"Letter Written by Mary Metcalfe to her Mother Dated February 13, 1944" by Mary Metcalfe
 

Authors

Mary Metcalfe

Document Type

Personal Letter

Transcription

Letter – 3.

[Transcription begins]

Sunday

Feb. 13, 1944

Dearest Mommie,

Happy Valentine Day to you! Heaven knows when you will get this.

Such wonderful things have happened this past week!!

Leslie had to go to London to learn to drive a 2 ½ ton truck for a couple of days at the beginning of the week. When she came back she brought my bed roll + footlocker + was I glad to see them!! The only thing wrong was that the padlock was missing from the f. l. (? footlocker perhaps) + the bottom part of the tray was broken out but I pounded it back together again.

We get one day off a week. I took mine on Friday + spent the day unpacking + doing a little pressing + sewing. Leslie + Bibbie stopped + picked me up on the way to the R. C. (enlisted men’s) Club where we get our mail + usually have supper. We don’t have to pay for our meals there as they have our ration cards there. Imagine how happy I was to get there + find my Xmas presents!

They are all wonderful! I love them all. The diary is just lovely + I have started keeping it with Xmas which was Feb. 11th for me. The Mary Chess perfume pastes are divine, stockings wonderful – The Fortune Telling birthday book has made a great hit. I am going to take it on the Clubmobile tomorrow + I know the boys will get a great kick out of having their fortunes told. We have a blackboard which the boys made for us + which we put up on the side of the Clubmobile – We are going to write on it “Have your fortune told by Chichi.”

The compact from Jane, Bud + the children is the prettiest one I have ever seen. It is simply lovely. The book will be lots of fun. You know how I am enjoying the chicklets.

I received in the same mail a letter from Bill Weld who is in London. He had somehow tracked me down + knew where I was when I left here for a week; in fact, he said he had been there himself just the week before which means he has (her letter is continued on another page. At the top of the new page above the body of the letter she wrote Please send my lipstick brush which is in my dressing table drawer.) just arrived. He was urging me to close up shop + come to London as he says “there is a great dearth of doughnuts + intellectual companionship here.” Incidentally he asked me to get him a box of Oh Henrys or some kind of chocolate bars since he neglected to do it when he had a chance and is now slowly starving to death. I know how he feels as we felt the same way when we first arrived. So I am sending him a box filled with Hersheys, Mars bars, Forever Yours bars, + Life Savers from the Clubmobile.

Yesterday I received a letter from Jane Weld thanking me for the table we sent + saying she was so glad Bill had a chance to see it before he left. The letter you forwarded from Bill McDonough arrived. He said that he had received a letter from Mo Daly saying that Bob Pendergast had been shot down over Germany + is now a German prisoner. Bad as it is he is lucky to be alive. The valentines from Gran + Tantie also in this mail + they are darling. I think I shall decorate the Clubmobile with them tomorrow. I also got a letter from a Lt. in the air force which was quite amusing. It was from one of 2 Lt’s. Jane Phillips + I met one day walking along the street in London. They asked us the direction to the R. C. Officer’s Club there they were staying + we talked to them a while + the first thing we knew we were having tea with them. They said that Jimmie Stewart is in their outfit.

Last night Leslie + I went to see “Dear Octopus” which was a delightful movie.

This morning Leslie + I started out as usual at 8:30 + Bibbie took this as her day off. We take different days off so we can operate 7 days a week. We got home about 4:30 this afternoon, had a hot bath then high tea here at 5:30. Now we are gathered around the fire in the sitting room upstairs off my bedroom. The two older ladies, the old gentleman, Leslie, Andrew + I.

Very often the scenes here are very much like “You Can’t Take it with You.” For instance the other night when I was romping back + forth to take a bath – do my laundry. The first time I came through the three old folks + Mrs. Andrews were all here playing cards. Just as I was about to step into the tub I discovered I had forgotten my bath towel so back I came in my red coat which is supposed to be a lining and which I have been also using as a bath robe. By this time Bud Fuller (of Fuller Brush) had come over to see Bibbie + he was in here + Andrew playing the piano. After my bath I was done up in my pajamas + red coat + it was about ten o’clock. ( tea time – every time you turn around over here it’s time for tea.) I joined the happy throng, and in a few minutes a couple of the other hotel guests also filed in, a Miss McCallum (who works at the Aero Club, on the base, which is to open tomorrow, + Captain Lambert who is with the A. T. C. here. (1) After tea Bibbie + Bud + I played several snappy games of 3 handed Gin Rummy.

Wed. night having had supper about 5:30 at the Enlisted R. C. Club, which is right down the street from here + on the water, one of the prettiest views you have ever seen! (Digression) The skies here are more beautiful than I have ever seen anyplace. Especially at the end of the day when we drive down for our mail + look out across the water. (Now, back to the point, I was in the tub + I think Bibbie was about to have a bath, Bud + his roommate, they live next door, another Lt. Ben Johnson came over + said hurry, hurry, we had the honor to take them to the movies. We hurried + they took us to see “The Boogie Man Will Get You,” with Boris Karloff, a terrible movie.

The next night the same boys took us to a GI dance not far from here. We had quite a nice time there.

You should see what we have for hot water bottles here. They are china or pottery things called “pigs.” They do feel good in those cold beds. I am getting a bit more used to a room with no heat now.

I was only supposed to stay here a couple of nights until I found a place to live, but I would hate to leave. Mr. + Mrs. Andrews are nice, Mrs. Andrews is especially nice, everything is so clean + the food is so good here. She prepares everything so nicely. We have had orange juice (imagine) the past few mornings.

I must stop now + write some more letters. Here’s hoping I can get to London soon. Wouldn’t it be fun!!

Lots + lots + lots of love, Chichi

(1) A. T. C. is Air Transport Command, a unit of U. S. Air Force

[Transcription ends]

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