2. I'm Not Crazy

In response to Slaughterhouse Five Chapter 2 (page 14-26)
Diary Entry
(Billy Pilgrim's perspective; start of story)

Dear Journal,
I will tell you right now so we don't have any problems in the future; I am not crazy.

Now let me introduce myself to you. I am Billy Pilgrim. Born in 1922 in Ilium, New York. I graduated from Ilium High School (top third of my class), then took night classes at Ilium School of Optometry for a semester before I was drafted. Yes, I was drafted in the the war to fight against Germany.
And I started time traveling while in battle. I would go from before birth to forty
After that nightmare, I again enrolled into the School of Optometry and got engaged to a real fine woman.
Oh, and I may have suffered a mild collapse, but after the shock treatments I was fine.
I got married and finished school, then became an optometrist, and I must say I did great with money. I had two kids and they grew up.
Oh, and I was in a plane crash where everyone died but me, then my wife died by accidental carbon-monoxide poisoning.
I went to New York after that. I got on a radio station and I finally told everyone what had happened in 1967. And be warned, this is where some people think I've lost it, but I can swear to you, journal, I have not.
I was abducted by Tralfamadorians and taken to their planet, Tralfamadore. These strange creatures were two feet tall and green, but they were friendly. They saw in four dimensions, which is unfortunate how we only see in three.
They took me to teach me.
About time.
When a person dies, they only appear to die. Every moment ever, past, present, and future, have always and will always exist. They do not go away like we believe. Once a moment is gone, is it not gone forever.
Tralfamadorians are able to see any moment they want, and see how permanent all moments are. And now, when someone tells me someone has died, I know it is not a big deal. I have adopted a term the small aliens use when a person has died, "so it goes." I am actually currently writing a letter the the Ilium News Leader to tell them the truth about time and what the Tralfamadorians taught me. Because, I must spread this information, I have to. I need to tell everyone so they can find comfort in the truth.
Well now you know.
I must go back to my writing. Now that you know, I need to inform everyone else.

Billy