Ralph,
Want to know what I'm doing? I'm sitting in the shade of the crew compartment, sipping iced tea from a carton, and listening to the same bluegrass music we play every cookout and birthday party. It's just a short break, but it's almost like I'm on vacation, huh?
You should see the mountains in this country. They're nothing like the ones back home. Being all brown and devoid of trees, they feel massive and ancient. I get a chill every time I look at them. I wonder what it would be like to go fly close to them, but that's where the bad guys are right now. And these are truly bad people we're fighting, Ralph. I can't say that I'm not nervous, but I know we're doing the right thing here, which deeply reassures me.
Do me a favor and don't worry too much about what you see in the news. Right now they're probably saying some of our boys in the field are in an awful place, which is true. But what they don't tell you is that everyone here is tough, and your big brother is getting ready to go give 'em a hand. I'll show these people how rednecks like us do things.
I'm sorry I missed your graduation, but I heard you did so with honors. I'm certain our family couldn't be more proud of you. I know you were thinking about college after school, but don't think it's your only option. Just do me a favor if you decide on aviation and don't be like your idiot brother and fly for Devil Dog Air. Go fly for an airliner, someplace that's less hazardous and pays more.
Visit our grandparents for me. Offer to help around the house or the farm if you can. Neither will be around forever, and you should be spending enough time with them for both of us.
I miss you all. Every time I look up at the clouds, I imagine I'm home. When I get back, I'll take you and everyone else who asks out for a ride over the farm and the mountains.
No worrying, ya hear?
"Country boys can survive."
Evan
P.S. Seriously, there's almost no trees here. It's just plain wrong!