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To Captain Steven Rogers,
I guess since we both signed up for this pen pal thing, we should actually communicate. That is the purpose of the whole exercise, to make a friend overseas and back home.
My name, as you know, is James Buchanan Barnes, but everyone calls me Bucky. My sister refused to call me James or Jamie as a kid and couldn’t pronounce Buchanan so she called me Bucky. I kind of liked it, still do, so Bucky it is. Juvenile, perhaps, but when someone shouts that name on the street I know it’s me they want, so there’s that.
I’m an artifact restoration technician for the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C. but I’m originally a Brooklyn boy, born and bred and proud of it. Still go home on holidays and sometimes a long weekend to see my family. Family is important to me. I’m close to my parents and little sister. I even like my brother-in-law. He’s good for a free beer at the local pub on a Saturday night.
I honestly don’t know what else to write. Captain is pretty high up the ranks. I don’t know what all your duties are, but I’ll bet you’re pretty busy so don’t feel you have to reply immediately. How long have you been in Afghanistan? The info the pen pal group gave me on you was pretty scant so I’m imagining you running special ops groups through caves in some desert mountain. Or pushing papers in a tent, sipping cold coffee. Sorry, active imagination.
I’ll shut up now. Let me know if you need anything from the States. I can send you anything I can, books, movies, magazines, newspapers, candy, socks, whatever a soldier misses from home. I’ve never been in the military so I have no clue. I have read that being a soldier is periods of terror broken by long stages of boredom. Or something like that.
Sincerely and hopefully soon to be a friend,
Bucky Barnes
Bucky,
Hi. I really don’t what to say either. The guys in my unit signed me up for this pen pal thing to be honest. They said that since I don’t have any family back home and just five friends Stateside, I need another friend. So, thanks for writing this soldier and giving a taste of home. What’s your day like? The Smithsonian is pretty prestigious. I take it you are college educated. Where did you go to college? What exhibits have you worked on? What are you working on right now?
Captain isn’t anything special. I can’t really talk about what I do. Normally, yeah pushing papers or doing training and the like but it’s a whole other ballgame on the warfront. And yeah moments of terror broken by long periods of boredom pretty much covers it most of the time. It’s the moments of terror that can be the killer, sometimes literally.
Speaking of ballgames, I love baseball, so anything baseball related that you can send me I’ll love. I’m a Brooklyn boy too and still hold a grudge against LA taking the Dodgers from us. But I still support the boys in blue. So, anything Dodgers would be appreciated. My bunk is decorated with a few drawings and photos, so maybe a pennant or something to tack up and brighten the place up would be nice.
My father died when I was kid and my Ma when I was barely grown so I have no family. They didn’t have any siblings and no grandparents living either. I have friends, I suppose, but it’s hard to stay in touch so far away and them with their own lives to live.
To be honest, sometimes I regret volunteering to come here, but then I think of the men and women I’ve served with, laughed with, bled with and realize I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I serve my country when others can’t. Nothing dishonorable about that.
I gotta go to bed so I’ll close off and send this email. Look forward to talking more with you, Bucky.
Your potential friend,
Steve Rogers
Steve,
It’s not that I can’t serve but I know I don’t have the temperament for it. First drill sergeant that gets in my face and starts screaming at me, I’d punch his lights out. Get in all sorts of trouble. So yeah. There’s that. I got nothing against it, though. My brother-in-law is a police man. His daily shit o meter gets full all the time from the stupid stuff civilians do. That’s as close as I want to get. LOL!
What am I working on right now? It’s pretty cool. We’re working on a Captain America exhibit currently. I’m restoring his uniform he was defrosted in. We’re keeping it in the condition it was taken off his body, rents, tears, burn marks, and all, just making sure that it won’t fall apart at the seams. We have some seamstresses recreating the suit, and his Howling Commandos’ uniforms, from sketches and photos for the display. I oversee all that. It’s a big project. Can’t exactly throw it in the washing machine and hope for the best. The suit will be behind glass for preservation. Once the exhibit finishes at the Smithsonian it will travel around the country to other museums.
Hey, you share Cap’s name! Coincidence! LOL! That I would be working on another Captain Steve Rogers uniform. Kinda creepy, in some ways.
