Dart gets a romantic four pages out in response to Dot’s brief note written on the prom “tally.”

He writes that his fingers still tremble when he opens an envelope addressed by her hand. He had a particular thrill when he received this tally note, and has looked at it countless times. He writes “For some obscure reason it affects me. I read it, handle it, and regardless of who is in the room, I break out into a broad smile. A reverie – remembering another tally months ago.”

He goes on to re-tell the story of the dance tally from their first date. It was his return of that tally through the mail that launched their correspondence and this lovely relationship that blossomed.

He also recalls another moment from that first date in October. It was nearing time for the sailors to leave their “girls” and return to Case. Couples were walking across the Andrews campus, each one reluctant to see a wonderful evening end; each wondering if it would end with a kiss. “Finally, as if by a signal, everybody grabbed somebody (except me, who wondered too long what you would think about a kiss on the first date), and osculating couples were strung out along the walk.”

He ends the letter by telling her another snipet of rotten luck that has befallen them. He learned that had he not been struck by the measles/pneumonia combo, he would have received boot leave in time to escort Dot to her prom.  His two boot camp classes have both graduated and gone on with their lives as he has languished in the hospital.

Dot wrote a massive missive, recounting all the activities of a very busy graduation weekend. I can visualize the prom setting from her detailed description of the decorations. She talked about the happy chaos created when the graduating seniors returned to occupy their former rooms. The weekend was chock full of food, dancing and silliness to celebrate the graduation. You can assume from Dot’s cheerful account that she loves a good party. After finally getting to bed around 3:00 on Sunday morning, “Some religious soul who was going to church woke us up at 8:30, for which she is none the better.”

Dot mentioned that their weekend at home begins next Friday. Naturally, going to her home in Greenwich for just a weekend is not possible, so Dot will remain local. She and some of the other students plan a trip into Cleveland to fill their down time.

She thanks Dart for his Valentine poem and for his special thoughts of her on her prom night.