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Fiction, © Copyright 2000, Jim Loy
The big battle happened right here. You shoulda seen it. It was great. And it was awful. Those cannons, I couldn't hear for three days. My ears are still ringin', and it's a whole year later.
This whole field was covered with soldiers. They was the enemy, all dressed in gray. And they was getting wiped out in bunches by our cannons up on the hill yonder. And there was bullets buzzing all over. I got one of them bullets right here. I carry it with me all the time, except when Mom makes me take a bath.
I always thought the enemy was a bunch of yellow cowards. But those enemy was brave as all get out. I don't know if I could ever be that brave. And some of 'em looked like they was not much older than me. And they marched into those bullets. Some of 'em dropped dead. Some of 'em was blown to bits. Most of them kept right on marching. Some of 'em was on horses, too. And then they charged, right up the hill, hollerin' and shootin'. A lot of 'em made it all the way. They went right up over the top of the hill, and most of 'em died, 'cause not very many of 'em came back when it was over and they retreated.
We buried thousands of bodies, some blue, some gray. I helped bury a few of 'em. I don't want to ever see any more dead bodies. Some of 'em was all puffed up, fixin' to explode. And I don't know if I want to fight in any war either, if that's what can happen to ya.
We used to play soldier, runnin' around, shootin' each other with toy guns, dropping dead in the grass. It wasn't much like how those folks died. They didn't get up and brush their clothes off afterwards, unless it was in Heaven.
Today, some men got up on that platform over there, and gave speeches. They talked about the war and our big battle. It sure was boring. And then the President gave his speech. He was tall, and skinny, and he had on that tall hat of his, and he had a beard. And his speech was the best of the bunch, 'cause it was short. I'd vote for him.