Well, the weeks are passing by, and I’m still putting “Northern Ireland” up in the right-hand corner of the letters that I write home. I hope that some of the letters in which I hinted that I might be leaving N.I. one of these days didn’t upset Mom and Dad. Perhaps I was jumping the gun a little—perhaps. . .! I’m somewhat surprised at myself. It is not like me to write about such things; as a rule. I would leave Mom and Dad completely in the dark about it until it had actually happened. But this time, in a moment of weakness, I told them what was in my own mind. They’re probably wondering now exactly what the score is, and so am I! (The more time I put in in the Army and the longer I am away from home, the more I realize the truth of that old saying, “What you don’t know won’t hurt you”. The guy that dreamed that one up knew what he was talking about. How many things have you conveniently ‘forgotten’ or deliberately belittled? Hmmmm? Fun, isn’t it? I should know! I guess I’ve never told Mom and Dad that I sprained my knee quite badly the day before I got off the boat over here. I had a time of it for a while, hopping around with nearly a hundred pounds of clothes and equipment on my back. Do you suppose True Confessions can use that? And when it comes to “editing” the news, Mom and Dad have been with me all the way. Were it not for Bonnie, I wouldn’t know, even now, how ill Mom was. Here’s to bigger and better “kidding along”!)
In a recent letter home, I enclosed a money order for $40. That’s £10 practically shot to hell. (Note: “£10” is ten pounds in English money). As usual, $30 is for the bank. $7.50 will square me up with Mom and Dad in regard to everyone’s Xmas gifts, and the remaining amount is for Mom and Dad to cover the cost of packing and mailing something or other. I’m going to make a special request in a few days for a new billfold and some fig bars.
I will be sending another money order home on the 31st of December. I let Mom and Dad know that they can save this $30 and deposit the two together, thus saving a trip to town (as if I didn’t know they’re always looking for an excuse). In mid-January, as soon as they have banked my Dec. 31st check and money order, I hope they will let me know how things stand. To render an accounting, they don’t need to go back beyond July. I wonder if Cleon sends any money home each month.
About the only mail I have received in the past three weeks was a letter from Time, Inc., asking me to renew my subscription. Ha Ha! What a life. This letter started out this way: “Dear Subscriber: I hope the mail that brings this also has a letter from home for you, for I know how I would feel if the only letter I received was one asking me to renew my subscription to Time”. Good, eh?
I have read in the papers about cold snaps and heavy snows in various sections of the country, but nothing about Washington. Great state, Washington. I imagine it’s still like summer there. Boy do I brag on our local boys and girls who have made the national spotlight: Bing Crosby, Eric Johnston, Patrice Munsel, Susan Peters. I think when the war is over, I’ll probably go back there.
[letterstohome copyright 2008]