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Seven pm Christmas Eve! #60 Friday 1 December 1944 My darling, How time flies…and how strange it is to be running around in shorts (though I've come to prefer long pants and rolled down sleeves - fewer mosquito bites or the scrapes and scratches that take so long to heal here) in what is just about average June- not quite July - New York weather. I believe this is the coolest time of year here; I wouldn't call it really cool at any time, though occasionally a fresh breeze blows with just a hint of coolness in it. (Oh, sweetie, nostalgia, nostalgia - the radio in the colonel's room behind the desk where I'm writing is playing “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top” (I don't know where the broadcast is from*); it brings back so many memories, including that of the show itself, but most especially those of Boulder, Fran and the [Deans?] and the Mays and the Williamses and the Gelatts and you.) The mail is still irregular - no letters yesterday or today - but yesterday I received my first magazine from you, the Sunday supplement of the SF Chronicle, and Mother and Father's Altman package; today came #2 copies of Amerasia and two packages from you! I opened them right away, in accordance with your instructions to take out the cookies, *a station in the Marianas which as transcriptions flown out from the States. [pg 2] That makes 5 packages including “The Tempering…” I've received from you; two yet to come. Right? but there weren't any this time and I carefully repacked everything and tucked it away in my Christmas strong box, a metal-lined, metal reinforced wooden box ideal for shipping books in which I've picked up here and had repainted. (It is one of a number in which coin money was shipped out here.) I also keep my Benedictine etc. in it as I will a few things like sardines I got at Pearl when they arrive, and feel a secret pleasure in saving them to celebrate Christmas, our anniversary, with you. In case you've sent me anything like sardines you mustn't be disappointed that I bought some, because I got very little and one of these days I'm really going to get hungry for something special. That reminds me of something said awhile ago about my anticipating one of your Christmas presents by getting the Benedictine - it puzzled me, because I couldn't believe you’d gotten some too - it's too expensive and hard to get in the States. Was it something similar to celebrate with? All right, don't tell me - it's fun being mystified. Darling, I saw the wrappings of one of the packages (tho I didn't peek inside - figured it wasn't food) and loved them! Your cotton anniversary present, wrapped in stupid material and tied up with our respective name tapes. I carefully rewrapped that in paper and put it too in my strongbox. [pg 3] [The cut out part is self-censored - just changed my mind after suggesting that I open my presents late Christmas night and you yours at 6 am Christmas morning. It would be much less awkward if you opened yours at 7 pm Christmas Eve, which would make my time a certain hour between 9 am and 2 pm Christmas Day. We are not supposed to disclose exactly what time we are on here, but if you'll stick to that hour I'll be right with you. Ok?] The Altman package from Mother and Father I opened right away. Because it isn't worthwhile to try to keep any untinned food here - ants get into even sealed cellophane containers - four of us (Evan Davis, Reifsnider, our office yeoman Russell and I) had an impromptu feast of luscious fruitcake, sprinkled with some of my small stock - ½ bottle - of bourbon. It really does things for your morale to sink your teeth into something like that once in awhile. Reif had one the other day which we disposed of in like manner. Also in the box were a tin of hard candies - I passed them around and took the remaining half can to the kids in the orphanage. A box of soda crackers was too smashed to keep and we can always buy those here, so I gave it to Maeda, the office mimeographer who doubles somewhat as office boy now that Super is in school - a pleasant, eager-to-learn lad of 24. A can each of sardines-in-olive-oil, R and R boned chicken and lobster (mmm!) I [pg 4] stowed away for later. Speaking of food, have you ever heard of [?] cream (both right for coffee, and heavy for whipping)? It's quite remarkable stuff; I opened a jar yesterday morning and found it quite unspoiled (the little that was left for this morning had soured slightly, [?] in a refrigerator). It's advertised to keep indefinitely in temperate climates, and a week after opening if refrigerated. It's especially processed with the addition of some vegetable matter as preservative. Made in California but I think not available in the States right now. I bought it at a Navy Commissary in Hawaii. I'm so sorry about the nuisance the trunks have been. Be sure to send me those forms, and we'll see what we can collect from the Navy. Meanwhile I'm going to write Father that we intend to assume responsibility for the money he had to advance - was it the exact amount of the charges, $89.41? I've already sent him a check for 78.18 making it now $11.23 over an even $300. I learned today that my $100 advance is paid up and I'm in the clear, so for the next 6 months I should be able to send Father $50+11.23 until we’re all squared away. That does cramp me here, darling - I can think of lots of things to spend money on if only flowers and mail order gifts to you, [pg 5] or trinkets made (well, too, if exorbitantly charged for) by enlisted men in their spare time here - liquor, magazine subscriptions, books by mail from Hawaii…but the important thing is to get it paid off. As for you, sweetie, do you think you can save that $25 a month after Christmas? Let me know what you think. Next time you’re in town will you stop by Gladys J.'s, give her my regards and thank her again for being so helpful to us. I may write her a note if time and the mood coincide. Nothing is worse than a stilted bread and butter letter - and I do appreciate her favors. When will it be [?]? I know how you feel about underlining in “Still Time to Die” Sometimes it is so redundant - glad you did it in “The Tempering of Russia” tho - makes it seem so much more personal am retaliating by using a red pencil lightly here and there, in the same or different places. I’d be worried lest you’d got cat fever from the tick bite and couldn't write, except for the Major's reassurance and the fact that nobody else here has had any mail either. Sorry about the baby shoes, darling - hope you can get others. Must write a quick note to Mother and Father now - Goodnight, precious I love you Warren Let me know if 5 of these pages are held up as overweight
