As we mentioned yesterday, VentnorBlog will be publishing all winning entries to the Wight Fair Writers Winter Writing Competition
Today sees the publication of Alison Trappitt’s The Penpal. Alison took first prize for the adult category. Ed
The PenPal by Alison Trappitt
“Listen to this Jonny, Claire says she’s getting the first load of logs in and reckons I’ll be amazed with the heat the new log burner throws out” Phil Raine looked beyond the pages of his letter and wondered what he was doing here three months into his tour “I can hardly wait to see Cassie and the kids – it feels like ages” he sighed.
Jonny, still unchanged from a dusty day on border patrol, glanced to look up at his friend, watching him turning the pages over and over in his hands.
“It’s alright for you Acid”, nobody in their unit called him by his real name, “You’ve got someone at home waiting for you – me – three months in Afghanistan and only one letter and that was about my car insurance!”. Phil felt like kicking himself “I’m sorry mate I forgot you don’t have anything to do with your family, are there cousins that you can catch up with?” he asked guiltily.
Jonny looked down, “The last time I spoke to my Mum and Dad they were asking me to pick up my stuff and not to come back, it’s a long story, one for weeping over with a few pints at home…..but not for out here”. Jonny’s face saddened but he forced a false laugh, “Ha! it’s like I was born a hundred years ago and now I’m the only one left living, unclaimed – pretty bad for someone that’s just twenty two”, his words drifted off.
Jonny tried to lift the mood and joked “Anyway I’ll be ordering sparrow for one at the butchers this Christmas, heavy on the stuffing and a one-sided cracker to finish the meal off”.
Phil looked at him thoughtfully and said, “Look mate we’re in this together and if you’ve not got a plan for Christmas when we end this tour then you’re having it with me and Cassie – whether you like it or not!” Jonny tried to protest but Phil was having none of it “you’ll still have to put up with my stinking feet” he said, beaming widely.
The following week the duties were as dusty and dangerous as normal, it was a daily dodge of the bullets in some provinces, theirs wasn’t as bad as some other battalions had it. On return to the camp Jonny’s Sergeant shouted at him to come over to his office, he felt a bit worried, that usually meant trouble.
“Right Minter” Never Jonny to Sergeant Thomson, “It’s come to my attention that you’re lacking in the mail department, yes that’s M-A-I-L not the other one.” barked Thomson. Jonny had to admit he was curious about what business the Sergeant thought it was of his. Thomson growled on, “Morale is important to soldiers and you’ve got three months to go before your tour ends – so, I am giving you a PenPal to write to.”
Jonny couldn’t believe he was being told to do this “but I don’t think I need one” he tried to interrupt Thomson but to no avail, “Minter!”, it’s not a choice my son, you’re doing it”. He handed a letter, already opened, to him “and I want it replied to by tomorrow – right?” “Right sir” said Jonny and reluctantly took the envelope and stuffed it in his pocket.
Back in the makeshift rest room Jonny caught up with Phil and told him what had just happened. Phil smiled and said “Look Mate, it’ll be interesting to get to know someone by letter, that way you won’t judge them by their looks or what they wear, will you?”. Jonny sighed loudly, “I guess that’s true but knowing my luck it’ll be some spotty kid who plays army computer games all day and thinks that’s like the real thing”.
“Shut up Minter and just get on with it” said Phil as he flicked Jonny’s head with his towel “Here’s what a pen looks like – remember?”
Jonny decided, in the peace of his bunk, to get on and read the letter and throw some cheesy reply together to keep Thomson quiet as it had been a long enough day and he was feeling whacked.
It read:
Dear PenPal,
I’m sorry I have to call you this because I don’t know your name yet. I asked for my letter to go to a soldier who might like to have someone to write to in the hope that we can become friends on paper at least.
Jonny noticed that the letter was written in a lovely hand and thought it was quite an old fashioned style.
The letter went on to say this person was from Hampshire and that it was from a lady who lives on her own and has been single for many years. She wrote about the autumn leaves starting to fall, the orange and red colours that are everywhere and about the village she lived in. Jonny laughed when she wrote about her ‘leaf slide extravaganza’ as she called it where she went flying down a lane doing a spectacular ‘loop the loop’ ending in a heap of slimy leaves.
Jonny realised that he was soon enjoying this letter from this funny lady, thinking already of the things he could write back about and questions he wanted to ask- he recalled that he knew a bit of Hampshire from his childhood. He could tell that she saw the world in the same way as him with all its minute details. When he got to the end of the letter the lady had written ‘I hope that you feel you can write back to me soon, my name is Anna, your PenPal’.
Jonny quickly found a notepad and wrote straight back, the words seemed to come really easily to him:
Dear Anna,
Thank you for being my new PenPal, I admit that I was a bit unsure about having to write to you but it was really nice to get a letter and hear about life in your village in Hampshire.
Jonny realised that he couldn’t tell Anna too much about his work in Afghanistan and wrote to explain this but he was able to say how it was good to think about things other than guns, sand, tanks and darkness. He went on to tell her how he also loved the green fields and missed the crisp autumn smells of wood fires and crunchy golden brown leaves. He reminisced after a nice country pub and local ales and asked Anna more about her life and how she has come to live on her own. Two long and very full pages later he signed off, Looking forward to hearing from you soon, Your PenPal -Jonny.
During the following week or so Jonny waited with anticipation at every post run, Phil got his usual family updates and shared these with him, clearly Christmas was going to be a big affair at the Raine household.
Jonny was beginning to wonder if he had been too enthusiastic in his letter to Anna and put her off but soon it was his turn and a letter finally came addressed to him.
