Dart says that since the ship is completely painted and “scrubbed as clean and bright as a certain young lady’s smile,” they’re on holiday routine again. Half the crew is on the liberty island. The other half is lounging on the decks where giant awnings have been stretched to provide some shade. There’s a record concert playing on the P.A. and guys are playing cards, sleeping, or writing letters. It’s so incredibly hot that feet can’t touch the bare deck and tools left in the sun cannot be handled without scorching. Paint dries too fast and the sailors with deep tans are getting badly sunburned. It’s turning into a lazy day. “For us today there is no war, but there’s plenty of evidence of it within eyesight.” (A fleet of warships surrounding them? Bombed out islands in the distance? What evidence does he see?)
To answer one of Dot’s questions posed in a recent letter – yes, he’d much rather be painting a house than a ship because it would mean that she was somewhere nearby. He never misses an opportunity to think about her, does he?
He’s so grateful for her thoughtfulness toward his parents over Easter. It’s just one of the many attributes that makes him love her so much. He’s already written to Burke with plans for their parents’ 25th anniversary, although he doesn’t know if Burke will be around to carry out the plans. He hopes to enlist in the Navy before he can be drafted into the Army on his 18th birthday which is coming up soon. He knows his folks would get a huge thrill if Dot helped the boys with an anniversary surprise. They want her to be an official member of the family almost as much as Dart does.
He likes her sentiment about money and love and happiness, but he does think that the presence of money helps in lots of cases.
Dot writes from the beautiful, sunny porch on the Mason St. house, basking in the glow of the four letters she received from Dart yesterday. She’s frustrated that he still hasn’t received any mail from her, yet his letters have been coming with great regularity. Dot doesn’t know it, but Dart’s ship was badly damaged in an episode on March 22 and had to be towed to dry dock in some out-of-the-way island for repairs. With the Haggard out of commission for several days, maybe the mail ship couldn’t find them. Naturally, Dart has not been able to give any hints about the damage, or the fact that it was a result of the Haggard ramming a Japanese submarine and sinking it!
Before she forgets to mention it, she’d like to say that his house plans are fantastic! “Everyone thinks those drawings are real works of art. I showed them to Dad and he was very surprised at the talent you showed. I don’t know why he should be. I’ve been drumming it into him (how wonderful you are) for a year and a half.” She asked her father how much he thought it would cost to build and he guessed $23,000 to $25,000. She’s started a piggy bank for the house, but fears she should have started 19 years ago. Maybe the house will be done in time to give it to their great grandchild for a wedding present! Still, all of his good ideas are just one more reason she loves him so.
In closing, she says she’s heard a rumor that you can join the WAVES at age 19, with parental consent. What would he think of her joining in June? Exactly what he thought of that idea became a part of the Peterson family lore when we were growing up!
