June 23, 1944
Darling,
Writing this letter a little earlier this evening, hoping to thwart the bugs by not turning the light on. I love you Hon. Held that in as long as I could but found I had to tell you right at the beginning. You are so darned sweet + cute!
Have been reading that book Claudia + find it closely approximates our life together in many ways. Certainly David’s feelings for his also lovely wife are akin. As I got further into the book I shall probably have more to say about it!
A few minutes ago I finished a delicious fresh pineapple. Yes Darling, don’t fall over, I said pineapple. Your old man has come to discover that a fresh pineapple is one of the tastiest morsels of fruit it has ever been his pleasure to enjoy. I consume at least 1 a day + usually the better part of 2 or 3. That is along with a dozen or more bananas + a few mangoes. It all depends on how much the G.I. chow fills me up. That is about the only advantage this place has.
We usually send our boy Hindu for the fruit as he can buy it cheaper. As you no doubt have gathered from the name he is an Indian + his full name is Hindu Hindustan. Should guess he was 10 or 11 yrs. of age + he cleans up the office + our tent, fills our canteens, runs errands, etc. Seems like a nice enough youngster + can eat bananas as fast as I can. Another accomplishment of his is climbing coconut trees which he manages with the agility of a monkey.
The boys have found it possible to purchase some scrawny Indian chickens around here + with the aid of a couple of ex-cooks have been having a roast outdoors. Put in my order for one for tomorrow nite. Hope it lasts, as good as it looks. They have also been frying some huge frog-legs of late as the monsoons make the frogs numerous. They claim they are very succulent but find myself a bit shy on that score. Gosh I am making it seem like we are living like kings aren’t I Darling! May I hasten to assure you it is quite the opposite despite our innumerable endeavors to make it otherwise.
Broke off my letter-writing to play a few games of pinochle. Playing partners we won 2 + lost one. Came out on top anyway. Am practicing up so that when I come home I can quit altogether + devote all my time to you as always. Does that make sense sweetheart? What I meant as that in your beloved presence I don’t intend to have time for sure nonsense.
Well Hon the bugs are driving me crazy so once again I reiterate I adore you + everything about you.
All my love