Cpl Roman F. Klick 36620923
Co "A", 353rd Engr Regt
A.P.O. #502, c/o Postmaster
San Francisco, California
20 November 1943
Dear Aunty Clara,
Saturday
Blumenfeld came here today on a visit. Believe it or not! I finally got it out of him that he had vowed never again to come and see us but because of his reluctance to tell me why he had never contacted us and his repentance, I forgave him. Neither he nor I would gain anything by breaking off relationships that way while we can still have a few good times together going swimming or maybe playing tennis in town. Incidentally, he has invited me to spend my three days pass in town in his tent. It seems that several of the fellows sleep in private homes instead of the regular quarters and those are available for transient soldiers who may be visiting or passing thru.
Because of the exceptional circumstances of his coming back for a visit, Lt Yantis allowed me to take the afternoon off to take him around. Larry, Blumenfeld and I all went up to the old swimming hole for a few hours and then came back to have a cool drink of Orange Juice. He has gone now since he wants to be back in time to eat supper with his company. The new 1st Sgt Wagaman was on his way back to his Company so Blumenfeld considered himself fortunate to get a hitch-hike which will take him all the way back.
Lt Yantis just came in from town and said that I was to be congratulated. I asked him why and he said that my payroll was the only one which did not come back with errors. All the other line companies and H&S must make corrections. So when I said I turned a perfect payroll in for the second straight month, it really turned out to be perfect.
Well, I was at my old hobby today. Designing and constructing foot lockers. I have the plans all laid out in my noodle and have managed to get all the necessary lumber from the old boxes thrown away by the PX. I have already selected those pieces I am going to use and will only need a saw and a hammer to put them together. It will follow the plan I originally sketched for you some while back. There will be two parts. One will be an actual locker space with a cover while the front part will be merely a shelf with a canvas cover. The best part of it was when I came back to our tent after the swim Joe Bauer had some lumber in the tent which he said he was going to make a foot locker out of for me. You see, Censky made himself one today and somehow or other Joe figured I should have one too. I wouldn't want that type because that is the kind of I got rid of to Eddie. Actual lumber makes the box too heavy.
For the fourth time this month and the second day in a row (something which hasn't happened in more than two months) I did not receive any mail. That is my fate catching up to me for not answering my letters promptly during this last week.
The picture for this evening is "The Kid Glove Killer" but I'll never have to worry again about who is to run it etcetera excepting for the occasional times in the future when I will take over for Brown when he wants a day off. I wasn't going to go see the show at first but after watching myself waste a perfect evening last night, I might just as well go to the show if I'm not going to write letters in that time anyway.
By the way, Cain isn't feeling any too well and it looks as if he may have to drop out of the show. That will really put the whole situation on my hands and he really was the chief organizer of the talent whereas I was more or less a script man. We have yet to have our first rehearsal and I hope to get the fellows together Monday evening and then one more time before the show goes on Thursday night. Snelsire is becoming worried as to what we are going to do about the show and pictures as Thursday night is practically sitting in our lap.
Beer was on sale again tonight and as usual Edie received both Larry's share as well as mine. It is amazing how quick some of the fellows can start to feeling good after only 3 cans of that stuff. One fellow asked me today if I signed the payroll for him; he didn't remember signing it because he had a few snifters inside of him at the time.
So-long, /s/ Roman Roman