Letter # 457 August 20, 1944

New Guinea
Sunday
Aug 20, 1944
My Darling Wife;
I've been having a very busy morning.  Relieved from C.Q. at 7:30 and then had a big washing to do.  Clothes being wet all the time and this black dirt and dust form an excellent combination for the laundry business.  Some of the more enterprising boys take in washings and make good money at it.  Fifty cents a uniform.  One fellow I know of has made nearly a hundred bucks since we've been here.  I'm too lazy for that.  I wash my own and save that couple dollars a week and that's the best I can do.  We can use that saving for a good time some day.  I also washed my blankets today.  I thought they needed it and the water sure proved it.  Full of dust.  Got almost enough out of them to start a garden.  I hunted up the rag bale again and I now have part of a nice flowered dress to throw over my blankets during the day and keep out some of the dust.  To look at my bed now, you'd think I had a little deicer living here with me.  The feminine touch you know.  Like to see what the former owners of these articles look like.  The size is about right.  Probably belonged to some Australian girl.
Last night I started to send a request and then got sidetracked and forgot about it until this morning.  I can use some pipe cleaners and you better keep the soap coming too.  Not too much but some.  Part of the time we can get a limited supply and then again none at all.  I'm talking about laundry soap, mostly.  Something to fess on will always be welcome too.  There really is very little I want that you can send.  You're a sweet girl to keep thinking about it.  I love you so much.  You're my perfect wife.  Passionate parcel too.
I also wrote a few others letters too, this morning.  Jim, Mom & Hazel, Jr & Garnet.  I should write some more but I think when I finish this one I'll have plenty for today.  I don't get any fun writing to other people so I don't do any more of it than I have to.  Hell of a way to feel about it, isn't it?
Big ball game with the colored boys today.  I'll have to see that.  Afraid they will get taken plenty.
Now I'm going to answer some more letters.  I can see you holding that triple run and almost busting to play it.  I get a kick out of how excited you get when you have a perfect hand.  You wouldn't make a very good poker player but who cares?  I ain't either.  We'll stick to our bridge and pinochle just for fun.
Betty's question about Art and Marg is a poser.  I've often though of it too.  Where there's a will, there's a way, they say and in a case like this there would be plenty of will.  I think we'd manage if we had the same handicaps, don't you?  We were slowly approaching it at one time too and didn't experience any trouble.  One nice thing about it.  No sharp bones or hard places to bump into.  You like padding too, don't you?
I was interrupted by going to the ball game.  It turned out much as I expected.  We got beaten 10-0.  The black boys are pretty good ball players but still not too good.  Put me in once for a pinch hitter and I struck out.  The colored boys only earned two runs.  Rest made on errors.  That's the kind of teams to play to improve.  I like to play against colored boys.  They always clown a lot and make it interesting and they are swell sports.  Remember when the Grange team used to play the foundry team?  Good games.
Honey, I'm going to warn you.  If you continue making such egotistical remarks, I'm going to quit telling you how nice you are.  Fancy anyone saying, "Maybe she'll appreciate me more and how nice I am if she doesn't see me so often."  You were talking about Louise and not seeing her so often now that she was on the afternoon shift.  That stinks, sweetheart.  Let me tell you how nice you are.  You can believe it and know it but don't be bragging.  I'm bawling you out.  Did you know it?  All kidding aside, you are a darn swell person.  As good as they ever come.  You're my perfect wife and passionate parcel as well as my bobbing bubbles.  I love you.  Did you mean to give me the impression that Louise was beginning to get up again or was it just a comment?  Don't take any shit, honey.  Tell 'em off if they don't treat you right.  I'd tell 'em off too.  I'm on your side you know.  Don't think you could be far wrong about anything.
You know all about my ideas and desires don't you?  I sure would go for some crocodile hunting if I was where there were any.  I think that would be fun.  Sure ought to have enough firearms available for the job.  I can't promise not to if the opportunity ever presents itself.  That would be a hard promise to keep.  You know me.
You're a devil, honey.  Figuring out that we could pack a lunch and take a thermos of coffee along with us so we wouldn't have to waste time walking the great distance necessary to eat in the kitchen.  You may have something there at that.  I may be too tired to afford the expenditure of energy for that.  Other, more important uses for it, don't you think?
I'll have to have a talk with Mother Nature and put her on the ball.  We don't want you in any but the best condition then.  I'll be a wild man and need some taming.
Honey, that "Little Velma" business was only a figure of speech.  I certainly didn't mean it was my choice of a name. That's the only thing I don't like about you.  Sounds so very old maidish and prudish or something.  doesn't fit you at all. I'm afraid I'm not much of an authority on names and have only a few that I'm allergic to.  That list of names of the boys in the picture will be something to start on, on the masculine side.  Some pips there.    
I'm sorry, honey, that I have been confusing you on who is in the picture.  There were two sets of them taken and I must have them twisted.  The one I'm thinking about may be in the bunch Bonnie is sending you now.  I told you about ordering them from Johnny.  Anyhow, now that you have them all named in the picture you can pick them out.  The buck Sargent you speak of is Jarvis.  Pvt. Jarvis now.  As near as I can remember you have Talkington spotted.  The tall T/4 is Brashier.  He is six foot three so he should look tall.
Gus sure has a time with his poison ivy.  To think he went all the way to the big city to get it when he got it in his own front ditch a couple years ago.
Don't worry about the jiggers.  They aren't bad right around here and we are supplied with repellents to keep them off when we go out in the jungle.  I neglect to put it on sometimes.
I rather expected an indirect answer to my question of who would get up first.  I know you.  If you had promised, I wouldn't believe it.  No, sweetheart, I was only kidding.  I don't mind a bit getting up first.  If, however, you do develop into a wide awake and loving wife that early, I'm afraid we'll both have to get up together or I'll be late for work.
Night, darling.  I'm loving you.
Your lover
Norm.