Phil teased him about Anna “Ooh Minter’s got a new date this winter” trying to wind-up his best friend. Jonny retaliated “It’s not like that mate, she’s a lot older than me and I don’t really know her yet but we’ve got a lot in common – and anyway” he added ” I don’t take the mickey out of the pet name Cassie gives you ‘cutie-pie’! do I?”
“Minter!” Phil shouted with a smile “don’t you dare tell the lads”. Jonny grinned “I think that makes us even?”. Both parties rushed off to read their letters in privacy, Jonny could hardly wait.
He sat down to look at the gentle sloping handwriting and held the envelope for a minute before tearing it open.
It read:
Dear Jonny,
It made my day to get your letter, thank you for telling me so much about yourself, about your day to day life in the battalion and about the things you enjoy back in ‘Old Blighty’! It seems that we do have a lot in common and although I don’t drink much now I still like the occasional ‘Ringwoods Ale’, that’s our local one. You asked why I live on my own, well it’s a long story that maybe I’ll share if we ever get to meet up but let’s just say there’s truth in the old saying that you can pick your friends!
Jonny stopped reading and thought ‘hey I’m not the only one then?
The letter went on with Anna’s funny stories and he felt that they would get on just fine if they were to meet, Anna’s gentle manner was just the opposite to the rough and tough life he had immersed himself in since a teenager. Anna ended her letter asking what his plans are for the Christmas period as she knew his tour was to end soon.
Jonny’s reply was full of explanation about how he had chosen to join the Army and of his relationship with his parents or the lack of it.
He told Anna more about himself than he had ever admitted to anyone else in his life, even Phil. It felt good to be honest and somehow Anna was a good listener on paper. He ended it saying, I hope we can catch up soon, your PenPal Jonny this was becoming a joke between them now.
Letters had started to flow more regularly between Jonny and Anna and Phil felt his mate was much more upbeat and happy. Coming off a patrol he asked Jonny how he was getting on with Anna. “Funny you should ask that” smiled Jonny, “I have an offer and I wanted to talk it over with you”. Phil waited quietly for him to continue, “Anna has asked me if I want to spend Christmas with her, she got enough room but I’ve told her that a good mate has asked to have me for Christmas – mind you, I don’t know if that’s to cook me instead of the Turkey!”
“Too much gristle”, interjected Phil.
“Well Acid my old mucker, I guess what I’m asking is would you mind if I took up Anna’s offer? It’s not that I don’t want to spend time with you all or don’t appreciate all that you’ve done” Jonny’s awkwardness couldn’t be hidden.
Phil replied quickly “Look Minter, your feet stink much worse than mine and there isn’t enough air freshener for both of us – you’re released from you obligations” said in his best ‘lord and gentry’ voice. They both curled up with laughter.
Jonny looked warmly across to Phil, “thanks mate you know you and Cassie are like family to me – in fact better than that by far!”
One week to go and flight arrangements had been made, there was a sense of weariness and relief washing over the whole Battalion. Their tour was completed, no serious casualties and thankfully nobody killed. The lads talk was of home and their laughter freely flowed, Jonny’s included.
Their battalion was due to return to base and meet their families and friends on December 22nd and for the first time Jonny had someone waiting for him. Anna had sent a final letter telling him she would be happy to pick him up and said she felt privileged to be allowed to meet him with all the other families. She wrote to tell him that a white Christmas seemed to be promised, he couldn’t wait.
The flight went as planned and after debriefing they were allowed to meet the throng of emotions that was wrapped up in every reunion. Phil saw Cassie and the kids first and ran towards them, Jonny stepped back watching everyone connecting so easily with familiar faces, he searched looking worriedly around for a lady standing on her own, ‘what if she hasn’t turned up’ his thoughts raced in a panic.
“Jonny, Jonny” shouted a voice that somehow seemed familiar, “it’s me, Anna, over here!” Jonny turned to the side to see a pair of brilliant blue eyes fixed to his face, he walked over at first a bit hesitantly then saw her running towards him with her eyes welling with tears. “Anna” that was all Jonny could say, so overcome with emotion on finally seeing Anna, this person who in all these months had taken away the loneliness he had felt for years.
They hugged for what seemed ages and on hearing Anna gasp he realised he had lifted her right of her feet and promptly put her down. They held each other at arms length taking a good look for the first time. Anna was almost breathless “Oh Jonny, you’ve no idea how many years I have waited to meet you and you are here in front of me at last!
It took Jonny a few moments to register exactly what Anna had said, “Wh..what do you mean years?” he questioned her with a puzzled look on his face. “Oh Jonny, I’m so sorry that I’ve lied, I should have told you at the start, I should have been honest..I ..I” the words stumbled out of Anna. “Hold on Anna” said Jonny stopping her in her tracks, what are you trying to say?”
Anna looked down to the ground then right into Jonny’s eyes with her friendly tear-stained face, “Jonny I’m your Gran”.
He felt his legs tremble and stared for a few moments in disbelief, “How…er who..er, the words were being swallowed up into a knot in Jonny’s throat in a mixture of shock and the feeling that he somehow had Anna in his heart ever since he read her first letter.
Anna slipped her arm into his, “Jonny let’s go back to the start where I am your PenPal Anna, we’ve got that pint of Ale to have and a sparrow to share!”. He turned round to see Phil and Sergeant Thomson looking over at them smiling, “were they in on it all along” asked Jonny, Anna smiled and nodded “I’m afraid so, I did say you can pick your friends and you’ve got a good one in Phil”. Anna and Jonny walked together out of the barracks – two Penpals re-united.
Written by Alison Trappitt
Image: koalazymonkey under CC BY 2.0
