Summary

Sometime in the future, Bartle has written and sent a letter to Murph’s mother pretending to be Murph. The letter includes several tell-tale signs that Murph didn’t write it, but Bartle says it brought Mrs. Murphy happiness – for a moment at least.

The chapter flashes back to before the war when Bartle, Murph and Sterling are training at a base in New Jersey. When 21-year-old Bartle and 18-year-old Murph first meet, Sterling tells Bartle that he is responsible for the younger soldier. Bartle privately resents the responsibility, but outwardly accepts it, telling Murph to move his things into Bartle’s room in the barracks while the other soldiers are off base on passes.

The men know their date to ship to the war is coming soon, but they don’t know when. When they get word that they should invite their families...