September 16, 1943

Thursday evening

Dearest,

Please believe me. I certainly felt sorry for you. Imagining myself in your place did nothing to cheer me up. The Army has surely given you a couple of tough breaks. If it makes you feel a little less downtrodden, I can tell you that I know of at least two other wives you were caught the same way you were, except that one lives in Providence + the other somewhere in Massachusetts. Which made it worse for them.
I hope Bob got home as planned. That as least brightened up the end of your day. But I’ll bet he’s only half as glad to get home as I would have been, (if I had had access to a 24 hr pass) I’ve been dreaming about you every night- which is unusual.
I got your Monday letter today. It seems to take mail about as long to get here as S.A. , but I’m afraid air mail wouldn’t help this time. Hang on to the pillow until I send for it. The pipe arrived yesterday and is very nice. We’ll see if it’s breakable. They won’t take it back now, anyway- it’s been smoked too much. The brownies were wonderful- much better than any you sent to S.A. – partly no doubt because they were fresher, but I think also you did a better job cooking them.
After eight months at the FSH Country Club, I’m just beginning to feel as if I was really in the Army. The morale around here is something to marvel at. Janson + I went to the movies tonight (“Destroyer”) which included “The War #10” + a newsreel, + the boys found so many things to shout about that there were lots of times when you couldn’t hear the show. This is the marchingest place you ever saw. There are squads + platoons + columns going every which way all the time, but the guys don’t look as if it was just a painful job to get through with as little effort as possible. They do it with a certain amount of style, + like to show off, and when they are not marching at attention they are apt to sing. It’s very encouraging.
My noisy room-mate had a detail this afternoon, so I slept from 1:00 to 5, which wasn’t too bright- I don’t want to go to bed now. First time I’ve been really caught up since before we left Texas.
So that will be all for tonight. Remember me to Toots. Regards to Willy.

Love B
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