Bosco woke up feeling rushed once more. For some reason he had a bad feeling about the next day. He wiped the sweat from his brown and glanced at all the other men who were sound asleep. He wanted to call Faith so bad but his cell phone was M.I.A. He glanced at his watch and frowned, it was only 3:30. Good thing they woke the troops up early. He rolled over and sighed a heavy sigh, wishing he were in his apartment in New York City, sirens wailing throughout the night. He never thought he'd miss it but he really did.
~~~~
Faith woke the kids up at 9:30. They didn't have school that day but she wanted to wake them up anyway. She needed to talk to them about the war situation and how Bosco fit into all of it.
"Mom, why can't we sleep, we are off today?" Charlie squinted and yawned, angry about having to get up on a day off.
"Because, I need to talk to you guys. Go sit on the couch."
"Can this wait until later?" Emily put on her housecoat and gave her mother a dirty look.
"No." Faith followed them down the hall and into the living room where they waited, wondering what their mother wanted.
"Guys, have you been talking about the situation in Iraq at school?"
"Some, but not really. No one really cares." Emily leaned back on the couch and ran a hand through her hair. Faith could tell that she really didn't care.
"Well, more than likely we are going to go to war with them. I've stayed up late almost every night and I've been watching CNN."
Charlie looked frightened. "Mom, are we gonna die?"
Emily placed a hand on his back. "No, I don't even know why she is telling us this. It has nothing to do with us. It's over seas in another country for crying out loud. We shouldn't be thinking about war, we are too young."
Faith's anger was at its edge. "I'm telling you this because Bosco was sent over there." Faith leaned back and waited for their response.
"Uncle Bosco was sent over there? What do you mean?" Charlie was upset about this.
"Bosco used to be in the army Charlie. They called up most of the men from the reserves back to active duty. He's in Iraq to protect us."
Charlie began to cry. "So is Bosco going to die?"
"No baby, Bosco's not going to die." Faith pulled him into a hug where he began to cry like a baby. Emily just stared at both of them, no emotions showing on her face.
~~~~
Corporal Manor approached Bosco once again, first thing in the morning. "Specialist Boscorelli, we have a meeting in the mess hall. Get over there stat."
Bosco walked in the mess hall where other officers were waiting. For some reason he pretty much knew what this meeting was about. Some urgent news about the war must've been brought up. He sat down beside four other men who all greeted him with a nod.
Manor approached the podium and began his speech by clearing his throat. "Welcome men. You are probably wondering why we are here, most of you probably already know. The United States Congress has declared war on Iraq. This information was presented to us this morning."
Bosco stared at other men who knew they were now doomed. He rubbed his eyes and stared down at the table. He knew this news would tear Faith up.
~~~~
Faith let the kids go back to bed but Charlie wanted to sit with her on the couch. She knew that he looked up to Bosco and she felt bad for telling him but he needed to know. This wasn't some secret to keep from everyone. Emily went to bed without saying a word to anyone. Faith turned on the TV to CNN, she had seemed almost addicted to watching it now. Once again, Colin Powell's face was on, a solemn expression painted across everyone in the room.
"Iraq and Sadaam Hussein have not compromised with us. They are not being cooperative and are hiding something from us. We gave them a chance to explain themselves but they chose not too. U.S. Congress has declared war on Iraq. That is all I have now, more will be added in a press conference later today."
Faith's chest grew tight. It was official, war had been declared. She stared down at Charlie who knew exactly what was going on.
"Charlie, America is at war now." She ran her hand over his hair.
"I know. But don't worry, the angels are with Bosco, I know it."
"You think so?"
"Of course. I'm going to pray for him." Faith began to cry. She tried her hardest to hold them in but they poured down her face.
~~~~
Bosco was ordered to tell his troops after breakfast. He was never good at breaking the bad news to people but it was now his job to do that. He stared over the young faces as they waited for him to speak.
"Congress has declared war. Be ready for real and serious combat." Bosco looked down at his polished boots and back at the men.
A young man in the back spoke up, "We haven't gotten the chance to train for all of the stuff they want us to do."
"I know. But what can we do about it now? We just have to use our common knowledge and survive."
"Specialist Boscorelli, we need you in Corporal Manor's office." A man from a different battalion approached him.
"Ok."
He walked in his office and two other corporals and a captain were waiting. The saluted one another and began business. Corporal Manor was the first to speak.
