21st General
France
Dearest Honey,
Ha, I did manage to get a pen. It’s not writing very well, tho. May have to switch to pencil again. Let’s see know, yes. This is better.
Since I wrote yesterday the main things I have done are to write to Laura, and the folks. Went domestic just now and washed some socks and two handkerchiefs for myself. Not a bad job either, you know.
Tomorrow I definitely do leave the hospital. They didn’t get my reports in in time to leave today. That’s the leisurely way of the hospital. It struck me how slow everything goes here when I came back from division. No doubt they plan it that way.
I received the pictures to replace the ones in my wallet. Yes, that was a loss, Hon, particularly the glossy print of you. Lost, too, the set of foreign bills I was making to send you. The English money may be hard to replace here.
Oh, while I remember, Honey, let me put in some requests, to wit: Please send me a wallet, a pair of little scizzors [sic] to keep my moustache under control, and some fudge.
There, now please don’t interpret those as anything urgent, because they’re not. I may enclose requests when I think of them just so you will have the credentials when you run across any of the items and have nothing else to do. Okay? Roger. Men who are always sending home for stuff make me impatient. We aren’t bad off here, and it seems they are just indulging themselves and making it harder for people back home. I don’t want to be like that.
Say, you really are keeping busy these days. It all looks swell to me. The music should be fun for you and your KTC schedule appears O.K. I am writing very anxiously to hear how your N.O. and Texas talk came out. By summer I shall have a very famous lady for a wife. I can see that, and it makes me glow proudly. Keep up the good work, Bunny. Are you in New York City this week? Hope you made it and have a wonderful time. Pick some nice places for us to go when I come back. New York is still pretty green country for us together. We’ll explore it our way someday. Huh?
You must have had a good evening with Barb Wiggin and Bev Huey. Seemed good to hear about the Alpha Gamma Rho men. Guess we won’t have much of a chance to reunite in France, but when we get back we certainly will.
I was quite sad to hear about Ev. Mason. He was the one we met at that dance in Abilene. Tho he was never a bosom pal of mine, I knew him well over a period of years. From our freshman year when he marched in the front row of the band and couldn’t keep in step, to Abilene. He was in my platoon at Wheeler, too. He was a bit slow, but not dumb, and always exasperated me a little because he was so good. A modern puritan, completely moral, loyal, and dutiful. He will fit perfectly into memorial day tributes and ceremonies somehow. He always went to church and was good to his mother and never dreamed of not accepting the pilgrim duties he inherited. A product of his heritage, he died for it. And altho he never had a thought of his own, he probably was more right than he knew.
I don’t know what unit he was with but around Nov. 27, I was just going into the lines around Bitche – between Bitche and Saarbrucken. We were right on the German border after our break-thru of the Maginot line. It was an easy mission for us, because most of the Maginot line was not occupied by the Germans in our sector.
As for the other men you know – I haven’t seen Sayers, Beatty, or Harris over here. You know about Forchielli. Buck picked up a little shrapnel way last December and isn’t back with us yet. Young is with the Company. I have seen Patterson occasionally and he was O.K. up to last I heard. Olewine is still in England. Writes occasionally, expects to rejoin us. Fairbairn is O.K. once more and back with the Company.
Margaret and Harold Lewis. Well, well. I think they will make a good [story! -crossed out-] couple. Harold is tops with me and Margo is very nice – if only she was not so gushy. In spite of that, she is a swell kid, and I hope we know them well in years to come. When she gets gossiping Harold and I can withdraw and have a drink or something. Give them my best wishes.
You have mentioned that you are still interested in Mexico. I had a fascinating talk with a man here who spent a summer in Mexico City – living with people and studying the communist movement there. He is enthusiastic over the prospects of the Indian people there. They are conscious of their heritage as Indians, and progressive at the same time, he says. He is critical of the pseudo-Spanish group – bent on preserving the old aristocratic, Europe-copying set.
Your listing of the hit parade is revealing – I don’t know any of them! Must be out of touch with things. Heard “Accentuate the Positive” for the first time last night, after reading about it in your letter.
It is inevitable that Grammie will get more feeble as time goes by, and will need more care. I am glad that you are in a position to do as much as you can for her. She certainly deserves all we can give her, and we’ll see that she gets it. We’ll just include her in our plans. She’s such a grand person. I do hope her sight doesn’t go out completely, but if it should I know she is big enough to take it. And, of course, we’ll do what is necessary to see that she is as comfortable and as happy as we can make her. You know what is needed more than I right now, so do what you think is best. If caring for her interferes with other things you want to do, is there any way you can get anyone to stay with her?
That was a cute picture of the Russell pets you sent. Keep your eye out for a good Boston Terrier, so we can have one as soon as there is a place to keep one. Ever thought of a canary? One that could sing well might please Grammie, too, and make a good apartment pet.
Laura writes me that I have an extremely clever and pretty wife. That was not news to me by any means. She stressed the idea that you were becoming cleverer and prettier all the time, tho. Told me about the dress with “Wallace” in the trimming and how nice it looked. I puffed all up and felt very flattered. The best way to make a man feel good is to say something nice about his wife, I guess. Worked very well on me. I was just thinking along the same lines.
I bet you would like me to hug you tonite, Hon. I’ve just taken a bath and sprinkled powder all over me. I’m “Cashmere Bouquet” tonight! Anyway, I would like more than anything to hug you tonite and tell you I love you very tenderly and sincerely. I do so awfully, Hon. I know that, and our faith and understanding will see us thru anything. You’ll always be my wonderful, trim little wife, and I’ll always love you very, very much. I won’t change, Hon, not inside and that is where our relationship is most real. So sleep well and have all the faith and trust in the world. I’ll always be there.
Every bit of my love,
Wallace
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