Nothing like a down-to-earth college friend to bring you, well, back down to earth. I sent this to Sergeant Dan Kissane some weeks ago:

I've read that the 1st Cavalry is in Iraq while recalling your belief of February deployment, so putting two and two together I'm assuming you're in the land of coffee, camels, oases and a society that calculated the distance from the earth to the moon while Europe was still phasing out old bestial pagan rituals. Take care of yourself, Dan - you're the hope for the Iraqis' future, as well as our own. Mike.

He wrote back this morning:

It is true that I'm praising Allah in the land of the oil sheiks. They've planted us in a swamp called Camp Lions where nobody likes Americans and incoming mortar rounds make Saving Private Ryan look like a mild civil disturbance. I get to watch Arab soap operas though. ("I must leave you, Haifa!" "No Ackbar, do not break my heart during this most holy season of Ramadan.") Stay cool, Dan.

Good old Dan Kissane. Man of few, even laconic - but memorable - typed words. And irrepressible spirit. I meant what I said about keeping hope for all.