Dart begins this 8-page letter with two of his favorite themes;  pessimism about his performance on upcoming tests, and a detailed dissertation of the inner workings of a piece of equipment he’s studying.

On the former, he’s hoping his 94% average will carry him through  as he crashes and burns in the waning weeks of the class. As for the latter, let’s just say he’s developing an obsession with knobs.

The weekend is upon him, but he has no liberty. In addition to studying and the ever-present task of washing clothes, he hopes to tackle a stack of letters that need to be answered. His list of correspondents is long, including several of his high school buddies who are serving all over the world. He wants to take particular care to write to the guys fighting in France.

After an interruption, he resumes the letter to talk about the death of Wendell Willkie. He seems particularly saddened by the loss of this great American, whom he believes was unfit to be president, but was a courageous and moral leader.

As he writes high atop his bunk, he can see Dot’s photo smiling at him from the locker below. “Oh, how I want to see that face on you instead of a photograph! The Navy just can’t let us down, Dot. It wouldn’t be right! But what’s right about war?” He then asks her to promise him that if he manages to get home, she’ll not cry when it’s time for him to leave. “We can’t be sad this time. This is for sure the last time for many months – perhaps a year or more – that we’ll see each other. I’ll be so happy to be home with Mom and Dad and you that I’ll be tempted to cry out of sheer joy and relief.”

He asks Dot to give his condolences to the women at work who have lost a brother and a husband to the war. He poses a question he’s been pondering for a while: whether it is better for a couple to get engaged or married before the man goes off to war, or if they should have no specific plans other than their love for each other. He knows that among his former classmates who have perished, most of them were engaged or married and the women they left behind are devastated. Ultimately, he concludes that the pain suffered is the same, whether they are formally committed or not.

He winds up the letter on a lighter note, congratulating her on her sales success and orders her to get rid of her cold and stay healthy. He’s also curious to know if she has any way of listening to records.  Naturally, he declares his love.

In contrast to Dart’s tome, Dot jots off a wee note before bedtime. Although she has 19 letters from friends and family she’s decided to let them go unanswered another day while she lives her motto: Don’t bother to do today what can just as well be put off until _____.

She’s decided to break her streak and attend church with her mother tomorrow. She hasn’t been since before Dart’s visit last summer, so she needs the practice.

According to her calendar, Dart is due to graduate in three weeks. That means he could be home three weeks from next Tuesday. Like him, the potential leave seems to be all she can think about these days.

She tells him to do well on his tests and to take an extra swim for her. She’ll try to write a longer letter tomorrow.