"Specialist Boscorelli, your troop will be sent out on an ambush. Basically like the one you trained for yesterday."
"When?" Bosco knew that ambushes were pretty dangerous.
"Tomorrow at 0600 hours. Prepare your men, this one is going to be dangerous."
~~~~
Bosco pulled out a pen and paper once more and sat on his bed. He was almost positive that Faith knew about the war but he wanted to tell her anyway. He had to vent somehow.
Faith,
As you know, we are officially in a war. I'm being sent out on a mission tomorrow morning at 6:00 so be thinking about me while I'm out here. I'll be smart Faith, don't worry about me. I'll keep a cool head and not try any heroics. I can't, I've got my life and other men's lives in my hands. Send my regards to everyone there, and tell everyone that I love them so much. Hopefully this war will end soon with America on top. I wrote this poem and I think right now is the best time to share it with you. I hope it doesn't sound to corny:
Sometimes we laugh, sometimes we cry
Sometimes we just learn how to sigh
Life is tragic, through our tears we see
That evil is here, and always will be
No matter how hard we try
The world will always cry
War does not solve problems or take away the pain
Death is death, no matter who is to blame
Why can't we all just get along?
And sing a happy, joyful song?
End all the terror and pain in our life
End all of the suffering, pain, and strife
As long as the human race is here
The death of our nation will always be near
I love you Faith. Stay safe!
Maurice
Bosco looked over the letter and poem. Tears formed in his eyes as he read it. He was so scared to go out into combat but he couldn't back out of it. A man from his regiment stood over him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"SPC Boscorelli, you okay?"
Bosco wiped away a few tears and said, "Yeah. I'm fine, just writing some letters."
"Girlfriend back home?"
"Nah, a really dear friend. Someone I wish I could see again."
"Oh you will, sir. You'll see her again." He smiled and walked away and somehow it made Bosco feel good. He wished he could have the spirits of the younger men. He folded the paper and placed it in an envelope.
~~~~
When Faith went into work everyone stared at her once more. It was a feeling she had gotten used to. It was like she was the one that was going to be sent to die. She ignored everyone and tried to keep her mind off of the war.
"Faith, I'm so sorry about the news." Davis hesitated but pushed the words out of his mouth.
"Thanks Davis. That means a lot." Faith wiped a tear off of her cheek and walked to her empty RMP. She stared at the empty passenger seat, the seat where Bosco should have been sitting.
~~~~
Faith woke the kids up at 9:30. They didn't have school that day but she wanted to wake them up anyway. She needed to talk to them about the war situation and how Bosco fit into all of it.
"Mom, why can't we sleep, we are off today?" Charlie squinted and yawned, angry about having to get up on a day off.
"Because, I need to talk to you guys. Go sit on the couch."
"Can this wait until later?" Emily put on her housecoat and gave her mother a dirty look.
"No." Faith followed them down the hall and into the living room where they waited, wondering what their mother wanted.
"Guys, have you been talking about the situation in Iraq at school?"
"Some, but not really. No one really cares." Emily leaned back on the couch and ran a hand through her hair. Faith could tell that she really didn't care.
"Well, more than likely we are going to go to war with them. I've stayed up late almost every night and I've been watching CNN."
Charlie looked frightened. "Mom, are we gonna die?"
Emily placed a hand on his back. "No, I don't even know why she is telling us this. It has nothing to do with us. It's over seas in another country for crying out loud. We shouldn't be thinking about war, we are too young."
Faith's anger was at its edge. "I'm telling you this because Bosco was sent over there." Faith leaned back and waited for their response.
"Uncle Bosco was sent over there? What do you mean?" Charlie was upset about this.
"Bosco used to be in the army Charlie. They called up most of the men from the reserves back to active duty. He's in Iraq to protect us."
Charlie began to cry. "So is Bosco going to die?"
"No baby, Bosco's not going to die." Faith pulled him into a hug where he began to cry like a baby. Emily just stared at both of them, no emotions showing on her face.
~~~~
Corporal Manor approached Bosco once again, first thing in the morning. "Specialist Boscorelli, we have a meeting in the mess hall. Get over there stat."
Bosco walked in the mess hall where other officers were waiting. For some reason he pretty much knew what this meeting was about. Some urgent news about the war must've been brought up. He sat down beside four other men who all greeted him with a nod.
