My sweet Sharalyn,
I just wrote this letter to assure you that I am perfectly fine. See, my love? No need to worry. Are my parents well? I hope so, last I saw them mother was crying and father had to pour the buckets of her tears into the Thames. I hope the house has not flooded! Forgive me, my darling, for making light of the situation, but if I do not treat the war that way, I shall go mad like my fellow comrades. I have sworn to myself to never remove my engagement ring, for when I return, to wed you without a ring would be the mark of fool. I have, however, attached your hair ribbon to the letter; I do apologize for all the dirt on it, for I carry it with me everywhere and keep it around my arm during battle. Do me a favor, my love, wash all the dirt off and wear it in your hair the day I come back for you. When my dirty hands and my sun-kissed face arrive home to embrace you, I grant you full permission to pour 10,000 buckets of water over me so you can wash away the soldier and have your fiancée back.
I’m sure your crying at this point, but stop my dearest! I am fighting for my country, which is a noble cause indeed. I promise to you, I swear to you, I shall return. Now, enough of this maudlin talk, I would rather write down jokes in hopes of seeing your smile than Shakespeare. Ah, there goes the whistle to whisk me away; I shall write to you again my sweet rose, do not fret.
Sadly, he didn't come back home. Another young man, another victim, robbed of his life prematurely because of a terrible conflict words could not resolve. He left a caring mother and father, a loving wife to be, and unknown to him - his son Michael Addison Jr.
