In this letter, Dart responds to an old letter from Dot – the one she wrote just after receiving his letter about the two of them getting engaged. He thought it was one of the best letters he’d ever received. She was so articulate as she expressed some very mature ideas about the sanctity of engagements and what that public declaration means. He agrees with her 100% and knows that they are right for each other, now and always.
He admits to some confusion about the censoring of letters and believes that maybe there isn’t any going on any more. He has just erred on the side of caution until the policy is more fully explained. Regarding his recent sense of impending doom related to Dot, he believes he wasn’t far off the mark. Her harrowing horseback ride must have been terrifying for her, and she could have been seriously hurt. He’s grateful she wasn’t, but he thinks that’s what he was sensing.
He tells her about several liberties he’s had lately. Mostly they involve going into town and eating anything and any time they want. Sometimes they catch a mediocre movie, but it’s pretty tame stuff he’s involved in. Once they went to the local amusement park and he rode the Octopus. Since Dot mentioned her ride on a similar contraption, he writes, “Now you know how the Haggard rides in a rough sea. Only our old rust bucket is a bit more tame, but much more prolonged.”
Because he has only 24 “points,” he doesn’t expect to be out of the Navy for several months. Still, he’s hoping for a miracle. When he’s in Cleveland on leave, he’ll get his records from Case so he can begin working on an application for whatever college he plans to attend next.
It has started to pour outside, just as he must walk over to the mess hall and then hike to the ship for an outdoors watch. “Speaking of watches (pun), Mom and Dad sent mine to me yesterday. It came in good shape and is now ticking merrily on my wrist.”
When he returns from watch later that evening, he writes that it has just struck him that since being back in the USA, his letters have lacked any notable love talk. He intends to put a stop to that, and not let the distractions of being back on dry land deter him. Still, he’d rather be holding her in his arms and whispering the words into her ear. “Please remember always that I love you; that my life’s devoted to YOU.”
