Just one letter today – a short one from Dart. He’s pretty chipper for a guy facing a couple of operations and two weeks in the hospital. SPOILER ALERT:  It’s a good thing he doesn’t yet know how long he’ll actually be in there!

About his new setting, he writes, “Golly the Navy sure runs its hospitals in a funny manner. The convalescing patients work a couple of weeks before being released…We even have Captain’s Inspection in the ‘slaughterhouse.’  Patients must lie at attention in their beds and the place must be thoroughly shipshape.”

His first visit with the surgeon revealed that he may need only one operation, although pilonidal cysts usually take two or three. After his first “cut” on Tuesday, he’ll return to the ward for two weeks while they figure out if he’ll need additional surgery.

He describes the ward as being quite pleasant, with a radio playing good music.  There’ve been a couple of great bull sessions among the guys, although the nurses discourage discussion of “certain topics.”   Hmmmmm. I’d give a nickle to know what those forbidden topics would be.

He promises Dot he’ll get word to her of his progress as soon as he can, and tells her to write often, but don’t neglect her schoolwork. How “fatherly” of him!