Don’t worry about not being able to tell me where you’re stationed or what you do. Top secret war stuff. I get it. Just stay safe, you and your men and women. I don’t want to hear you got your ass shot up because you did something stupidly heroic.
A shame about your family, though. That must have been lonely. I didn’t have many friends growing up but the ones I had were good ones. We stuck with each other. I still stay in contact with them. Sometimes friends are the best substitute family, yeah?
GO DODGERS! Send me someplace I can ship stuff to you at and I’ll get you some Dodger memorabilia for your bunk and to wear off duty. Anything else? Movies or books? Don’t feel you’re putting me out. You’re not. I can get a box together and ship it off this weekend or next week.
Well my lunch hour is almost over so I gotta go.
Bucky
Bucky,
Just send the package to me care of Bagram AFB, Afghanistan. Send me your address and I’ll send you some drawings. Oh, if you could ship over a fresh sketch book, that would be great. And maybe some drawing pencils. I’ve been making do with printer paper and mechanical pencils. Better than nothing but I long for the good stuff to really stretch my artistic muscles.
Yes, I’m an artist. I went to art school for a bit before I joined the Army. I wanted to be an illustrator. Had a few freelance jobs too, but not a whole lot of money in that. If I ever get out of the Army I might take it back up, though. It’s all I’m really good at.
Books? I like detective stories but don’t know current authors much so use your best judgment. One of my buddies here told me I need to have you send me a series called The Dresden Files. I guess they are paranormal detective stories? I don’t know. Sounds interesting anyway. Don’t know who the author is.
I don’t read much magazines so you can skip those. Same with newspapers. We can get internet on base so I can look at news all over the world. One of my friends Stateside is pretty up to date on politics so he gives me the low down on what nonsense is going on in government.
Yeah, regarding me and Captain America sharing the same name and rank, coincidence. Ha ha! It’s not like I don’t get teased by my unit all the time about it. Laugh it up, wise guy. You aren’t alone. But still working that exhibit sounds pretty interesting. Hopefully I’ll get Stateside and get a chance to see it. Any idea when the exhibit goes live? I don’t get to come home for another year or so. Time gets away from you out here. Sometimes it goes fast, sometimes it drags.
I thought I’d tell you about the people I work with. Besides the men and women in my unit we have civilian contractors and Afghans that are allies. One of the Afghans, Adel, has a little girl who’s 8 years old and cute as a button and smart as whip. She reads Afghan, Farsi and I’m teaching her English right now. She picks it up quick, it’s amazing. Every morning her father brings her to school near the base and she meets him in the afternoon afterschool at the base until he’s ready to go home. Sometimes I walk them home, me and a couple others, because they live a bit of ways away and we worry. Adel is a good man, trying to live the best life he can for himself and his family. But his daughter, Wasima, she’s amazing. She loves television. I always put on a child appropriate movie while she’s waiting on her dad in my bunk. Disney movies mostly. She’s always quoting movie lines at me. If I can, I’ll take a picture of them and send it to you. So, if you can put some Disney princess stuff in the box for Wasima I’d be eternally grateful. She doesn’t have a favorite, she likes them all.
At the risk of pushing our fragile new friendship, tell me more about yourself. Hobbies? Favorite tv shows? Favorite movie? Favorite actors/actresses?
I like that Chris Pine guy. He is good in the Space Trek movies. No, Star Trek. Sorry, my bad. Not a science fiction fan. He’s got a nice face, at the risk of revealing my sexuality. You know I’m an artist and soldier, pretty much takes care of my hobbies. I don’t watch much TV that isn’t movies or dvds that we have on base. Favorite movie is an oldie, Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert in It Happened One Night. Timeless. Still funny all these years later.
Steve
Steve,
I’m bisexual so don’t worry about the big reveal. I favor guys more than girls however, but I’m equal opportunity so it’s all good. I’m not seeing anyone currently. Too busy for anything but an occasional date.
I hit up the Disney Store and bought like $100 worth of Disney princess stuff, all the different princesses. I don’t know how strict her family is so none of the dress up make up and costumes, but plenty of toys and even a Cinderella tiara. Should send Wasima over the moon to get them. And I’m happy to do it. I like that you ask for so little for yourself but want to give to those who are helping you guys out over there. Shows you got a good heart, Steve. I’m gonna flirt a bit and say that’s very sexy to me.
