What's to say?
LETTER FROM A FARM KID,
Dear Ma and Pa,
I am well. Hope you are.
Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Marine Corps beats working
for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before all of
the places are filled.
I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly
6 A. M. but I am getting so I like to sleep late.
Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot,
and shine some things.
No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to
lay.
Practically nothing.
Men got to shave but it is not so bad, there's warm water.
Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs,
bacon, etc., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried
eggplant, pie and other regular food,
But tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by the two city boys
that live on coffee.
Their food plus yours holds you till noon when you get fed again.
It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much. We go on "route
marches," which the platoon sergeant says are long walks to harden
us.
If he thinks so, it's not my place to tell him different.
A "route march" is about as far as to our mailbox at home.
Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks.
This will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I keep getting medals
for shooting. I don't know why.
The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don't move, and
it ain't shooting at you like the Higgett boys at home. All you got
to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don't even load
your own cartridges. They come in boxes.
Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat training. You get
to wrestle with them city boys.
I have to be real careful though, they break real easy.
It ain't like fighting with that ole bull at home
I'm about the best they got in this except for that Tug Jordan from
over in Silver Lake.
I only beat him once.
He joined up the same time as me, but I'm only 5'6" and 130 pounds
and he's 6'8" and near 300 pounds dry.
Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other
fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding in.
Your loving daughter,
Carol
