Dart has been in the hospital for 44 days and still, no one knows when he’ll be released. He sounds very positive, though, assuring Dot that he feels better than he has for a long, long time. He sheds a little light on the need for his surgery when he explains that prior to it, his knees were getting stiff from the pressure of the cyst. Now his joints are flexible and pain-free.

He has received his first letter from his brother, Burke, who tells him Cleveland is having a white Christmas. He seems impressed that Burke went the extra mile of sending his letter airmail. (Remember airmail?)

He launches into a humorous little bit about his recent lack of mail, concluding that “My friends have forsaken me for more worldly pleasures, such as eating and sleeping. Acquaintances look the other way. Mongrels scorn my very presence…Oh, what have I done to deserve all this?”

Immediately, he chastises himself for the complaints, admitting that he’s had a great pile of letters and small gifts to entertain him up to this point.

He tells Dot of the big song fest they had on the ward last night, with several former choir members (Dart included) joining forces on some old favorites.  He also relates that he was on escort duty again.

He tells that several letters to him have been lost in the mail. (Not sure how he knows this.) He wonders if that might be the case with a couple of Dot’s letters to him, since he hasn’t heard from her in quite a while.

He closes with “I’ve run out of room and things to say simultaneously. I could extol your virtues, but I don’t think you’d believe me.”