Let me know what Disney movies you have and I’ll fill in the ones you are missing, for both you and Miss Wasima’s amusement.
However, when it comes to books, I got you covered. The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher are my jam. I love that series. It’s called urban fantasy, not paranormal detective, but really both apply. You’ll love them. Full of folklore and suspense. The crap Harry Dresden gets himself into and out of is action packed and nail biting, I’m telling you. Me and your Army buddy will convert you, just you wait. I included the first three in the box. I found them at the used book store. Let me know if you like them. The first two are kind of slow to get started since he’s world building but stick with it, it’s worth it!
The box will be sent tomorrow after my Saturday morning coffee and donut. I found the sheet with your mail information on it I got from the pen pal agency so I got it down pat. No worries. Sketch book and pencils added. I even bought a set of colored pencils for shits and giggles. I figured it wouldn’t hurt.
My favorite actor is Matt Bomer. He was in a show called White Collar, where he plays a con artist and art forger who is roped into working with the FBI as part of his sentence after getting caught. The guy is hot as hell. Beyond just ‘easy on the eyes’. And speaking of eyes, his are the bluest blue. Look him up on the internet and defy me that he’s hot. Women, Angeline Jolie hands down. I’d fuck her, no doubt. Yeah she’s probably a bitch or something, or grating personality, but something about the way she walks and smiles just turns me on like a house on fire. She and Bomer are on my cheat list.
Favorite movie? Good Lord. I’ve got a soft spot for the old musicals. Gene Kelly is the bomb. So is John Wayne, though Wayne was a racist dick, he’s still the quintessential man’s man. But I think I gotta say I love the Lord of the Rings movies. Tolkien, y’know? Action, adventures, elves, dwarves, fantasy, a quest. Yeah, they don’t follow the books perfectly but I frankly don’t care. They are good flicks.
Favorite Tv show right now? I watch a lot of crap television, mostly police procedurals, like NCIS and CSI. But I like the forensics shows about real life cases and criminals. Is it morbid? Maybe but it’s science and science is always cool. My job is a bit of history and science combined so I like it. Judge me, I dare you. Watch an episode of Forensics Files and say you weren’t amazed the scumbag was caught by science.
Let me know when you get the box and if I missed anything.
Bucky
Bucky,
Sorry about not contacting you recently. I was out on patrol off base for a couple of weeks. Your box came while I was gone. I didn’t open it until Wasima and her dad, Adel, were with me. I wanted to see her eyes when the Disney stuff was revealed. She actually screamed, she was so excited. She kept asking over and over if they were for her. Her dad started crying, hugging me. So, when I get home I owe you hug from both Adel and Wasima. She went home wearing the tiara. We put the rest of it in a bag.
I don’t have Moana, The Princess and the Frog, and Mulan. Oh and any of the 1960s ones, like Robin Hood. So even if you get me duplicates I can donate it to the base library, no biggie. Used is perfect. I’d hate to have you spend full brand-new price for something I actually already had a copy of. Same for books.
I started the Dresden Files first book, Storm Front, at dinner. It’s pretty interesting. He’s so old fashioned, I get that, being old fashioned myself, manner wise. I’ll bet the author gets a lot of complaints about the character being a chauvinist though. Sometimes the old-fashioned manners get a bad rap that way. I was raised that a woman is a lady until she proves otherwise, no matter her profession. They all deserve respect and care. I open doors for them and apologize for burping in front of them. It’s ingrained. But yeah, I think I’m going to like these books. My buddy says there’s a lot of them. He said he’s probably behind in reading them. How many are there?
The sketchbook is gratefully appreciated as are the pencils. You didn’t scrimp on the quality either! Thanks!
I’ve got just enough time on the internet to write this email to let you know I got the package. I’ll have to look up Matt Bomer later. Cheat list? What is that? Angelina Jolie is a fine looking woman, I don’t blame you there.
Those forensics shows sound really interesting. Are they on dvd? Or maybe Netflix? I can get Netflix.
As for flirting with me that you mentioned. Only if I can flirt back? Send me a picture of you.
Steve