Manor approached the podium and began his speech by clearing his throat. "Welcome men. You are probably wondering why we are here, most of you probably already know. The United States Congress has declared war on Iraq. This information was presented to us this morning."
Bosco stared at other men who knew they were now doomed. He rubbed his eyes and stared down at the table. He knew this news would tear Faith up.
~~~~
Faith let the kids go back to bed but Charlie wanted to sit with her on the couch. She knew that he looked up to Bosco and she felt bad for telling him but he needed to know. This wasn't some secret to keep from everyone. Emily went to bed without saying a word to anyone. Faith turned on the TV to CNN, she had seemed almost addicted to watching it now. Once again, Colin Powell's face was on, a solemn expression painted across everyone in the room.
"Iraq and Sadaam Hussein have not compromised with us. They are not being cooperative and are hiding something from us. We gave them a chance to explain themselves but they chose not too. U.S. Congress has declared war on Iraq. That is all I have now, more will be added in a press conference later today."
Faith's chest grew tight. It was official, war had been declared. She stared down at Charlie who knew exactly what was going on.
"Charlie, America is at war now." She ran her hand over his hair.
"I know. But don't worry, the angels are with Bosco, I know it."
"You think so?"
"Of course. I'm going to pray for him." Faith began to cry. She tried her hardest to hold them in but they poured down her face.
~~~~
Bosco was ordered to tell his troops after breakfast. He was never good at breaking the bad news to people but it was now his job to do that. He stared over the young faces as they waited for him to speak.
"Congress has declared war. Be ready for real and serious combat." Bosco looked down at his polished boots and back at the men.
A young man in the back spoke up, "We haven't gotten the chance to train for all of the stuff they want us to do."
"I know. But what can we do about it now? We just have to use our common knowledge and survive."
"Specialist Boscorelli, we need you in Corporal Manor's office." A man from a different battalion approached him.
"Ok."
He walked in his office and two other corporals and a captain were waiting. The saluted one another and began business. Corporal Manor was the first to speak.
"Specialist Boscorelli, your troop will be sent out on an ambush. Basically like the one you trained for yesterday."
"When?" Bosco knew that ambushes were pretty dangerous.
"Tomorrow at 0600 hours. Prepare your men, this one is going to be dangerous."
~~~~
Bosco pulled out a pen and paper once more and sat on his bed. He was almost positive that Faith knew about the war but he wanted to tell her anyway. He had to vent somehow.
Faith,
As you know, we are officially in a war. I'm being sent out on a mission tomorrow morning at 6:00 so be thinking about me while I'm out here. I'll be smart Faith, don't worry about me. I'll keep a cool head and not try any heroics. I can't, I've got my life and other men's lives in my hands. Send my regards to everyone there, and tell everyone that I love them so much. Hopefully this war will end soon with America on top. I wrote this poem and I think right now is the best time to share it with you. I hope it doesn't sound to corny:
Sometimes we laugh, sometimes we cry
Sometimes we just learn how to sigh
Life is tragic, through our tears we see
That evil is here, and always will be
No matter how hard we try
The world will always cry
War does not solve problems or take away the pain
Death is death, no matter who is to blame
Why can't we all just get along?
And sing a happy, joyful song?
End all the terror and pain in our life
End all of the suffering, pain, and strife
As long as the human race is here
The death of our nation will always be near
I love you Faith. Stay safe!
Maurice
Bosco looked over the letter and poem. Tears formed in his eyes as he read it. He was so scared to go out into combat but he couldn't back out of it. A man from his regiment stood over him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"SPC Boscorelli, you okay?"
Bosco wiped away a few tears and said, "Yeah. I'm fine, just writing some letters."
"Girlfriend back home?"
"Nah, a really dear friend. Someone I wish I could see again."
"Oh you will, sir. You'll see her again." He smiled and walked away and somehow it made Bosco feel good. He wished he could have the spirits of the younger men. He folded the paper and placed it in an envelope.
~~~~
When Faith went into work everyone stared at her once more. It was a feeling she had gotten used to. It was like she was the one that was going to be sent to die. She ignored everyone and tried to keep her mind off of the war.
"Faith, I'm so sorry about the news." Davis hesitated but pushed the words out of his mouth.
"Thanks Davis. That means a lot." Faith wiped a tear off of her cheek and walked to her empty RMP. She stared at the empty passenger seat, the seat where Bosco should have been sitting.