September 13, 1943

Monday evening

Dear Marty,

Did I really see you yesterday? It was wonderful, but doesn’t seem real. Sort of a dream with a bad ending. I hope it can be repeated, so I’ll believe it really happened. However, I won’t be able to get out as planned. Maybe Saturday night or Sunday, it can be fixed up. I’ll call you, if so.
I’m OD tonight, as usual. There have been two patients in + judging from others experiences, I wouldn’t be surprised if that was all for the night.
I slept wonderfully last night, but I seem to be as sleepy as usual again tonight. Looks as if it would take awhile to catch up, if I ever do. This snappy weather makes it more noticeable too. Not having seen a real rainy day since I was home last. I hardly appreciate it properly but I do agree with the permanent residents that yesterday was gorgeous. See! I almost forgot. I’m not supposed to talk about the weather, but since we were both in N.Y. yesterday, I guess I can’t do much harm to talk about that weather.
It’s funny. I hadn’t seen you for two months, but being with you yesterday was such a natural state of affairs, that it didn’t seem remarkable at all at the time. Now that it’s over, I realize how wonderful it was. You fit like an old shoe, you see. I don’t appreciate it until I lose it. Isn’t that nice?
I read about the fire in the morning paper + it’s a good thing that (a) you didn’t wait to take the 10 o’clock train + (b) the express company got my foot-locker delivered (if it was ever there). Eventually, I guess, Broad St. Sta. + all it’s appurtenance will burn down + after a couple more fires (20 yrs apart) they can build Penna. Blvd. where the Chinese Wall used to be.
One present you can get me sometime is a writing portfolio, if they are mailable. It should be one that will hold paper and envelopes of any size + shape (not one with a built in tablet or a tablet that must be a certain size), and one that will make a suitable support for writing on the knee. Some of the guys have rather nice ones of heavy canvass, but I’ve never see such a one for sale. They usually seem to be awful fancy things of embossed leather for $5 or more, or else they are like this one found in the PX today- perfect design, but made of cardboard- 30 cents.
The CQ on duty here tonight is from Lewiston, Me. He certainly talks beautiful.
They have plenty of movies here, but so far I haven’t found a suitable opportunity to go. I am either too sleepy, or I have something else to do.
I made a very nice connection after I left you yesterday. Undoubtedly, I could have stayed with you a little longer, but it would have been shaving things pretty close. As it was I had time to eat supper- not that I was hungry, but I managed to stuff down a liverwurst + cheese sandwich just to be sure I’d last until morning. I lasted, all right, but it’s too much like getting up at Dodd Field in February.
I got three letters from you today including the income tax thing + Toots’ letter. Also another income tax thing that wants to know the date I filed my return last year. I am going to tell them to ask you if they must know. Keep the home fire burning. I hope I can see you again in a few days. I aim to call you tomorrow evening, anyway.
Love B