Letters To My Soldier

Letter Five

December 2018

•Shaving cream

•Deodorant

•Instant Noodles (a.k.a. Ramen)

•Shampoo

•Movies

•TV Seasons (of any series except Grey's Anatomy)

•Snacks

•Oreos

•Twinkies

•Sports Illustrated

•Tampons (For the five girls on base)

•Beef Jerky

I moved down each aisle in the grocery store, crossing things off the list as I went. Once my cart was full of anything and everything anyone could need for survival, I checked out and went by a Starbucks to get my favorite cup of Mocha Cappuccino.

I sat at one of the lounge tables with the leather chairs that are coffee stained and coated with the remnants of someone's crumble apple bread. A mom sat at a table across from me with her laptop open, ignoring her screaming baby in its stroller. There were men in dress shirts and ties all huddled together with stacks of papers throw haphazardly in the corner.

The Barista at the front counter stared with his mouth agape and let out a drowsy, "Welcome to Starbucks, we have our Holiday Specials: Cinnamon Latte, Dolce Latte, Gingerbread Latte, Peppermint Latte, Mocha-"

"Cappuccino-" I tried to interrupt.

"-Latte..." he finishes with and blinked a couple times and continued to let the drool escape the corners of his mouth.

"I'll just get the Mocha Cappuccino."

"What about the Holiday Specials-"

"No...just the Mocha Cappuccino with whip cream...and I'd like to but these too," I say and emphasize my point by placing the bags of Starbucks ground coffee beans on the counter.

But none of my surroundings mattered because butterflies occupied my stomach. My hair pulled up to into a ponytail and my shirt hung just above the hem of my jeans.

After paying for everything and getting coffee, I sat at the table and brought out my notebook from my purse and uncapped my purple pen.

And I was lost in my own words, letting a stranger into my world.

Dear Captain Black,

I hope that the package comes at the same time you get this letter, but you never know with International Post. I may have gone a little overboard but I don't think you or the troops will mind, right?

How's the hip? You don't know how shocked I was from that part of your last letter alone. After watching those documentaries in U.S. History...well, it scared me. I really do hope you're feeling better. I'm not exactly religious but...you're in my prayers.

I don't want to lose my new 'pen pal' just yet.

I'm going to say this right now, I'm not exactly patient. Well, Valerie says that's a good thing for playing defense but I've always been that way.

So, below is my phone number and email...just in case you might want to talk that way instead.

Anyways, you know what I noticed? I told you about my past-not very exciting, huh-in my very first letter, what about you? You don't have to tell me everything, cause

God knows I didn't, but just any little thing; I want to know.

No little thing is unimportant.