Chapter Text
Dear Janelle,
Hope this letter finds you alright. I ain't got much time to write but figured I oughta.
First thing — tell Earl I said thank you for keeping an eye on the house. Man didn't have to do that and I appreciate it. Long as the roof ain't caved in and the porch ain't rotted through I reckon we're square.
I expect the county fair's comin up again round about now. You tell Darlene — and I mean it this time — do not put so much damn clove in that peach pie. I know she's gonna do it. She does it every single year. Every year she does it and every year she acts like she can't figger out why. Tell her to go easy. Half what she thinks it needs. Actually tell her a third.
How's Mary Lynn doing? Last I heard she had that business with her knee and I never did find out how that resolved itself. And what about Charlie Ross? He still workin over at the mill or did he finally quit like he was always threatenin to? Seemed like every summer that man had a new plan for himself. Wunder if any of em ever took.
We had ourselves a situation couple weeks back, up in the hills outside a little town I ain't gonna try to spell. Got word a German column was comin through a particular road and we set up on the ridgeline and waited and when they came through we taught every onnna them sonsabit well. I don't reckon that's fittin for a letter to my baby sis. Just know we done our job and ever man who went up that hill came back down it.
I'll tell you what I miss. I miss Maynarville in July. I know it's hot as the devil's own but you ain't seen green til you seen them hillsides in July. Ever tree just lit up like somethin outta somethin else. I’ve crossed halfa Europe and I will stand here in whatever godforsaken ditch I happen to be standin in and tell anybody who asks that there ain't a single place on this earth that beats Tennessee in July. Not one.
Hug Ma for me.
Tell Lionel to keep his head outta his ass.
— Aldo