May 18, 1944

England

May 18, 1944

 Dear Mother & all,

           I got your letter of the 7^th today and was glad as always to hear from you all. I just got out of the show and met one of my buddies. He was desperate and had a problem on his hands. He had a date with and English nurse tonight and was scheduled to go on duty tonight also. Well I don’t suppose I need tell the rest. Ha. I am taking his turn on duty while that ungrateful dog is out having a good time. That’s the way things goes in the army, but he would willing do the dame for me anytime.

            It doesn’t seem the right time of year for school to be out and what is even funnier is that I just graduated a year ago tomorrow and it seems like it was years ago since I went to high school. I have really learned some things in this last year though, things that I couldn’t have ever got out of books. You would be surprised how educational the army is. You find out that the world and the different people are all like in a hurry. There are lots of experiences and sights, I have ran into, that I hadn’t ever given second thought to before when I the things you learn in the army are really worth the money and puts you straight on a lot of things.

            Did you have a nice mother’s day? We had a real nice dinner I already told you about it. We have things pretty darn nice over here I think. I am going to go to London to look it the first of next week if something doesn’t turn up. Maybe I can get you some little souvenir from there.

            I have done up my weekly washing the last two days. Darned if I had ever realized how much clothes I dirtied before. Now I know how much trouble you used to have keeping all us kids in clean clothes and can really appreciate it. When and if I get married, damned if I don’t help my wife with all the washing of clothes and dishes cause I know how it is. All I want her for is to look at and love and if we have a couple of mean kids, we will soon learn them how to keep their clothes clean and not dirty so many dishes or beat them to death. Ha.

            When I was coming to work last night on my bicycle, one of the fellows eases up behind me in a jeep and honks his horn. It scared me and I ran off the road and tipped over on the bike. He rode off laughing and me cussing the day he was born. This morning I came in off work at six. I went to this jeep driver’s tent, pulled all his covers off him and him out of bed, then climbed into his warm bed, shows and all and would let him back in bed for half an hour. It was a frosty morning and a wicked thing to do, but it made me feel better.

            I’m getting so fat I can’t hardly get around. Rosalie will quit me sure if I don’t reduce before I get back. Bye. I must write Rosalie – now.

 Love to all

Your son,

Max