Again, Dart’s letter covers a wide range of moods in just five pages. In spite of his best efforts, it’s easy to see that the disappointment of this week has taken a toll on his morale.

Today, however, brought a new venture. He entered a slide rule and general mathematics review class where it was soon determined that he was the only one in the group who knew anything about how to operate a slide rule. In short order, he was teaching the class himself! “It’s fun to be playing around ‘in harness’ again. It’ll give me some mental exercise which I badly need now.”

The chaplain who befriended Dart during his futile effort to obtain a leave put his neck out to find out what went wrong in Dart’s pursuit. He was ordered out of the Captain’s office and told to stop meddling in the running of the hospital! Anyway, this fresh graduate from Yale Divinity School and Dart have struck up a friendship. The chaplain has even invited Dart to dinner when he’s discharged form the hospital.  He sends his apologies to Dot that he was unable to help in getting Dart’s leave approved.

When it came time to answer Dot’s letter that expressed how much she was hoping for his visit, he ran out of steam. “Honestly, Dot, I don’t know what to do or what to say, or how to say how sorry I am.  I better stop trying before I make a mess of it and make you feel worse.”

He finishes on a sad, sweet note. “Oh, heck. I’m out of the mood. Can’t write unless I’m in the mood. Can love you always, though, and do, all the time.”