Authors

Mary Metcalfe

Document Type

Personal Letter

Transcription

[Transcription begins]

May 7, 1944

Dearest Mommie,

At this point I am waiting for one William Weld to show up and we are going to do a little sight seeing this afternoon.

We arrived here Fri. morning having had very little sleep in our third class sleeper the night before. We went + deposited our luggage then started off for our driving. Spent the rest of the day learning to drive those big 2 ½ ton GMC trucks. They are fairly easy to handle but it is difficult learning to double clutch which you must do with these babies.

When I came back in the afternoon I called Bill but he was not home or at his office. Ran into Kay Curtis at headquarters, + a little later she, Jinine Eason + I went to have dinner. Kay had driven in for a meeting so we were in the car she had. As we were driving along who should I see walking down the street with another naval officer but Bill Weld. I jumped out of the car at once, needless to say. We made plans to go out the next night after I had caught up on a little sleep + washed my hair.

Yesterday again was spent driving the truck all around, in the morning in the thick of town traffic + out on the highway + tank course in the afternoon.

I came home thoroughly worn out + took a bath + rested for a while. Bill came by at 6 o’clock + we went to see Oscar Wilde’s “An Ideal Husband” which was excellent. After that we went + had some supper, then to the Officer’s Club + did a little dancing.

It is now late in the afternoon and plans were changed due to a meeting Bill had at 11 this morning. He + another naval friend of his came by about one o’clock. We went out + had lunch, then they had to go make out a report which has to be in tomorrow. They are being moved in the next day or two to some other spot for a while.

It is now Monday night so you can see that I am having a rough time getting this letter finished. To carry on where I left off. They brought me home at about 3 o’clock since their report knocked the props out of our sight seeing tour. I went to the PX + got my rations for a couple of weeks, then came home + washed a few things. I went down in the lounge to write this letter + Peggy Bill, who was at the Allenton at the same time I was came in + a couple of girls who had just come from the Clubmobile Bibby is on now came in so I had to chat with them. Margaret Scholander + I went + had some dinner. (She was ranging about a month ago when I was). When I came back there was a note from Bill saying he had tried + tried to get me + the line was always busy, but to call if I got home by 8:30, as he was not far from here typing the plans they had made in the afternoon. I called him + he came by + I went + sat with him while he had his dinner. Then we went + delivered the plans to a Commander Tuck. Bill told me that he had a cousin in the R. C. It turned out that his cousin was Kay Marshall, the girl that when I went to Edinburgh I shared a room, in fact a bed with.

Today in the driving course I drove in town this morning + this afternoon we had a lesson in mechanics, finding out all about the motor + what everything does. When we returned to town I went + ordered another visor hat, one not quite as high as the one I have. I also opened a postal savings acct. This is a good idea because you can go into the Post Office wherever you are + draw out money. At present I have 46 L or $184 in my acct. Isn’t that nice + I haven’t sent in a voucher for all of April yet.

I came home + took a bath, then Bill + his navy friend Emil Sady + I went to the Junior Officer’s Club for dinner, then I took them to the movies to see “The Fighting Seebeas” (sic) which was quite good.

We have had a wonderful time. Bill is just as crazy as ever, hurling insults at me a mile a minute, pushing + shoving me all over the place. Last night as he was having dinner he asked me how my relationship was with God. You know that no one but Bill would think up a question like that. He has asked all about you + as you know says that he thinks you are quite a person.

This place we are staying is just called Mrs. Belleville’s + it is a place for Clubmobile girls to come + stay when they are here for overnight or longer. There are five beds in this room. Jinine Eason, Betty Allen + I occupy three of them. The other two have been occupied by various girls since we have been here, none of whom I knew before. We are in the annex to the regular house + to get back + forth we must go thru a subterranean passage that is a regular maze of different corridors, doors + steps. I have yet to come thru without getting lost three or four times on the way.

On Friday I received your very long letter of April 18th, a form letter from Bishop Searlett, a letter from Uncle Hugh, + a good letter from Ruth Crunden which I shall send you.

I tell you about each package as it arrives, so the ones I haven’t mentioned aren’t here yet.

I have had to have this blue uniform fitted because it didn’t fit in the first place + the tailor never did get it fitting as it should fit. I had to get a size 18 so it would be big enough in the shoulders, so the rest of the suit was huge.

I have changed trains many times in the place where Mr. Wright’s uncle lives, going back + forth from the two jobs I have been switching back + forth from. Too bad I didn’t know about it sooner as I probably shall not be back there again soon.

I brought my yellow cashmere scarf with me. The yellow string gloves sound fine if you can get them.

It is late now + I must turn out the lights as the other two gals are in bed + ready to go to sleep. Will write the next chance I have. It is kind of mad dashing around here.

Let me know what you hear from Davie + his address.

Lots + lots of love to you + everybody.

Chi – Chi

P.S. Discovered a few more sheets of this paper + envelopes in my footlocker.

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