Letter # 443 August 6, 1944

New Guinea
Sunday
Aug 6, 1944
Hi Beautiful;
I raked in the mail tonight.  Four of yours, July 15, 22 and two from the 27th.  Also one from Garnet and Junior.  Say they have more they didn't get sorted yet, so maybe I'll have some more again tomorrow.  I get 'em in bunches and all scrambled up, but who cares as long as I get them?  They do more than you know toward keeping me going.  Glad my wife writes letters by the pound also.  You're a darn sweet girl.  I love you so much.  You'll know how much one of these days, when I get a chance to show and tell you in person.  I'll turn the question around and ask, Can you stand it?  I'm sure of the correct answer but I'll see what you have to say. 
Had our ball game this morning and we are still unbeaten.  Be breaking the buttons off our shirts soon.  I'm still playing the bench.  My leg is ok now but I'm a little too old for the pace these boys are setting, after all.  I'm slipping, honey.  Aren't you worried?  Don't need to be.  I may not be as fast as I once was but there is plenty of endurance in the old boy yet.  You're getting older along with me although I'd never be able to tell it from the picture you sent.  Look as young and beautiful as any twenty year old ever did.  Gee, honey, pictures like that make me want to be by you and right now.  Almost foolish enough to snoozle the picture.  I love you darling. 
It is also a good picture of the place and I can see you have been doing a swell job on the lawn.  Looks so good.  I can see the shrubs are growing very nicely, especially the hedge by the drive.  Only one fault to find with the picture.  You were too modest.  Don't show a lot of your charms at all.  You're my pin up girl you know.  Got some others too, only you're nicest of the bunch.  Only one that can make me hurt good all over.  The rest, I look at and say, "Pretty nice stuff, or, She's some babe" but they leave me cold and impersonal.  Ever see me that way with you?  Very seldom, if ever, I think.  Gosh, honey, I miss you.  Be damn callous if I didn't. 
Now I'll go through your July 15, written in New York.  Don't be thinking you neglected me while you were seeing things.  I don't see how you managed to write as much as you did.  Don't think I would have under the same conditions.
New York can't be so much if two war widows, one of them a very good looking hunk of curves and excitement, can go about all over and have to go back to empty rooms.  Everything that isn't blind must be in the army.  Bet I wouldn't pass up a chance like that.  I'd have given plenty to be there. 
You're not bad at description yourself.  Did a good job of what you saw.  I'm glad you had such a good time.  While I'm not very much in love with big cities, maybe you can someday talk me into going back with you.  John & Mac, of course have extended invitations.  I'm going to stick close to home though, for some time and see only you as much as possible. 
There you go, buying things for me again.  It's sweet of you but I really don't want or need anything but what I ask for.  You just wait until I get back to civilization again and you can buy things for me to your heart's content. 
While I'm on the subject.  Laundry soap is scarce again.  Better keep sending some as you have room. 
I don't have the least idea where Jim might be.  His letters are in original form so it may be very close.  I would guess east rather than north. 
Oh no, honey, you can't draw me into any political argument with you.  I'm too far away from all that to even be very interested.  All I want is for something to happen to end this damn war so I can get back where I don't have to do all my talking, loving, and everything on paper. 
I may not want to reform your bad sleeping habits, at least not until I go back to work.  You'll have to reform me.  I'm used to going to bed anywhere from eight to ten and never seem quite ready to get up.  Getting to be a real sleepy head. 
The question about the heat and how much I weigh and etc.  I can't answer them very accurately.  No instruments.  I judge it to be 90 or 95 in the shade nearly every day and probably about 115 to 120 in the sun.  May be way off that because the humidity makes it seem so hot and sticky.  I haven't seen a scale since I left the states.  I guess my present weight at around 170.  170 bare.  Might even be a little less.  Feeling swell though.  Good shape, not even a sign of the old belly.
Honey, I've about got to quit on this one.  That leaves me plenty to answer for a day or two yet.  By that time I'll have a new bunch to work on.  You are keeping them coming. Sweet, loving ones too.  Really sweetheart, when I read some of these, I wonder why you ever gave me a chance to call you "cold potatoes".  You aren't now.  Another way I'll never again be able to tease you.  Night now, beautiful, chubby and sweet.  I love you.
your dough boy.
Norm.