Dart had no letter from Dot today, which was to be expected because of her long trip back to Kent. He did, however, get news of Dot from his mother’s letter. “Mom said that Spring came as you walked in, that you flaked out for a nap on the davenport, and that they put you on the 7:15 bus after you’d awakened feeling and looking refreshed.” Helen Peterson indicated that Dot had endured a grueling train trip, but I didn’t get that from Dot’s letters.
Dart’s back to feeling a little out of sorts. There’s not enough work to keep him busy by day. The weather is a bit raw for walking around Charleston on liberty. He’s trying to save money by staying on board the ship, and nothing much interests him, except writing to Dot.
The Craig’s departure from Charleston is still in flux. He may leave by January 18. All he knows is that the crew has been promised two liberties in San Diego in early February before heading off to parts unknown. “I went to the ship’s office today and asked one question: When am I getting out? The Chief Yeoman said I could count on 1 April 1946! So there it is. Mid February’ll see me in ‘Diego. 1 March I’ll be in Pearl Harbor. 1 April could see me anywhere in the Pacific, if things go as they’ve been going.” So, if things go they way they often do in the Navy, we can be sure that the one day Dart will not get out is April 1!
Dart tells about his very enjoyable evening with Scotty Foecking and his wife Pat, and Bob Tupa and his wife Shirley. Dart joined them at the house where both couples live and the Foeckings tried to teach him how to play rummy. Then they all walked up the street for a nice dinner at a restaurant. The whole group hopped a bus to the movie theater and Dart enjoyed seeing “You Came Along” for the second time.
He thoroughly enjoyed being with two newlywed couples who were do obviously in love. “Gosh, to think that we’ll be like that someday, too! Gee, Dottie, I’m glad.”
News from home reveals that his brother Burke has achieved the same rate as Dart – seaman first class. No word on when Burke will be discharged, either.
Dart returns to a favorite topic – those serious talks the two had while Dot was in Cleveland before Christmas. “I’m glad that you got a chance to learn ahead of time a little of what I’m likely to be like. I always suspected (and hoped a little) that you were not the complete angel you seemed to think I was. Now you know some of my deep, dark secrets. We’ll be able to enjoy ourselves a little more for all that.”
“Remember once I said I had what I thought might be an abnormal interest in sex? I don’t think I have it anymore. Maybe I don’t feel that way now because of what you said about girls having those thoughts sometimes, too. Our talks have surely helped us. …With the aid of a chapter in a book by Freud, I think I’ve figured out why I’m interested in such pornography (ok – look it up.) It’s probably because I’ve never had the experiences shown in the ‘dirty pictures,’ and the smutty stories. The book claimed that such an outlet was a normal thing for people who didn’t ‘fool around.’ It goes on to say that people who did have those experiences and were still addicted to that kind of literature are the abnormal ones. From what I’ve seen, though, my occasional interest is far from an addiction and is what Freud described as ‘normal.'”
He goes on to say that he’s glad she has found out ahead of time that he has on occasion enjoyed looking at a few such pictures. He feared that if she found out later, she would be hurt or confused. “Here I’ve been fearful of hurting you, yet when I expressed some things I was afraid would hurt you, you seemed relieved! Oh, these women!”
How thankful he is that their more passionate session stopped short of where it might have. He’s shocked to know how close they came to “overthrowing everything.” He’s grateful he didn’t try anything and he’s happy to know she would not have permitted it if he had. He only wonders why she said he was so wonderful at that moment.
He asserts that they don’t know each other as well as any two people could. That can only happen after they’re married and have spent days, or years together through all kinds of moods and situations. “But for people who are not married, or who haven’t ‘tried the shoe,’ we know each other well.”
“Very often in my prayers, I ask God’s help in keeping me clean for you until we are married, and for you only afterward. That will be an experience I’ve looked forward to for a long time. I want nothing to mar it for you, or for me. You’ve given me your word, and you have mine. With that, we should do very well.”
He promises to work on his folks to convince them to take a trip to Sunapee next year. In fact, he thinks it would be grand if he and his parents could drive Dot back home after her year at Kent.