25 February 1943
Vell, vell and how are you Aunty Clara:
Your nephew he is feeling chust fine.
The time now is twenty minutes to eight and, from the looks of it, today is going to be busy for a change. I probably mentioned this once before. The government is changing the War Savings Bond deduction plan on April 1, 1943. As a result every man in the company must fill out a new bond application. And the Company Clerk must type up these new bond applications. Company A was on the ball in this respect; however. Jack Molyneaux beat me to it yesterday when he typed up a notice to his company and then sent down a standard mimeographed form for the men to fill out. I began thinking a bit and, by golly, if it didn't turn into something. We used to use a form for bond subscriptions which came in quadruplicate and now only a triplicate copy is required. As a result we can dispense with the fourth copy. I tore them out and gave that form to the men to fill out their new subscriptions. When I told Molyneaux, he was chagrined. It stunned him for a minute because that's the first time the Company Clerk of A Company beat the old timer (clerk for over a year or more) of Company B at a shortcut in the business.
I typed up two letters last night after coming from the show. Yes, Aunty Clara the show again. This time I saw Jack Benny, Priscilla Lane and Rochester in "The Meanest Man in the World" it was a rollicking comedy. The two letters I typed up were to Uncle Jack and to Eleanor. As I was sitting in the show I thought about Uncle Jack. We used to write more often back home than within the last three months.
Do you know what? My face looks fatter. It hasn't that drawn look nor those sunken in cheeks which you never liked. You won't recognize me when I come home --- short hair cut --- fat face ---.
The two first bugles have blown and work will commence in a few more moments. I will not continue this letter until the bottom of the page but will quit it the moment work starts. If I get that work out of the way, maybe I'll have time to write this afternoon.
Yesterday afternoon, after finishing the letter to you, I tried to do one or two things but kept falling asleep; so I went back to the barracks and took a nap until chow time.
According to the regularity Bob Hesser has been returning his chess moves, I should receive one in the mail either today or tomorrow. This time I will be prepared. Do you know what (again)? I was so busy during the first moves of that game that I made several mistakes which I believe will be costly with a player like Bob.
Incidentally, while on the subject of chess playing, last night a fellow who is a good chess player and whom I hardly know nodded a hello to me and I helloed back again. Then I mentioned chess to him and it seems he is anxious to find someone who can give him some competition. He has been playing with beginners mostly. He is the chief draftsman upstairs and a S/Sgt. His name is Curry. We have a sort of tentative arrangement to play a game this evening if we get together.
Solong,
/s/Roman
Roman