Звездный десант
Chapter 6
SergeantZimcameoutwiththerationsandheheldmailcallinthefield—whichwasnotanunexpectedluxury.I’llsaythisfortheM.I.;theymightchopoffyourfood,water,sleep,oranythingelse,withoutwarning,buttheyneverheldupaperson’smailaminutelongerthancircumstancesrequired.Thatwasyours,andtheygotittoyoubythefirsttransportationavailableandyoucouldreaditatyourearliestbreak,evenonmaneuvers.Thishadn’tbeentooimportantforme,as(asidefromacoupleoflettersfromCarl)Ihadn’thadanythingbutjunkmailuntilMotherwrotetome.
Ididn’tevengatheraroundwhenZimhandeditout;Ifigurednowonnotspeakingtohimuntilwegotin—nopointingivinghimreasontonoticemeuntilwewereactuallyinreachofheadquarters.SoIwassurprisedwhenhecalledmynameandheldupaletter.Ibouncedoverandtookit.
Andwassurprisedagain—itwasfromMr.Dubois,myhighschoolinstructorinHistoryandMoralPhilosophy.IwouldsoonerhaveexpectedaletterfromSantaClaus
Then,whenIreadit,itstillseemedlikeamistake.Ihadtochecktheaddressandthereturnaddresstoconvincemyselfthathehadwrittenitandhadmeantitforme.
MYDEARBOY,
Iwouldhavewrittentoyoumuchsoonertoexpressmydelightandmyprideinlearningthatyouhadnotonlyvolunteeredtoservebutalsohadchosenmyownservice.ButnottoexpresssurpriseitiswhatIexpectedofyouexcept,possibly,theadditionalandverypersonalbonusthatyouchosetheM.I.
