Correspondence, World War, 1939-1945., World War, 1939-1945--Women.
XI Tues, 3 Oct., 7:30 am Happy birthday, Wendy darling! Daddy is up bright and early to enjoy the birds and the beautiful cloudful sky, as you will be doing before long - no time for sleep when the sun's up! Mummy, it's curious how little habits persist even after they’re discarded. Somebody had set his alarm clock for 6:15 this morning, and tho I usually get up at 7 and went to bed later than usual last night, I woke right up. Somehow I wake up more quickly and decisively that way and enjoy the first two hours of the morning including my paper at breakfast - otherwise it's hard to make up my mind that I really have to get up, and I remain in a fog. Time to catch the bus now. 10 pm Six letters from you this afternoon (thru Saturday the 30th)! I could hardly believe my eyes. I enjoyed the clippings, sweetie, and especially the gay little flowers tucked through slits in your letter of Wednesday evening. - So far I have all your letters from 1-10, plus an extra one written Thursday and coming between 6 and 7. I'll answer your last letter first, Bob. It won't be a long answer now because I am tired from running around working and getting errands done. In addition to the normal routine items of getting “squared away” here (and nothing else) that the other men have had to do, I've been putting in several full days’ work. But tomorrow all of us are going on a 3 day outing which will amount to a vacation for me and I'll get nicely rested up. Did I tell you my neck and shoulders are peeled from one afternoon in the sun? It's deceptively hot. I don't regret being occupied, since it was necessary, but I'm just a little jealous of those who have had a chance to see the island. I had to cancel a reservation to spend a day and night with Henry and John at a very [pg 2] luxurious Officers’ Club called Kaikea on the other side of the island - said to be an exceptionally tasteful decorated place with an excellent bar; better swimming than at Waikiki, I think tennis - for 3.50 you spend the day and the night, dinner and breakfast included. However I've no doubt that I'll get there sooner or later. And there are many other things I’d like to do here. The first thing I want you to know, darling, is that it means a great deal to me to have a home. Your descriptions of it, your daily routine make me feel as though it belongs to both of us and is someplace for me to come back to. That isn't the most vital thing, darling, but it does mean a lot. The vital thing is of course you, and after you Wendy. You must try to think of yourself as an anchorage for me, and [?] doing so you will be one for yourself too. We can't afford to kid ourselves, darling - it will be a long time. You must face that by gradually accepting this temporarily changed, though no less deep relationship between us. You will find in time that you can exist for yourself and for me at the same time, though now you feel as though without me there is nothing worthwhile. You may be right: it may not be wise for you to go on living there alone. But I have some suggestions which may make it easier until such a time as you really feel (if you do) up to remaining. 1) Write to Margerita and urge her strongly to come down and spend a few days with you now. If you two are sufficiently compatible you might then be invited to SF in another 3 or 4 weeks. Don’t pass up any invitations if you have any doubts - [pg 3] only do so if you’re quite sure (without thinking about it) that you don't want to do such and such. And don't worry about inconvenience or too much about Wendy. 2) You've made lots of acquaintances already. Cultivate them and write me more about them - I love to hear it. 3) Try out Margerita (or anyone else you like in a similar position) on the subject of moving in with you. 4) Adopt other people's troubles in as objective a way as you can - both Bevs (especially Nettleton) etc. You'll be surprised at what it can do for you. 5) Lastly - and this is of real importance to me - buy an occasional book which you know I'll like and which isn't too heavy for you, read it, scribble in it and send it on. You might start with “The Tempering of Russia” by Ilya Ehrenburg, or anything by Jack Belder (“Retreat with Stilwell” is one) - Another is “Still Time to Die” - Jean May says its swell. There are books by people who really know what the war is about and at the same time have a passionate desire to see it and the evil associated with it over with. Don't be afraid to read about the war (you needn't think of it in connection with me [?essmally] insofar as danger is concerned) - We’re in it, and victims of it, and have a very real stake in it's outcome. It's that I was thinking [pg 4] of when I wrote recently about our doing things together, and when I said something to the effect that I would not let it go so far as to blind us to the simple beauty of normal existence. It is terribly important to have both - the keen [?] that you have so much of and the conscience that is latent in both of us and needs strengthening and encouraging with information. Don't let me down on this latter [?], darling - it will take an effort on your part but it will help me much to see this thing through and may become more of an added bond between us than you can now realize. I will suggest other books later on, will arrange subscription to the IPR publication and see that [Amerania?] comes thru; you might get a subscription to PM. We can then send these to each other, and things worth keeping I'll return to you. Read something of that nature for one hour every day at a certain time; make marginal notes, underline, check or just make a general comment on the whole thing. Do these apart from your recreational reading; do it as seriously as though it were study. Remember that it's no dry academic matter and that such study can have a real value for you now in a way it couldn't have had in college. Back at Henry's for a nightcap. He and Tom [?] send their best wishes to you. - I wanted to tell you about having lunch today with Chet Chard; if I should forget, remind me. Good night, darling, I love you for always. Warren