Correspondence, World War, 1939-1945., World War, 1939-1945--Women.
217 Navy #3247 (Mil. Govt) F.P.O. San Francisco Mon. 7 May 4:20 pm On duty My dearest darling, It's a little tantalizing to get two letters from you - especially two in which you’re feeling blue - dated Sunday and Monday without getting those of Friday (your birthday) and Saturday. But perhaps the two in between will be in this afternoon's mail. Was awfully pleased to hear that Norman was taking some pictures of you. Do tell him, for me, to hurry them up, please! I do hope the one of the grass skirt comes out. I guess this is one time when I didn't plan things so well, Sweetie - letting correspondence lapse, and getting sick, just in time for it to hit you about your birthday, which I hoped very hard would be a little bit more bearable a day than usual. But couldn't tell from my picture that I was essentially in pretty [pg 2] good health? I mentioned on it about being tired simply because I thought your reaction would be, “Well, if he's tired in this picture, he can't being doing too badly-” Anyhow, I don't think you need ever be concerned about me in that respect again. Until I got your letter this morning I’d almost forgotten the episode. I haven't been tired since - as contrasted with a period of 5 or 6 weeks when I was growing increasingly so - and am quite frankly enjoying life again. (It's amazing what that little session with you yesterday morning did for me, incidentally - filled me just full of vigor today without at all being a strain.) Last night I had what seemed to be a very long dream about you - or rather about being with you; it was that feeling of everyday intimacy and being-together-ness: we were looking for a house in Grand Rapids, Michigan where I had just been assigned on permanent duty. Why, I haven't the faintest idea. Today was a happy day of accomplishing things-[pg 3] arranging to have some telephone poles laid in place of the makeshift arrangement of up to now, one which resulted in the kids breaking the wires frequently and leaving us without a phone; seeing that a group of Korean teachers who are framing a new classroom tent - because of a carpenter shortage-were doing the job right, and progressing; drawing up plans for a Parent Teachers’ Assn. Committee on job placements, and a corollary scheme for placing graduates of the school in various activities as apprentices at half-pay (period of apprenticeship to vary - 3 mos. in kitchens, maybe 6 mos. in carpenter shop, 9 mos. to a year in garage, etc.), a procedure for which we’d have to get permission from the central authority for this area (because wage scales are set by directive) and which therefore must be carefully thought out before it's presented; seeing that the building of the school auditorium finally got underway… As to the latter, we had to accept a compromise, [pg 4] for months we've been trying to get a large Quonset (huge things used for warehouses-about 6x the volume of the regular ones) and for awhile it looked as though we might be successful; then the island commander cracked down and said no go. So we’re taking a 30’ x 90’ structure of corrugated tin and 4x4's down from the supply area, when its being replaced by one of several large new Quonsets, and having the teachers erect it on the school grounds under the supervision of an experienced carpenter. (The left end of it will be about where Coach Hager is standing amongst the group of girls on the basketball court. In the panoramic picture, it will be just to the left of the now removed Boy Scout Building: that is, across the field from and centered on the office Quonset. The auditorium is to be used for daytime educational movies, as a music hall in which to play recordings (Tel has just borrowed from the local Red [Cross] the Beethoven violin concerto in D major - Toscanini and Heifetz - and Cesar [F?] Symphony in D minor, can also [pg 5] get Beethoven's 5th), and as a place to house a school library. We'll be awfully glad when our recently accelerated building program is over and we can give more time to normal, routine school activities and scholastic problems. Since the picture you have was made there will have been erected, besides the auditorium, the Chūgakko building (perfect classroom - we’re well pleased with it); a matching building for Kōsaku, now 2/3 complete; the stage, completed except for minor details; a new projection booth, not yet begun, together with a realignment of the movie area walls and bomb fin benches; all buildings painted for the first time; five new hospital tents; of which the first is 2/3 finished, to be framed without center poles, and the framing in like fashion of the five already erected and showing in your picture - not to mention 3 new 4-tubers and 1 heavy duty benjo. We've also got the walks to finish before the rainy season comes on, or I guess I've mentioned. Nobody just [pg 6] hands us all those things - we really have to work for them: Some day I'll tell you how it's done. Really, Sweetie (continuing with the reading of your letter) I feel as though I’d a new leave on life after that brief respite, and if two days of what quickly amounted to boredom can do that for me than a day away from here once every other week should keep me quite in good running order. As much as that, getting away an evening or two a week for something like Gertrude Lawrence also does the trick. Am still learning little things and acquiring more self-confidence. Come to think of it, there've been three stages in the development of my state of mind (or whatever you choose to call it) since I've been here; the difference amongst them is subtle, but I feel it nevertheless. The first was when I was working at Operations, felt inexperienced (and of course had a yet no experience in common with the others), and secretly somewhat insecure yet; the second was from the time I transferred up to the school until, let's say for convenience (and [pg 7] partly in truth) the brief decisive break in routine of a short while back: during the period I still felt the need to justify to myself my existence here, though increasingly under a strain; the third is how, when I feel not at all insecure, not in need of justifying anything, and both useful and moderately contented for another few months ahead. I no longer feel so acutely the need to get away from here, nor on the other hand do I feel quite so intent on succeeding Tel as Education Officer (just to be able to say that I’d been in charge of a school of 2600 kids), though of course I’d still welcome the opportunity. Along with all this it strikes me as a little curious until I consider that earlier combination of excitement (Something of a feeling of adventure) and of that striving to justify myself, which was probably with me half-consciously all the time - I miss you most [pg 8] of all now when I am best prepared to face separation. And it's now that I should be best able to love you freely and without reserve - as indeed I do, my darling, for all the distance between us. By the same token, at any rate, I shall be only the more prepared both to love and to make love when I return, and it is my dearest hope - borne out by the trend of your letters for some months now - that you too will have been affected by this experience in much the same way. Yes, I should love seeing Wendy sitting in the middle of the floor eating pretzels while you and Helen drank beer. Now you have me confused. I did think Sammy was the Special man, so I went and ordered him a cigarette case with “S” on it. At the same time, I ordered one with an “M” for the florist, explaining in my note to him when I last ordered [pg 9] that I was sending it when it was finished (I have it, but haven't mailed it) and had ordered an M for Mel-O-Dee because I didn't know his name! Now, is Sammy the florist I know - a short, pleasant-speaking man of about 30-35 who seemed to know his flowers, or is he a delivery boy? Tell me quick so I'll know what to send. (The S could still go to the Special Delivery man - he might enjoy that.) Wow-10¢ a print! I'm sorry, honey, I was thinking in terms of 4-5¢. Tell you what - send one set and I'll take orders on it. Glad you’re getting a set for Janie Mook, anyhow. I was really disappointed to hear that you couldn't get the geta set on a pin. Couldn't you salvage one out of your jewelry box and attach it somehow yourself, or make a tassel of yarn to tie them onto and wear it thru a buttonhole? I know it was an inconsequential little gift, but it was made special [pg 10] for you and I’d like you to wear it. Let's not save everything for after the war! Guess I'll have to wait for the intervening letters to find out what happened to Isabel. (Sent my yeoman over but he came back empty-handed.) Gardenias are nice and among my favorite flowers, but I did want you to have some lilies of the valley - I take it that they’re not in season in California. Thank you, darling, for ending your Monday letter on a “feeling lots better and full of precious love for you” note - not that I ever want you to put on an act and posture a feeling you don't have. Gosh, look at that sunset! There've been several like it lately - The whole sky ablaze - brilliant bursts in some quarters and subtle pastels in others, here and there an angry glow. I love you and old time of day, but most of all just about now. Warren