Where No Gods Came

Hi Honey

M Hi Honey, I know it’s later than I promised, but if you saw the scene here, you’d know there isn’t much time to scratch off a letter. And I’m not exactly a writer. Don’t pretend to be either. Are things O.K. there with Lenore? Tell her the cash is coming, it’ll take awhile for me to get it all worked out. God knows she doesn’t need the money. Her old man was loaded. I’m sure he left her plenty. Jesus, look at the way we’ve scrambled through the years. Did you hit it off with Cammy? I always thought it’d do you good to get to know your sister, your mother, too, for that matter. Well, here’s your chance. I’m sure Cammy will show you the ropes, teach you to work the system—Lenore, school, Minn. Not exactly San Diego, is it? Well, it’s hot as hell here in the Indian Ocean. I cut the sleeves off my shirts just to survive the sun. This rig’s so far out in the middle of nowhere, they ›y us in by helicopter. Just water. Not another goddamn thing. The work is hard labor, prison would have been a vacation. I’m roughnecking, that means I’m on the drill ›oor. Too much to explain. Twelve hours a day of torture. Takes a whole shift to change a worn-out bit. Wiley got the easy gig working on the generators. No wonder he conned me into coming. I wish to god he’d told me what I was in for. There’s not a whole lot to report here. Can’t write on my shift, no time. We drop into bed dead tired. Eat. Sleep. Work. Can’t even get a cold beer. Guess they’re afraid we’ll get tanked up and kill each other. Here’s a card with the address of the co. of‹ce in Perth. We can get our mail there on our big week of freedom. Two on, one off. (Helicopter to Barrow Island, prop plane to Onslow, ›y to Perth. Get it now? Way the hell out.) We’re splitting a house in Perth with some other guys, hotbunking. It’s not a palace, but the price is right. Remember that I love you. Dad 25 ...