Friday, December 11, 1942
Dear Mums and Dad; Just a line this morning. We just heard the news about Singapore, gee darn but that”™s too bad, but things like that do happen in the best of families eh. I was a little sick to my stomach this morn. So the patients got up and fried the eggs and such, which was pretty swell I think.
I went around the island on a motorcycle the other day and what a trip, I saw such large pineapple fields and the sugar plantations. Each plantation is complete, that is they have their own schools, hospitals and such. I tasted the fruit over here that we call guavas, they sure take the cake. I definitely don”™t like them, but most of the people are crazy about them. I also picked some bananas and they just melt in your mouth when you pick them from the trees ripe. I also had some bananas, that are called strawberry bananas, they taste just like a strawberry and smell like them too. There are very few trees of them here. It so happens that one of our nurses, who was born over here, has some in her yard at home so we were lucky to get to taste them. The avocados here have a hard shell on them, while the ones back in California are soft.
I walked in from downtown Honolulu last evening and the sights I saw it prove quite interesting here at times. For instance I saw one of the natives walking down the street all dressed up fit to kill, with no shoes on and when I passed her she spit half way across the street, almost like a Tennessee hillbilly. They are kind people, but very crude. Most of the people here wear the Japanese shoes which look like a flip-flop. They are just a small wooden base with a strap on top. I am going to send you some soon. Once you get used to wearing them I guess it”™s hard to get used to shoes.
The dern ants are so thick here on my table, they keep crawling up my arm, the dern little monkeys. The other night I had a lizard, two big cockroaches and whole swarm of mosquitoes in my room, so more fun was had by all and no rest for the wicked.
You know when I came over here I was with some Australians and everyone here was under the impression I was an Auzzie, so we got to kiddin them and Bob, the boy from Australia told them I was a bloomin”™ Limey, which is our expression for an English man, anyhow. The kid told some of the kids I was originally from England and that my dad was in the RAF, had been for 12 years so everyone thinks I”™m a Limey and when I deny it, they laugh and say, “yeah” so I guess I”™ll remain such while I”™m here on the post. They even think I talk like one. Course I picked up some of Bob”™s expressions, such as when we were on the boat he used to call me up and say, up me “Chickie, it”™s a lovely die out, aye”. so that is the way it is and is to remain thus I guess.
Anyhow there is a boy from Illinois that will send you some pictures and he thinks I”™m quite the stuff, but he also thinks I”™m a Limey so I makes him think so, just for fun, aye. This boy is a nice kid 23 years old, but he lost his eye and I feel quite sorry for him. These patients here follow me around like puppies. Captain said he could always tell who was on duty by the crowd around the office door. Now isn”™t that the limit? There are only 42 on the ward and when the biggest group of them gets up it”™s quite a crowd ah guess. But we do have fun making hamburgers and etc.
I received the Valentine”™s greetings and it was so nice thanks a million and ”˜bout sealing our letters, we are not allowed to so for by official order so until then they remain open, but I think the that censors them should seal them. Anyhow some of your letters are censored and some ain”™t which seems funny.
I”™m going to have picture made of me in my helmet and uniform next month I think. Did you mean you wanted some more pictures of Jr? I haven”™t heard from Slip for a long time. I only got the one letter from Jr and that”™s all and he said he sure appreciated your card and that he wished to thank you very much but couldn”™t write as they did not want them to write anymore than necessary. We are having rather rainy weather here now it has rained a lot. Must run.
Aloha – AraBelle
PS -Sometimes I wonder if Sted ever wrote ”˜cause I have never received any letters yet. I have not received the questionnaire as yet. I am crazy? Anyhow Call Xenia up and tell her hello.