February 13, 1945

Feb. 13, 1945

Dear Esther:

I guess I haven't written for some time so it's about time I got something off in your direction.  I got your nuts yesterday and was pleased as usual.  You seem to know what I like.  I only wish I could say the same.

We don't have very much to do all day but raise the dickens and amuse the Suleys.  We eat at a drug store and usually spend about 2 hours eating a sandwich and a bowl of soup.  We sit and sling a line at the girls and just have a good time. We kid them along and they kid us.  It's just one big session to see who can make the best wise crack before the others can open their mouths.  The girls are married I believe but their job must get monotonous. Anyway they just laugh now when Sam and I come in.  Mr. Suley says we are a couple of Tommy Manville's, a couple of playboys on a much smaller scale.  He says we have nothing to do but think up mischief and get into as much as possible.

Just to show you that all this playing is doing no good I can give you two examples.  I was pulling a sled a couple of weeks ago and sprained my ankle and had to hobble around for a couple of weeks.  Last Sunday I was riding a young lady's bike and twisted my knee and sprung it so that I again hobble around.  I guess it's no use, I must either go to work or quite fooling around before I really do some harm.

You know I have all kinds of trouble writing letters with the folks around.  Mr. Suley (dad) keeps telling stories about when he was a traveling man and he keeps us pretty well entertained.  He is really quite a character.  He took us to dinner with him yesterday at the Chamber of Commerce and then we took him to play pool.  We let the loser pay and he paid most of the time.  Then he started giving out the story that he had been picked up by the soldiers and they were taking his money.  If he hadn't said it with a smile I might have believed him.  

Maybe you like gum.  I saw this in the PX yesterday and thought maybe there was a shortage at home. I don't have much of a choice but you can have what is left.  I believe I shall make up a box for you poor civilians and send it along soon.  All I need is a few ideas and a box to put them in.

Well I must quit now and let Mr. Suley talk some more.

With love

Austin