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

TO BE FILED: COPY OF LETTER SENT TO ELEANOR ON FRIDAY 11 AUGUST OR SO DATED.

Dear Eleanor,

Okay--- so I'll show you that I can still handwrite letters and that I can also use other kinds of forms besides V-mail. I realize that you never did actually say anything like that but after looking over the humorous "Dear Diary" cartoons which you enclosed in your last letter, I got to thinking that there was more truth to it than probably even you realized. The pica-type on some of the office machines are small enough as they are but when a single-spaced V-mail is reduced to one-fourth its size it really is small. As a matter of fact, my Aunty Clara wears glasses, yet in order to read my letters she does use a magnifying glass also! Therefore, after due consideration etcetera, I decided to give your eyes a break this one time at least and send an air mail letter. The why and wherefore of the pen writing stumps even myself unless it is that I want to show up your pen which folded right on the job for you. We fellows in the office bought the pens just about three weeks ago and are quite proud of them seeing as how they are Shaeffer Lifetime pens sold at ½ price at the PX.

Incidentally, it has been almost two weeks since your letter written from the Chula Vista Resort arrived, but I don't intend to apologize for taking this long to answer for in that time I haven't written one letter with the exception of the daily ones to my Aunt. And, moreover, on three separate occasions I began writing answers which were never completed so you can see that I have not neglected my duty.

The last attempt to write to you was this morning during work which is very unusual for it is not my habit to do that and, more practically, a person can't concentrate on a letter with other people around. I was a dirty trick I was playing on you also for the letter was written on 3 x 5 pieces of paper. Fortunately or unfortunately it was interrupted by various things and was thrown away. However, something arrived in the mail which determined that this evening a letter would have to be a must. I received your two Book-of-the-Month Club magazines and thank you very much for sending them to me. I haven't had a chance to read either one yet although I did notice their new policy of featuring a work of art on the front cover and then a word or two about both the artist and the painting. Enough of those and a person would have a liberal education in that field.

Whew --- here I am on the 3rd page and I haven't even passed the introduction.

Evidently nothing much exciting happened on the remaining days of your vacation as you didn't write an additional note about it. The name of the place "Chula Vista" reminded me of Fibber McGhee's Vista. How about the suntan, Eleanor, did you come back to work so very, very dark as you did one year? You know, it is funny when a person comes to think of it, how a person spends his vacation year after year. Emily Janak will always go traveling as far away from home as she can get. Lee will trot off to California, you choose some summer resort in either Michigan or Wisconsin and when I take my vacations they are spent at home going golfing and to the dentist. And each person has one swell time and wouldn't trade it with anyone.

The letter writing was interrupted for a bit while we fellows had a discussion concerning the relative time between here on Guadalcanal and home in Chicago. It is eight o'clock Friday evening right now while in Chicago it is four o'clock in the morning. In other words there is exactly an 8 hour difference.

But now back to answering your letter. Perhaps Marion Kuehnle is finally satisfied for I did not receive an answer to the letter I sent her after she inquired as to who the fellow was who wrote to her. I wouldn't want to hurt her feelings (I doubt if that's possible) but, frankly, I don't care if she does write. I've gotten along without her letters this far so I guess that it won't be very hard to continue doing so. Again (trying very hard not to be "Catty" but merely stating facts) Marion fits perfectly at an environment such as RH&R where there are so many factions and one more trouble-maker is always welcome. So much for that.

Say, Eleanor, where was Marie's wedding held? Most likely Mary Queen of Heaven Church since that is the one which she goes to. I'm not sure, but I have a hunch that I've received my last letter from Marie so I'll never get the first hand details of her wedding etcetera from her. Personally, I don't see where a person's getting married should have any affect on their friends but some people do not think that way at all. And I believe Marie is that kind. Do you agree with me? Maybe that's being too broad-minded, but several of my friends who are married today still go visiting other young couples who were friends of either the husband or wife in their single days.

That was a surprise to hear that Bob Garrett had dropped in at RH&R, somehow I had imagined him as having gone over to England. I wonder if he will come back to Rathborne and work for Frank Drews again? I doubt if Gary Walroth will return for he seemed too ambitious to remain in one place very long.

Hack is a swell fellow as bosses go & he is considerate of the workers in the office. I can appreciate that you do not wish to leave him in the lurch after he asks you to stay. In a way, I hope you don't leave Rathborne because if you do, it will never seem like the old place just like it must have seemed so different when Dolores left. Of course, if you no longer have a nice time at work with your associates and would feel that it would be to your advantage to go someplace else, it would probably be better to do so.

I've thought of the day when the war is over and we fellows come back. With the free year of schooling the Army now offers a discharged soldier I thought of finishing my senior year and getting a degree but another year of continued inactivity doesn't seem so appealing. I'd also like to take advantage of those GI loans and open up a business, but there again the risk is great and a return to RH&R looks the most promising of all. It is something like having a chance to begin life anew and not knowing whether to strike off on new paths or to continue as of old.

Thanks a lot, El, for listening (or reading) to my chattering and once again, thanks for the magazines. Please write soon. Best wishes for good luck and good health.

So-long,       Roman