In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes an undated letter from Vietnam. Charlie, his mischievous monkey, has finally been locked up after stealing candy from a care package. His cage now sits just outside Popi’s hootch, becoming a regular attraction on base. But even this lighthearted story carries weight, about control, comfort, and how we try to make chaos manageable. The letter shifts unexpectedly when Popi recounts a serious cyclo accident that left his friend, Burke Badgett, unconscious and badly injured. The crash wasn’t war-related, just a freak moment—and yet it rattled Popi deeply. He thought Burke might be dead.

This episode explores the unexpected dangers and quiet loneliness of war. Not every scare comes from battle. Some come from chance. Some from distance. And some from the aching quiet after looking at photos of the people you love. Popi ends this letter not with drama, but with honesty, missing home so much it hurts, learning just how deep his love for Suzie and the boys has grown over the last eight years.

What’s Covered:

• Charlie’s candy theft and new cage placement
• The unplanned violence of a cyclo accident in town
• Burke Badgett’s injuries and Popi’s fear he had died
• The emotional weight of distance and memory
• How writing letters became a lifeline through loneliness

📷 Featured Photo: Charlie the monkey, perched confidently atop a helicopter, staring into the distance. Popi captured the moment, a symbol of mischief, companionship, and forward-looking hope, two copilots, both looking to the sky.

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VietnamWar #HueyHelicopter #CharlieTheMonkey #MilitaryHistory #WarLetters #InheritTheStories #FamilyHistory #OralHistory #LookingToTheSky