From Dusk Till Dawn

Chapter 17: Unfiltered Letters and Conversations- Joseph's pov

Being imprisoned with pa turned out being one of the best things. He doesn't attempt to yell at me like he's done in the past. It's mostly because we're hardly in the same room. Pa and nine other Italians are placed under a single roof. Fortunately, there wasn't enough room for me so I bunked with another group of men next door.

Most of the men in my housing are at least the age of twenty five and up. During the past week we've been given something to do during the long days. We get paid very little to do farm work and build houses for incoming immigrants. We're even allowed to write to our families and friends but before sending them off they're proofread.

As soon as given the opportunity, I go to the mail office building to write to Ma and George.

I've never been the best at writing heartfelt and sincere letters to the ones I cared for. Usually my birthday letters go along the lines of:

Happy Birthday! I hope you have a swell day. Eat a piece of cake for me.

Sincerely,

Joseph Capurso.

I've only seen Louise's writing once and know for sure that she'd know how to write the perfect birthday letter. Her words are all elegant and proper and mine are just simple and boring. I know for sure that she'd do a whole lot better in college than I would. That's why I decide on not writing her a letter. Well, one of the reasons.

As I'm sitting down on one of the wooden tables I can't find the right words to say to my family. I could tell them how miserable I've been for the week that I've been here. No, if I tell them how miserable I am then they'll feel worse and I don't want them to worry.

In the end I write them one short letter. It's only short because I get distracted and begin drawing all over the letter.

I draw the small barracks that we're all crammed in, people working on the fields and soldiers with guns held out at us from high up on the guard posts. Drawing people is one of my worst skills. The legs and arms on all of my people don't ever look right.

Maybe seeing my drawings will cheer them up. They'll know that I haven't lost my hope and love for drawing. Though, it's only been a week, so I doubt that they'll think that.

Walking up to a plumper man in a uniform I hand him my folded letter. He opens it silently reading, privacy being completely violated. "You've got yourself a good letter but the pictures can't be sent out." The older man tells me.

"They're just drawings sir. They mean no harm to no one in this camp." Still the overweight man shakes his head. "It's of the camp and we can't have pictures like these getting out into the public. Sorry, kid those are the rules." He bends down getting a metal plate out.

"If you all are worried about this camp being acknowledged by the public then that's a problem." I press on.

"There are several camps besides this one. It's something the public isn't too keen on seeing. There are people who are aware of this living but there are some who aren't. I'm under strict orders to not allow these kinds of things out. You get my drift boy?" I shake my head.

Snatching my letter back I hold it close to my body. "Give it here boy." A soldier besides him comes up. It's that young soldier Hansen. "I'm here to take over your shift Parker."

"I'll be off as soon as I can burn this boy's letter. It violates the restriction list." The man scoffs annoyed at me. "Let me have a look at it." Hansen extends a hand out to me. "No, I'm just going to take it back to my barrack." I say holding the letter close to my chest.

Before I can turn the opposite direction and leave my letter is snatched from my grasps. "What's the problem with this Parker? His letter seems swell to me." Hansen questions his fellow soldier.