At War

||21. The Twenty- First||

Wednesday, XXXX

Remind me if I have ever told you before how good a painter Unni is. Only this morning he sat and sketched the entire view from the balustrade of the fortress's loggia over and over for miles, and it was so, so pretty, even though he did not use any colors. Honestly, he only found the scrap of paper from some dead soldier's breast, and he used one of the charcoal pieces lying around from the burning fires to draw it. Talent comes in so many forms, does it not? If I ever go to college, I think I would also try to learn to be a painter. Or maybe I will try to learn to be everything. I have been thinking of this for quite some time now. We could go together, you know. I wish you would finish your training so you could be down on the field and then we could go home quickly. That is incredibly selfish of me, I know, especially, because the field is not a safe place, and I do not think you or any of us coming here is going to make this war end any faster. This war is incredibly sick, and I hate it, but I also enjoy the fact that we might end up earning some money from it, and then we could do whatever we chose to. I also hear war veterans have a particularly good reputation. If that is so, I am sure most people will be willing to give us some sort of employment. But look at me. I keep on making plans as if it is you and me once over again, as if you are not married and as if you do not have a life of your own. I am so, so sorry, dear one. I just got carried away. Not that it is any excuse, but still. Truth is, I missed the easy simplicity of those days. It may have seemed to us then that it was us against the world but think of it so many people actually managed to stick around us and tried to help us, even though they had no reason to. Everywhere I go nowadays I keep on finding kindness and I think of all those people whose generosity we never recognized. What reason could the pharmacist have had to give us a discount? Why would the grocer allow us to take so many things on credit? Perhaps we shall never know, but people actually helped us a lot. That is what you do, I guess in situations that we found ourselves in. Work as a community and help each other out. You cannot blame anyone in our area of being selfish and miserly. Everyone shared whatever they had. They are good lessons to be had. Sitting here allows me that time to introspect, and I think a lot of times we do not have these chances to look back at ourselves and all the blessings we have had in life. At this rate, though, I am pretty sure I would do very well in philosophy class. Would you join me if I went there? I think you would. I mean, come on. It has been you and me forever. We can have that lousy spouse of yours if you want to. I am being rude, aren't I? It is OK. I will not say that again. We are going out for drinks right now. 'Out' means the open courtyard and our drink supply is rapidly dwindling. But I have learned a lot from my community, and now I am sharing. You would be proud of me, I think. I am proud of you too. Even if you have enlisted. Idiot. 

Sincerely yours, 

The Soldier.