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March 27, 1945

In this letter, Johnny apologizes for his lack of letters because he is still in the hospital, at this point for nearly a month. He notes that he's feeling better because he just received a backlog of mail, including some from Geraldine that included an old letter he sent her early in their courting days. He also describes the hospital ward that he is in, and notes that there will be no pictures forthcoming while he's in the hospital. No one around him had a camera.

March 27, 1945

Dearest Geraldine,

Well honey you really ought to give me a good kick in the pants for not writing you before but I just couldn't get in the mood. The fact is, I wasn't in such good shape last week however, I'm feeling much better to-day. I can say that two ways, speaking from a physical standpoint and from one of morale. The morale comes in with the thirty-four letters I received yesterday, my first in over a month from anyone. Eight were from you, including three numbered as you mentioned one to three. I noticed three you wrote after these were not numbered so I presume you gave up the idea. I simply can't imagine what you had in mind unless you figured someone was taking your letters. I'm sure no one would do that.

I got quite a kick out of the letter of mine you enclosed. I'm wondering what your reaction must have been when you received it. I notice I had sold my car two weeks previously. I must have gone out that night or the following one and bought my last one. Perhaps that accounts for the screwy letter as I remember being all excited over the car when I got it. It really was a honey, however, I'll be making myself homesick if I'm not careful so I'll desist.

By the way, since I won't be going back on the train, I doubt if I'll be able to send you any more snaps since there will be no camera available also no printing equipment. I may be lucky and get with some of my old buddies who do have cameras. Speaking of pictures, that was a lulu you sent me. A damn good picture of the fence. I could have used to have been there at the time. I can imagine what you said. Harold's a lad after my own heart. His tricks remind me of a friend of mine named Jack Latz. He's a S2C in the navy. He can run Bob Hope a close second any day. You know you want to be careful when I'm aroused with my camera after the war. It's got a fast enough shutter and lens to stop a bird in flight so I'll be getting some candid shots if you aren't careful - such as the one on the fence. Before the war, when you could still buy flashbulbs, I had my outfit over at my boy friends' house and took a picture of his dad shaving. What a face he was making! I got a good one of my dad too. Pictures often turn out better indoors with the flashbulb than they do outside in sunlight.

To-morrow will give me exactly one month in bed. I'm in a private room, by the way, so I'm really 'fixed up' in style. It's about as nice a room as the one I had in Buffalo back in 42. They moved my in here at the end of last week and the main fault I have is the lack of company. There are three of these rooms in the ward. Out in the ward proper there are what they call cubicles, like in a beauty shop with cloth or rather sheet walls and sheet front. There are two beds in each so I had someone to gab to. I don't think I'll be in here too long though as they're talking of putting me in another ward. Maybe I should explain what a ward is. Each ward is a separate, single story building. Covered walks connect all the wards, in fact you can walk outside all over on a rainy day without getting wet - if they let you out of bed. Each ward has its own kitchen, latrine, utility room & office so you see it's a complete little unit in itself. They should make all hospitals this way, only I guess they'd take up too much space.

I hope you're right about my sister making a happy marriage. She's twenty-seven now and the early twenties are the best time for a girl to get married besides which she has Loraine and Nancy. I'm sure I don't know how she will make out. I wouldn't rush into anything if I was her for she has her freedom now plus a good job. Either one would be hard to give up.

Well hon, I've reached the end of the line so here I'll leave you hoping you are well and not working too hard.

All my love,

Johnny

P.S. Where do you get that way about my singin'. The fellows all say I'm as good as Jerry Colona and that ain't hay or is it?

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