Thursday, December 24, 1942
Dear Mums and Dad, Well here I am on my 72-hour-pass. Gee is it swell, Jr brought me down, we rode in an ambulance. We didn”™t do much yesterday afternoon, but had dinner with Oleo, he plays in the Symphony orchestra here and was one of the boys chosen to play in the Royal Hawaiian band. You know you are supposed to have Hawaiian blood in you before you can play in the band, But he is a long way from that. just a blonde Swede.
I wrote letters last evening and listened to my radio. It was broken, but Oleo came lugging it down here last night, all paid for. I could have skinned him, but you know the boys are so good. There are such few girls that it is deemed quite an honor to be able to get a date with a white girl now and then. They treat you like a queen.
A funny thing happened last evening in the lobby which is dark, only a few dim out lights. I met a young Ensign. Later he came by my door and wanted me to open the door so he could get my address, so when he comes in again he could look me up. Well I wouldn”™t open the door, so he stood outside and talked. It was funny and I wanted to laugh. He said he wants to meet me now for sure ”˜cause I”™m not like most girls and he was quite proud of the fact I wouldn”™t open the door, even though he said his intentions were very honorable, well I finally gave my address. Now I wonder what he looks like. I know he is tall and young but that”™s all and was he surprised when I didn”™t drink or smoke. He said I would just like to take a peek at me, imagine a girl, that don”™t drink, smoke, or open her door to strange men, then I told him no men. Well he just couldn”™t believe such a person existed. Oh well, I finally had a strange man in my room, a Jap at that, at 7:30 a.m. Yep, the plumber had to come up.
Today James is coming over and we are flying to Hilo then on way back we hit three more isles. Boy am I thrilled and then we are going to dance at night here. My first dance at night since the Blitz. I am wearing a blue net formal. It”™s a beauty; it”™s like the one on the front of the Life magazine not long ago.
Jr is coming over Sunday morning and we are going to the show Mrs. Miniver after church. James likes to go to church and we manage to go to the post church. We have services in the Red Cross room. The children of the school painted the windows so they look like stained glass church windows, really beautiful. We are giving a party for the doctors, all 23. We are having a light lunch, a few presents. We exchanged names. I hate parties but guess I”™ll have to go. We all just come and go as we are told, we just take what comes. It”™s a funny place, but I like it.
One half day off duty and I would like to go back. Sorta miss the same ole routine, up at 6:30 a.m., lights on at 7, work at 7:30, off at 7:30 p.m. fun though ”˜cause here you never know what”™s going to happen or when.
Really beautiful here. The poinsettias are beautiful as large as wash basins and double. Well must close as I”™ve written a letter over my quota. Best wishes to all. I”™ve written to both Grandmas and sent them some papers. When they get some more coconut syrup I”™ll gladly send some to Mrs. Richmond. I sent v-mail card to John E. Too bad she was alone when she died. Tell Helen Marie they boys all wished she was here. I showed them her picture, just like the girl that wrote to the soldier in Australia, she said “what have those Auzzie girls got I haven”™t?” he said “nothing dear, only they are here.”
That was cute about the hula dancer. I”™ve been sitting here thinking about what all we will do when you get here. I can see Dad in hula shirt, ha ha. Wouldn”™t Uncle Paul look cute?
Say, see the Show Fire Over the Philippines there you will see Hickam Filed blown up and very good pictures of Pearl Harbor. Bye now.
Aloha Nui Loa ”“ AraBelle