Like the roast beef, mashed potatoes, and carrots, the flow of letters between the soldiers and their loved ones at home contributes to a dissociative sense of time. Enough has passed since Carroll’s death for letters to come and go between Vietnam and the United States, yet Perry (and the book’s narration) continues in a timeless flow from one event to the next. Perry’s letters force him to reflect on how the war changes him forever, pointing to the trauma he experiences in Vietnam.