Friday, April 1, 2011

Dear MaryJanes June 23rd




Inside Card Reads,
"....but my butt's too big for the mailbox"

I love you, Galoshes.

Friday 6/23 PM

MaryJanes,
I got your letter about being told, "Before I kill you" and it made me extremely mad. I paged Augie to see if the three topics were standard in order to break you down.
#1 No toilet paper
#2 Lack of showers
#3 "Kill you"
He said "No" and that he couldn't do anything about it until Monday, but I was to page him on Monday at 8:30 am. I told him your first letters were the normal, "it's hard, but Im doing my best"but that this letter was different. He said somethings not right there and he will start the process to have it looked into but that the people he would contact are not available till Monday. It will be a damn hard weekend. I called a woman named Jenny that is a friend of Mikes. She was in basic 10 years ago. She hated it and said that she cried every time she called home. Also that she got punched in the mouth by a Sargent {fat lip} They cant do that anymore. If any Sargent punches you , I'll be all over someone! She thinks they can still shove you to the ground?? I told Augie I couldn't tell some one I was going to kill them, and I didn't think they could say that as its illegal for me. I said it shouldn't have been done. Hold On, I m doing what I can to change the conditions. I hate that I can't protect you. I feel like my stomach is being ripped out. Mike is doing his best to comfort me. When you pray, pray for strength to endure. It's not going to get easier mentally or physically but you can pray for strength to get through. I don't know what to do, I feel so helpless.
I saw Erin H. today. I went into the Windsor McDonalds, she was working. I gave her your address and asked her to write you. I asked that Jenny [mikes friend] if she wished someone would have pulled her out of basic. She said When she was there [New Orleans I think} she would have walked home if she could have. But, looking back, she is glad she did it. She did hate it though.She tells everyone to join the air force and to avoid the army. She said they make all kinds of promises and don't follow through. They lie and use you r $ for "things." Don't worry about the money part, sounds like they screw ya with that. I will make sure your car insurance is covered. It will be okay/ Mike is helping Brad load and unload wood at the campground.
I hope my letters help. I hope they give you some sanity in the insane place you are in. "Jenny" said that allot of girls start fighting. WALK AWAY!! Don't fight! Keep your temper in check. Breathe through the temptation to strike back. Close your eyes and think calming thoughts. I will help you through this as best as I can. It's mostly 99% up to you. Think positive. You might need to get tough on the Johnson girl. I am sorry that you have to have that weight to bear! Keep me posted on how you are doing. Jenny said that the lack of TP & showers was all part of bringing you down. I will send TP w/ every letter.
I Love You!
Galoshes

3 comments:

  1. I've been spending time catching up again...wow this must have been a hard time for both of you...character building, maybe... but rough. Lisa, as a mom, I FEEL the helplessness just reading this...and Taylor you were so strong... XO

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  2. Taylor!

    You were so strong. I can't believe you went through all that!

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  3. Thank you for your comments,
    I can not tell you how hard this was as a mother. You can not prepare yourself for events like this. When I think about all of the mothers and fathers that have had their kids go active into war, it rips my heart out. When someone goes into the military, the whole family goes along in some way or another. Had MJ not been 17 years old at the time, she would have been active in Iraq. I would have gone completely grey!
    ~Galoshes

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