Dear René,
Writing to you, seems to have become a regular habit with me. I frequently say to myself, “Don’t be so silly, René will think you’re quite mad” but here I am, with half an hour to spare, not allowing you many days rest between writing.
It’s very good of you to reply so frequently, and I hope you don’t think I’m mad writing so often, tell me if I am. Quite a pleasant surprise to hear from you today, your letter of last Sunday, (that’s five days). The mail is not so fast as it used to be, seldom we get delivery in less than four days, usually five or more. None of your letters have any postal stamp on at all, do you give them straight to the pilot! But it’s most unusual, must ask one of the fellows who comes from B’th if his are the same.
So you are full up, with visitors, bad show, from our point of view, but that’s an inevitable factor of living at a holiday resort and everywhere seems to be the same; in fact queues are not all, if one hasn’t a regular shopping list the rations are all swallowed up too by them. It’s jolly hard luck whichever way, and people are simply gasping for holidays now aren’t they? Rotten having to wait so long for so little, keep cheerful however, for it won’t always be as crowded, it is too, just one result of the war, and people being cooped up so long.
Well, I can’t promise long letters all the time, so you will have to be content with spasms, I’m afraid, especially in the next fortnight, night duty is oh! Such a sleepy time. Harry, the cook just off, says it’s a fortnight of “bulging eyes” and that about describes it. He was becoming so bad tempered and irritable, that’s one of many aspects of a cook’s life, of course there’s a much brighter side too, the story of plenty to eat which, René, really would make coffee and sandwiches rather insignificant, perhaps it’s just as well, with so big appetites, that we are in the army for the present ration period, any how, getting back to the writing, shall I write you a book one day? I suppose you’d be too busy to read it, so I’ll stick to letters for the time being eh? Perhaps if there’s nothing else to do one day, I could tell you a few points, if you say you would like to write really interesting letters, it’s quite easy though there is quite a bit to it, but who says you don’t write good letters? I think you do, even if you have a wobbly table! I’m quite cheered up when the mail from B’th arrives now.
Have you had your studio shot taken yet? I’m quite impatient, which is rather a cheek, it will have to be a good one to better the one I have now.
Life is a bit of a problem isn’t it? I wonder what you will do, go back to Cadena, I know all about shop hours, from Gwen, who has always worked in the retail: long hours, snatched meals, little time off, poor show, and I had several spells in shops before my pre-war job at Robinsons. It never was progressive enough for me, having always been the impatient sort.
The fellows say I’m very patient in the kitchen, but they don’t know what goes on inside my head at times! Quite a battle of impatience! I think though that the war has taught me a good many lessons. Not being able to have one’s way all the time is a lesson, and there are many others. As you say, the higher cost of living must be a very big problem, something we know little about over here.
Oh yes! The boys were highly delighted about the election, they even cheered a news reel featuring Attlee. There are some good Tory members; the trouble is having to choose the party instead of the individual.
So the old folks don’t appreciate whizzing along in buses? Must be a very quiet town, have never been to B’th, so don’t know, there appears to be a large residential population there which would account for any ‘Victorian’ reserve.
Glad you had the weekend off, what did you do with yourself? Not often is it? Every seven weeks, you must get rather ‘browned off’ with collecting fares. There’s plans for buses with ticket booths now, ones where ex-services chaps, especially crippled, will be able to operate without dashing up and down stairs, expect you know all about that. Hope you can get next weekend off too, rather fun with Dad and Pat down with you.
So the painting depends on when you get the paint, you wouldn’t delay it would you? You were good at watercolours too weren’t you? I remember, about the only thing I do remember about you, seeing some copies, which you had done. That’s a thing as hobby of the past I expect with so little time to spare isn’t it?
That answers most of the leads in your letter, apart from the film shows. They are definitely ‘out’ for the next fortnight; I’ll be just working and sleeping, or trying to!
What sort of a time did you all have last week? Interested to hear, what do you think of Pat? Poor kid, I upset her I think, as I wrote in my ‘clever’ way, and she thought I thought she was a silly girl, so must put things right again. I believe she thinks rather a lot of me, so anything meant as a jest might not be appreciated in one so young.
Well René, it looks as though I must begin work in a few minutes, so must finish now. I’ll probably write on Sunday next – will try anyway.
Meanwhile I’ll look forward to our letters very much indeed, and only trust it’s not being a tedious burden having to write so often it will be either having a paint brush or a pen in your hand won’t it, don’t get paint all over you, I should laugh! But can’t shout because I spilt a lot of tomatoes all over the store today!
Cheerio for now, keep smiling.
Best wishes to Auntie,
Fondly
Eric
