Dart’s letter brings Dot up to date on how he’s filling his time since she went back to Kent State. He stopped by the Plain Dealer to see if he could pick up extra copies of the engagement announcement and learned they wouldn’t be available for a few more days. He got copies of the train schedules to Norfolk for his return to duty. He obtained extra copies of the East Cleveland Blatt engagement announcement and he purchased some sulfer cream. He visited the Dixons and the Singers (parents of his high school buddies who are still in the service), as well as his aunts and uncles. He also left two rolls of film at the drug store for developing.
Although it’s two o’clock in the morning as he writes this, he takes a break to polish off two bran muffins and a Pepsi-Cola before continuing. He got a nice letter from Dot’s mother today containing copies of the announcement in the Greenwich Time. Dart was not too impressed with the job that newspaper did on the photo of his beloved Dot and wonders what her impression of it was. On further reflection, he decides it’s not a bad photo; it just can’t do justice to her beauty.
The waning days of his leave will be incredibly busy. Although he’s getting many requests for a few moments of his time, he’s selfishly trying to cling to the brief time to do what he wants to do – not what others want from him. Top on his list is a dinner out with his mom and pop and a visit with Mrs. Carle. She’s the mother of his buddy Art who was killed in action several months ago. How thoughtful of this young man to place such a high priority on a task that might be very difficult, but would mean so much to a very sad woman.
He misses Dot terribly. Although they will see each other briefly at the train station next weekend, their time together is for all intents and purposes over. He dreads the loneliness that will fill his days when he returns to the ship. “I don’t know whether I want you to cry or not on Saturday (at the train station). If you do, I’ll feel more miserable, but maybe I want to feel miserable. Better not cry. It’ll be hard enough.”
Dot’s letter begins “It must be true that ‘all the world loves a lover.’ The kids were so sincere in their enthusiasm to hear more about us that it made me positively pouchy with pride. They want to know if it’s love that makes me “screwy” or if I was always this way. Aren’t I lucky to have a choice on how I went nuts, and when?”
She can’t take a breath without thinking of him. She misses him so much that all she can pray for is that he’ll get his discharge soon so they can be together forever.
She and her room-mate Mid are trying to finish up their English assignment before class. The task is to create three “well-rounded, well-developed, interesting sentences.” So far all they’ve accomplished is to decide that there is no such animal. They have come to the conclusion that when called upon in class to share their sentences, they will be unable to utter anything more than “Uh,” so they’re making plans now to take the next train home.
She must quit now so she has time to brush up her tap dance routine. Perhaps he remembers her from her Vaudeville days, when she performed onder the moniker of “Dingletoes Dottie.”
