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Cpl Roman F. Klick 36620923
Co "A", 353rd Engr Regt
A.P.O. #502, c/o Postmaster
San Francisco, California
August 18, 1943

Dear Aunty Clara,

The moving picture we saw this evening was "Crystal Ball" with Paulette Goddard and Ray Milland. It was a rather entertaining picture but I'm glad I am not running the show tomorrow night because it wasn't that good that I will want to see it over again.

It seems that after only knowing Steinhauser very faintly as a name of one of the men in H&S Company your letters mentioning him have started the ball rolling towards my knowing him rather well. I told you about my other meetings with him and this evening he was the truck driver assigned to ride me over to the other outfit.

Frankly, and this must remain a secret letter now, he gave me the low-down on Miss Reed. It seems, if his story is to be trusted, that Myrtle really had a crush on a fellow down at work who was already married and had a ten year old child. At the banquets and parties given by the office, he claims that Myrtle just threw herself at him and the fellow, instead of acting like a married man, accepted her as his office sweetheart. So there you have it -- a Bob Richard-Eleanor Angsten set up with Mr X and Myrtle Reed taken the principal roles.

I received your letter of August 7th and was sorry to hear that Stack passed away. It was almost evident that he had reached the last stages from what Uncle Jack had told me in his letters. Perhaps he was just as well off to have gone now than to have lingered on and suffered even though Uncle Jack said "Some life is better than no life at all". There are times when the conditions of life just aren't worth the effort and struggle necessary to keep it. If you haven't already written me more about his death and the other things in connection with it, I wish you would do so. When did he die (morning, night, etc) and who was with him? Why did they bring him back home from California and what did he actually die of? It seems that all these people who are sent across the continent in a casket look a lot better than those who die at home. Clarence was a handsome looking corpse if you'll allow me to be so gruesome.

But to have Uncle Jack home again. That was good news to offset the tragic part. He was almost just as good as gone being away from home for such an eternity. How long was it? About four or five years. Tell me, how did he look, what did he do, what did he think of the changes in Cicero, in Chicago and what did he have to say? I hope he stays home instead of wandering off again and perhaps never coming back again. He belongs home and if he can get a job (which shouldn't be difficult at all) I think everything could work out alright. Incidentally, his being home makes me feel that I ought to be returning to make the family fill out to its right proportions once more. That is a good idea there, isn't it?

Poor Larry Isaacson! He came in with me to write letters and he could just about make the first one and ever since I have begun this second sheet, he has been resting on the desk and dozing off every once in a while. Personally I could join him in the restful slumber because I don't feel any too wide awake myself. It is just about quarter to eleven at the present time and if I can make it to bed within the next half hour, I should have a fairly decent night's sleep.

I must say that your letters have been quite full of news and all very interesting. It seems that something is always happening. And then Aunt-Aunt and the rest wonder what there is to write about. I am expecting the package with the French books to arrive any day now.

Evidently this Yvette Fayard whom I mentioned in one of my letters but a few short days ago, is no small timer. From the latest gossip going the rounds, it appears that she has set her cap high and does not go out with enlisted men. She dates majors, captains and lieutenants.

So-long,
/s/ Roman
Roman