You Are On My Mind

Letters

August 18, '92
Danny,
You have no idea how excited I was to get a letter from you! I realize it might be hard to find time to write, or even think about anything else; and I know that it takes about a month for things on the other side of the world to get to America- I should know!

Anyway, I hope you are doing well. I'm fine, still studying super hard! Oh! I forgot to tell you in the last letter. I got accepted into eight out of ten of the colleges I applied to! Ive decided on Albany Medical College. It's two hours away from Staten Island, so I can go home on the weekends. I'm going to move into the dorm in a week, so my room doesn't look like it did the last time you were here. I'm so excited to start my college life! I know it's gonna be a tough road, and a lot of late nights, and a shit-load of coffees- but I can make it. I am determined to! And when I feel like I can't, I know I'll think of you telling me that I can do anything at all.

Danny, I love you so much. I didn't realize how much until this year, when we were told about the overseas attack. I pray everyday for you to come home to your family, and to me. I know there are guardian angels looking after you right now. Don't piss 'em off and stay alive, okay? Be smart and wise, and don't let that Reagan temper cloud your judgement.

I'll be loving you forever,
Linda

Oh, and P.S. Mary wants me to tell you to remember to wash behind your ears, and write your mother! Love you! And happy 19th! It must've been super weird, but we all thought about you. Everyone sends birthday and well wishes.

Danny smiled at the letter, it was the fifth time he had read it since receiving it. He was glad he now had time to write a response. He got out a pen and a sheet of paper, thinking what his response would be. For some reason, he looked at the envelope Linda's letter had came in. He was compelled to look inside, and he found a picture of Linda in her nurse's uniform. She was outside of the Albany Medical College, in her dark blue scrubs, standing next to someone Danny didn't recognize. He turned the photo over, and read the inscription.

I realized you never saw me in my uniform! I made it in, and now the beginning of the end can commence!

Danny chuckled as he smiled, always making jokes.
He picked up the pen and started writing.

September 17, '92
Linda,
I was excited to get your letter as well. And yeah, it's hard to get write and get mail out and shit. But I've got a few minutes before dinner.

I'm doing as well as can be expected. It's actually really dark over here, and I don't mean lighting-wise. I can't wait to go back home, even for a week. I don't know when the next leave is coming, but tell everyone I miss them.

Congratulations on getting in! I knew you could do it! I wish I could be experiencing that college life with you, but I know coming here was the right choice. Maybe not the smart one, but the right one. Again, I know you can do anything you set your mind to, and I'm sure you'll be drinking lots and losta coffee and Barq's root beer. You may be an O'Shea, but you've gotten Reagan stubbornness in you. And in college, that'll turn out to be a good thing.

I love you so much, too, Linda. I find myself thinking about you whenever I'm not focused on not dying. The attacks were scary, not gonna lie. But we won that round, so that's good. I pray for you, too. And for Mom and Dad and Erin and Joe and Jamie. And that'll we'll all make it home to see our loved ones. I'll try not to piss off my guardian angels too much. And believe me, I'm trying to stay alive. Some days it's really tough, cause the bombs and gunshots are super close to us. Sometimes the thoughts in your head gets to be too much, and you think 'what'll happen if I die?'. Don't tell Mom I said that, okay? I don't need her freaking out anymore than she already is.

You just couldn't resist mentions NKOTB, could you? Gosh, I miss those random song references, New Kids or otherwise.

I love you for always,
Danny.

P.S. thank you for the birthday wishes. I almost forgot it was my birthday. Tell Mom I'm getting all the grime and dirt off, and I'll try to get a letter to her. Tell everyone I love them, and remember that I love you. Also, you look adorable in your scrubs! Who's your friend?

Danny folded the letter and stuck it in the envelope. He sealed the envelope shut. Linda's letters were the things that kept him going.