our heros.