Friday Nov. 6

1:20 P.M.

Dearest Mary Ellen,

            I got your second letter today darling and it made one very happy.  I can’t understand why you aren’t getting my letters quicker.  I sent the first two air mail because I wanted you to get them right away.  All my others I have sent free, so I guess that is the reason you aren’t getting them quicker.  I can’t afford to send them air mail now because I’m getting kind of low on money.  I was off duty again this morning and I wanted some things in town, so I got my pass and took the bus in.  First I went to the Brandon Hotel and got a hair cut.  It is the best hotel in town and I would want you to stay there if you ever came down.  After I got my hair cut I shopped around until I found some of that orange and blue beading for my cap.  I went to a tailor and his it sewed on and pressed.  It cost me 45 cents all together.  After that I went to the picture studio and inquired about getting some pictures taken.  For three plain 8x10 pictures it will cost me nine dollars.  For three 5x7 it will be five dollars.  It will cost about three dollars extra to have one tinted, that would bring them up so high that I don’t think I will have one tinted unless one is very good.  You could even have it tinted after you got it.  I told them that I would be in tomorrow (Sat.) either in the morning or afternoon.  I don’t know when I will go in, it all depends when I can get my uniform back from the cleaners.  They said it would be ready tomorrow sometime.  I looked around for some U.S. insignias and Air Corps insignias that go on the lapel, but I couldn’t find any.  I thought they would make my uniform look better in the picture but I’ll have to do without.

            You mentioned that long letter again dear, but it hasn’t come yet.  It must take longer for the packages to get here.  I will be glad to get it, I sure want my picture folder and I like your long letters.  I hope I am writing large enough letters to you sweetheart, I try to make them long and still interesting.  Don’t even think that you are putting anything silly in your letters, or that I will get bored if you write a lot of little details.  That’s what I want to hear most, those little things that don’t sound very important but really are. 

            As for your mother going to work in the shipyards, you can tell her, I think she’s making a mistake.  You can tell her also that she’s getting money mad.  I honestly don’t think it’s very smart of her, but if she once gets it in her head that she is going, I know she will.  Be sure and tell me if you are getting all my letters and if you are getting them in order.  Darling I can’t remember if you told me about trying to meet the train in Portland when we went there or not.  I was so excited when I called from Winter Field that I don’t know what I said. 

            I was on guard this morning from 3 to 7. I got off just in time for breakfast.  I came home and washed and then got ready to go into town.  I just missed one bus so I had a half hour wait for the next one.  I got back pretty early too, about 11:15, so I was in time for lunch.  We had apple pie for desert today.  Yesterday, we had Jello and chocolate cake. I enjoyed it more than anything I have had so far.  I guess I’ve already told you that the food here is pretty good.  We only get milk for breakfast, but other times we always have ice water or lemonade.  I guess I make a pig of myself with the lemonade, but it sure is good.  The flies in the barracks just about drive one nuts. Every time I write a letter they just buzz around and bother me continuously.  I have guard again tonight from 8 to 12 but I don’t mind that shift at all.  It’s the one from 12 to 4 or 4 to 8 that I don’t like.

            I’m really getting low on money, that is if I get some pictures taken.  If we don’t get paid on the 15th I’ll have to get an advance.  Don’t you send me any darling, I don’t want you to.  You can send me an air mail stamp once in a while if you want your letters to get there quicker.  I think after they get started though they will be all right.  If they do take three or four days to get there, or come in a bunch, then I had better start sending them air mail. 

            I won’t be going to a show tonight because I have guard duty.  I don’t think I would go anyway because I think its one of these war dramas.

            So Beulah finally got her victory bike.  I know what they look like and they are funny.  They ride hard too.  It was O.K. with me for you to let Al use the tools dear.  Just so they were all put back.  It might be a good idea to have someone put the tools in the wash room.  Don’t make too much of a habit of letting people use it (tools) or you will be pested all the time. 

            I know just about how you felt when you saw that house with his head over the fence.  Don’t worry dear, we will have another “Dex” some day soon.  Speaking of soon, have you been reading the papers lately?  I guess the British are really doing a good job in Egypt.  I hope it isn’t expecting too much to expect the war to be over with in about 7 or 8 months.  While on guard the other night I saw five falling stars and I wished the same thing in each one of them.  You can probably guess what it was, or pretty close anyway.  You spoke about my doing everything two hours before you do.  I have thought about that a lot, especially when I am on guard at night or in the morning.

            You asked about there being any place to stay and about the tour being full of Mexicans.  I’ve already told you about the hotel so I won’t have to go into that.  You would be surprised at the tour dear.  There are very few Mexicans such as you think there are.  On Sat. night there are more than usual.  It isn’t anything like Woodland Calif.

            Darling, about the motorcycle.  If you don’t get any results in the Woodland paper (I guess that’s the one you meant) you had better advertise in Vancouver or Longview.  Here is the way the ad should be.

38 English Excelsior Motorcycle

Good Cond. — Extra tire—70 M.P.G.

                                             Miles per gallon

Don’t take less than $100 down, don’t worry yourself about selling it, I can get rid of it when I get back.  In fact when I think of all the fun I had with it, I wish you wouldn’t sell it.  That blue goo can of mine that was in the milk house had some goo and oil already mixed for the cycle.  In the middle of the tires on my trunk is a quart jar with some regular motorcycle oil in it.  The oil always has to be mixed with the goo before it is put in the tank.  Less than a half pint of oil to a gallon of goo, and be sure the goo is Ethyl.  Any heavy oil can be used, no. #40 or #50 25 cents. 

            What did you mean you hope you get some answers on Xmas gifts?  You don’t give me all the little details darling, and that’s what I want.  Have you been driving in town dear?  I hope so. You will be a regular old city driver when I get back.

            I just read thru your letter again and I think I’ve just about answered all your questions.

            Darling I am going to write mother in a couple of days and in the letter I am going to tell her of our intentions about getting married.  I want her to know about it before hand so she can get used to it.  I talked to our sergeant today about furloughs.  He said that they were just going down the line, letting the ones with seniority have first chance.  I think I stand a pretty good chance of getting 14 or 15 days off about April or May.  I hope to be making more money then so we can get married.

            Well dear I’ve been writing for and hour and forty minutes steady and I’m just about out of conversation.  I’ll wait until eight until I mail this letter so if I think of anything else to say, I can.  Its 3:00.  I don’t know what I’ll do until dinner.  Wash some clothes or something.  Bye for a while dear.

6:35     I’ve got to hurry and finish dear because I’m due for guard duty right away.  You have to be at the guard house an hour before time, so I have to be there at 7:00.  Since I quit writing I have had dinner, gotten my uniform coat from the cleaners, the rest will be ready tomorrow morning.  We are having inspection tomorrow morning so we are all getting our things together.  I had something I wanted to tell you but I can’t think of it now.  I’ll put it in my next letter.  All we had tonight for desert was pineapple, it really hit the spot but we only were allowed one slice.  I guess that’s all I’ve got to say darling so I guess its Good-night for now. 

            Say hello to everyone for me, and you remember to be good darling.  Keep care of yourself.  Someone just said the mail had come in so I’m going over to see if I have any. = No luck, maybe I’ll get my package tomorrow.  Bye—my future darling wife.

                                                                                                            All my love,

                                                                                                                        Glenn