Letter # 155 December 18, 1943

Dec 18, 1943
My impetuous Darling;
I don't know how much of a letter this will be, probably not much. I got your telegram this evening and I'm just about to take off for Leesville to send an answer. The telegraph office here is only open during the hours I'm working. We work tomorrow so I'm going to town to answer your telegram. I had considered trying to call you, but was afraid you wouldn't be home. You're sweet as hell honey to even think of doing so much to see me for so little time. I just can't bring myself to ask you to go through all that. As far as I'm concerned it would sure be swell. I'd like to see you ever so much. Regardless of how much I'd like to see you, I still say don't do it. I could probably get a three day pass and that might be all I could see you.
It isn't the same as Knox. I'm a working man down here. Very little time off. We work until late or are out in the field so much it wouldn't be good.
Here is something I hadn't mentioned before because I'm not at all sure and I didn't want to get you all excited. However, now, it may be some consolation to you. I may be able to get a furlough by the last of Feb. or first of March. Some of the boys that got their first furloughs in Aug. & Sept. are home on their second one now. They say we should get one every 4 mo. or so.
Of course, I don't mean for you to plan on it too much, but it's something to look forward to. On my way to town now. I'll finish this later.
Hello Sweetheart. I'm back from the big, bad town and almost as good as I started. Had a few beers but not too many.
You're a devil you are. Don't you ever do that to me again. I don't know when I've done anything any harder than sending that wire. I came so damn close to saying, come ahead, it wasn't funny. I got to thinking, if she's crazy enough or maybe sweet enough to do all that just to see me for a little while, "why, what the hell? " Let her do it. Honestly honey, I had to write that quick and get out or I'm afraid I'd have told you to come. Lord knows I want to see you bad enough.
I don't know if it was my letter, that naughty, nice one, or the letter from Louise that got you all stirred up. If it was mine, I'm sorry. That wasn't meant to have that effect. I was just really loving you by long distance. I didn't mean you to think I was suffering so much, I'd ask you to come way down here at this time of year. I bet traveling would be really hell too, for such a nice gal to go through.
About one more such offer and I won't have the guts to say no. I sure would love to see you for a while but I really don't think it would be wise for you to come down here when you only have such a short time. I promise that next summer I won't say a thing against it. I'll probably ask you to come. Then you can be here long enough and maybe even go to work to fill in the time when I can't come home to you. It wouldn't be very satisfactory to maybe only see me for only a very few times, after traveling 1500 miles and wearing yourself out. We'd both be unsatisfied and it sure would be hell to see you go back, when I had hardly seen you. We'll save it a while longer and maybe I can come to you. Make it about evenly divided until next summer. It's hard to take, sweetheart, but we can take it. We have before and we can again.
I'm afraid I haven't expressed myself very well, but I guess you know me well enough to get how and what I mean. Anyhow, here is something you can understand. I love you, sweetheart, more than anything in the world and I'm just marking time and trying to do the best I can, until the time I can come back to you for good and always.
I can very well imagine how you are pissing your pants, waiting for my answer to your wire. I'm sorry I can't see it your way. I hope I did the right thing. I don't know if they will deliver that wire by phone on Sunday or not, but I hope so. It seemed to take a long time to get here. I got it at 1800 tonight and you must have sent it probably after school Friday.
Well Darling, tomorrow is a work day so I better go to bed. I'll write you a good letter tomorrow night. Answer some of your last few and tell you the news. I didn't get a chance to write last night. We worked until midnight and I was tired. After that telegram I sure could never doubt that you love me plenty. All I can say is I love you just as much, so there too. Night wifey dear, I'm loving you.
Your foolish husband.
Norm.