I Love You Man a Story From Nam

I love you man A Story From Nam We were seventeen or eighteen in Nam we became friends forever. No more than friends. Soldiers get closer than wives. We went to sleep saying I love you man. We switched letters For our girlfriends. In case… well just in case. The bullets rained in the clearing that night. I can still see the tracer lights. Guys fell down all around me. Crying everywhere. Air power cleared them away. I looked for Joe he was lay there. I held him close like a baby as he left us. His last words I love you man. I whispered to him Not as much as I love you Man . I did not notice I had been hit. After six months I returned home. In West Virginia his beautiful girl Opened the door of a small trailer. She had a baby boy in her arms. Her blue eyes welled with tears. I passed the unopened letter to her. I lied and said the blood on it was mine. She passed the baby to me to hold As she read the letter. I kissed his tiny forehead. And said see buddy You’re not dead at all I love you Man