Dear René,
I’m hoping this finds both you and Auntie, keeping well and jogging along alright.
I don’t know much, what to write about, there’s practically nothing new since I last wrote. Anyhow I thought I’d be a “good boy” and say something. It’s one of those days when one feels a little “fed up”. I don’t know why, no mail again today as no planes are in yet, perhaps that’s one reason. Another reason is that there’s so little to do unless one makes effort, and I’m frightfully lazy and tired, more lazy than tired. This evening I have promised one of the chaps that we’d go over to the farm for a look around, it’s too hot at present to go for a walk, so thought I’d take this opportunity to write you again on my free afternoon.
How are you René? How’s work progressing? And what do you do in your “off” time. Have you been anywhere special? Seen any good shows? Are you going to send another big list of films for my opinion? What’s the weather like now?
I see in today’s paper that the Conservative candidate “got in” again for Bournemouth. Did you vote? We did, we had a special ballot day, some of us sent ours direct by post as I did. It was a new experience for me, it seems an awful lot of fuss to make over a cross doesn’t it? Well, let’s see what sort of job, Labour makes of parliament now, I wish them luck as I do any party which gets in but prefer to see a plain spoken, straight forward, fair to all policy, I hope there is one and I really think there is.
It’s Saturday afternoon, I’ve just finished work and am now sitting out in the garden, writing on an old form, not very comfortable, so please forgive the wobbly writing, I believe you use a wobbly table too when you write to me? Do you? I would have gone into Bologna today, but really René, it’s too hot, and you have to wait around in town ‘till 10.30 for the return lorry, and it’s usually very late when we eventually rattle up the hospital drive.
Last night the mobile film unit gave us “The Woman in the Window” E.G. Robinson and Joan Bennett, it was quite a thrilling murder, tho’ I don’t like that type so very much, think I prefer a good story, serious perhaps with good acting, rather rare these war crazy days. What type do you enjoy most? “The Good Earth” I think was the best film I ever saw. Haven’t had chance to see the more recent ones, well adventured ones, and I hate the silly Yankee shows of plenty of noise and glamour, rather see a quiet well acted English film. Do you ever go to a play? We have some theatres in Bristol, I often used to go with Mother, Pat & Gwen, they are very keen on amateur dramatics themselves. I used to be too and look forward to getting back for a spot more if I’m not too busy after I get home. We, that is, mother and I, Gwen & Pat differ here, were very fond of singing, I still do a bit occasionally, we have had one or two concerts and I sang at them, we had a choir for about six months, until everyone was posted away and now it’s “frozen”. Mother was also very fond of elocution, she used to go out a good deal, reciting, even after she began having trouble with health she persevered. Gwen still does the same too, I gather from her letters, perhaps she told you, or was she more modest?
I expect Dad & Pat will have come and perhaps returned home by this time, did you show them around the town? Were you on late shift as you feared?
We are rather busier than when I last wrote, lots of diets, that’s my job, bits of this and pieces of that. Indian diets (curry, rice, fish & eggs) light, fat free, dysentery, officers etc etc: at the end of our twelve hour day we feel absolutely “corked”, something like a bank holiday rush on your job I expect. Are you looking forward to your release? What are you going to do, have you any plans? It’s a very big problem to some of us, it probably is to people in similar war-work.
Well René, sorry this is such a bad letter, I don’t honestly feel like writing, a bit “browned off” today, will do better next time, or else you can tell me if I don’t.
I hope you are both keeping very well. Please give my best wishes to Auntie. To yourself, best wishes too, and here’s hoping to hear from you shortly, when you are not too tired, and sitting in front of a large coal fire!
Best thoughts & wishes,
Your’s very sincerely fondly,
Eric
Tags: Bournemouth
