Men Of Somewhat Honor
By: Lily d'Jerusalem
Chapter 1: Dear Ma, Today Kind of Blowed
When the first child leaves home it is very emotional, part of what has become so familiar is breaking away. The actual leaving is rarely the hardest part though it does clench the heart. But the hardest part is days later, weeks later, when least expecting it the reality of their absence becomes more apparent.
Scout's mom knew what that was like, and she knew that with each of the next six sons that it got a little easier to adapt to this sadness. If nothing else she always had her youngest son to occupy her with trips to the hospital and baseball games and mending the clothes which would get ripped and torn during his shenanigans.
And it was probably the lack of that 'Force of Nature' which made Scout's leaving home something which she had known would make things very different. Most of her other sons were still in the Boston area, three had gone farther but none of them had gone so far they couldn't easily come back into town for the weekend.
But Scout, the loudest and most energetic of the family had gone off to the Southwest and didn't get much vacation time.
Needless to say when the mailman handed her a dusty, grimy, envelope from Teufort, New Mexico she couldn't help but cry out in pleasant surprise and hug the slightly confused mail carrier. While the envelope looked like it had taken the westward trip from New Mexico to Boston Scout's handwriting was still clearly there, though arguably bordering on illegible.
Dear Ma,
Sorry I haven't written in so long, we've been real busy out here. I've been getting settled in though, its not quite the same as home but its fine enough. I've put nails up so I can hang my bats and my scattergun in the living room. Its awesome. And I got this part of a car from the junkyard and Engineer helped me get it all secure on the wall AND NOW I CAN PUT MY DRINK ON IT WHILE I'M SITTING ON THE COUCH! I mean we've always known I was the smartest in the family but it is just awesome!
Today kind of blowed, most of the team got knocked out pretty early on and before I could get the final briefcase back to our intel room a big huge dust storm rolled in and the Announcer called the match at a stalemate. I was right there! And who calls a match for dust? I mean yeah it was thick and hard to breath in but jeez, we're not pansies.
Oh! I have to tell you about TACOS though! There's this weird little restaurant in town that serves all this food with names in Spanish and so last time I was down there the lady at the register told me to try a taco and it was AMAZING! I don't even know where to start on these things. Its in this crunchy shell that Rosalita says is made from corn and they put in beef and lettuce and cheese and spicy sauce. The best part? Its like a sandwich, I can eat it and run! Doesn't go too well with Bonk though, only downside.
Let Ellis have my new address and tell him I'm not dead yet, I am me so how could I be? And tell him I have one hum-dinger of a story for him but I won't write it here since I know they freak you out and you get all worried and stuff. At least I wasn't covered in bees this time!
-Scoot
PS: I miss you a lot. I'm doing fine but I miss you.