This is a fun answer to Dot’s recent letters, with a surprisingly intimate section at the end.
He praised the “theatrical quality” of that bit in Dot’s letter about dinner with an old friend. It had him feeling a little green and clammy when he read it. Because all his barracks mates know how he feels about her, he decided to read that section of her letter out loud. It had the same effect on them as it did on Dart.
They now have math classes (logarithms) for 4 1/2 hours every afternoon, which to Dart’s mind resembles torment.
He tells Dot she can expect her copies of the photos he had made from his visit in a week or so. They will be finished in Cleveland and then mailed to Treasure Island for distribution. He says he feels embarrassed whenever he looks at them, and cryptically says he may tell her why some day.
Speaking of cryptic, he mentions a little diagram for sorts that Dot included on the back of one letter. It looked something like this:
(.) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
______________,
___________________,
Ohio
He replies, “Sounds like a very big hint, subtle like an avalanche. There’s a lot I could say here, but all I will say is please wait awhile, dear. There’s a big question on my mind. (Not in it, but on it), and I’d like to say the words instead of writing them. Yes, Dot, I know what you’re thinking and I’ve been having the same thoughts, too. But let’s be patient until things are more secure and we know whether I’m coming back from the Blue Pacific.”
That’s quite a thought to leave her with.
Today is another rushed job from Dot. She writes how happy she is that he escaped the guy “dropping in” with no worse than a bruised elbow, but hopes he’ll fall on someone else the next time and leave Dart completely out of it.
She’s so glad he finally received the backlog of letters form home. She tells him not to worry too much about answering each one of hers individually, because she doesn’t even remember what she wrote most of the time. The news is all pretty stale now, anyway.
She reports that El’s fiance Don is having a rough time at State College. All the Navy pre-med students still have to study and pass tests, even though they are expecting their shipping orders any day. El said Don looked old and haggard on her last visit to campus.
Before signing off, she’d like Dart to let her know of any books or anything else he’d like to have her send. “Please tell me because it gives me so much joy to be able to do something for you once in a while. In fact, there’s nothing that would make me happier than spending the rest of my life doing things to please you.”
