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Sgt Roman F. Klick 36620923
HS 1393 Engr APO 709
c/o PM SF Cal
1 August 1944

Dear Aunty Clara,

Tuesday

I got rather peeved at Jack today. I've been letting him read my Daily Newses ever since Uncle Jack has been sending them to me and, in fact, not only does he read them but also two other fellows which means that they are having quite a circulation. But he doesn't even want to wait for me to read them myself or even open them up. Several weeks ago it started when I had left an unopened Daily News on my desk and meant to come back to read it. When I did come back, it wasn't there but I found a Daily News in the waste can on the other side of the room. He admitted opening it up but not throwing it away. What had happened probably was that after he read it, he laid it on my desk and walked away. Someone else came along, read it and then discarded it. I talked to him about that so it cured him of leaving opened Newses around which I hadn't even seen yet but he began taking them out of my desk or cabinet drawers, opening them and putting them back. I didn't like that either for an unopened news is neat and one day I opened the drawer to be greeted by a very untidy looking pile of papers. I get enough bawling outs for the other things I used to keep in there and I don't see why I should take them for Jack. I again told him that he ought to wait till I let him read them or else ask me if I had any opened instead of just helping himself. Well, today I blew up when everyone in the office received their newspapers and I didn't. It was rather funny because a fellow in the next building gets the News and he received four of them today. Just before going out to chow I asked Jack if he had seen any newses for me but I didn't get any answer. I then told him that it is a serious business opening other people's mail even though it is a newspaper and belongs to a friend. I told him that I didn't like it and for him not to ever do that again. Just a little bit ago I got the papers (four of them) all opened up with the wrappings laying besides them. Now he is pretending to be peeved with me thinking I'm selfish or something like that but I don't give a hoot anymore because it is the principle of the thing. Be friendly with some people by giving them an inch and they are like the camel and take a mile.

I'm sorry that these noon hour letters are always so full of my troubles but just like Eleanor finds that it relieves her to tell me her troubles so I find it a relief to get mine off my chest by writing them to you.

In the mornings mail your V-mail of the 24th arrived along with Aunt-Aunt's Cicero letter. I can't understand how they did allow us to send those articles on Guadalcanal home before we were allowed to say that we were here. Perhaps the base censor knew the restriction on the name was going to be lifted so he also passed that article.

So Aunt-Aunt still insists on giving you several birthday presents, eh? I guess there is no stopping her once she gets her mind made up to do something.

The day has been far busier than most days for a month or so and it looks as if there will be a succession of such days during the rest of the week. Far from getting that half day off which I am entitled to for remaining in the office for some seventeen hours on CQ Sunday, it appears as if I may find myself working overtime one of these evenings for quite a few things have come up which require my attendance. It doesn't make much difference whether or not I have a half a day off or not. Remember in New Cal how they even posted my name on the bulletin board to take a three day pass and still I didn't take advantage of it. The kind of days off I'll really snap at are the furlough kind.

Today is payday and most of the available spending money is going to be gone before the day is over since I still have to pay for some of the pen and the postage on the bracelet.

The funniest thing happened this morning. I stood Reveille in a most sleepy condition and immediately thereafter I undressed and went back to bed once again. Suddenly I woke up with a start, everything was dark, the barracks empty and there was a quiet like there is when they take the report. I jumped out of bed in a start thinking I was late for the formation and then I just slumped back in bed as I realized I had fooled myself so and tried to make a second Reveille formation in the same morning.

So-long,   /s/ Roman   Roman