Dart writes to Dot about running into another new Ensign who is a graduate of Dart’s old V-12 class at Case. They spent a grand time over a four-hour watch swapping stories and catching each other up on former classmates. This new guy’s name is Foecking, and Dart seems to like him a lot. “Tom Reilly was Best Man at Foecking’s wedding, just after the two were commissioned. Foecking seems so thoroughly happily married that it does anyone good to talk with him. I kept thinking of how nearly parallel with us his romance ran. He met Pat on a blind date from V-12 and he’s really happy. It seems funny for me to hope that we’ll be as happy when I’m already so sure that we will be.”
Dart’s hoping he can turn his connection with this new ensign into a chance to get the heat turned on aboard the ship. He and everyone else are completely uncomfortable and must wear foul-weather gear to bed. (Remember, there are no blankets issued by the Navy anymore.)
He hasn’t made up his mind whether or not to take liberty ashore today. The water looks like it would make for a rough boat ride over to Charleston and there is no hot water aboard for showers.
Responding to Dot’s letter, he remarks that the Miller kids are mighty cute. He hopes he and Dot can do as well. He wishes he’d known the Millers were going to get rid of their beautiful Buick so he might have arranged to get it. He thinks he and Dot passed the house the Millers were planning to buy when they took a sail with them last summer; lovely place, but it looks hard to clean.
He hopes he’ll have a chance to meet the Pecsok family someday, especially because Dot thinks so highly of them.
His pal Blevins stopped by the photography studio where Dart got his portraits made before Christmas. None of the prints had been mailed yet, even though Dart paid extra to have them delivered by Christmas. He’s almost happy they weren’t sent out because he thinks they look terrible!
Before signing off for the night, he describes a lackluster celebration of New Year’s Eve on the John R Craig last night. Not much revelry, and then early to bed. That’s all for now, but he’ll be back tomorrow.