March 21, 1956

Dear Rosetta:

The end approaches.  Only 17 more days before we are released. Now that it is almost over it appears to have gone by fast.  I shall probably look back on a large part of it with nostalgia.

It has been cold the last two days or so.  Those peach trees I wrote you about barely escaped being destroyed by the frost.  There were a few snow flurries in Augusta which was enough to make headlines in the papers.

We have been receiving news of the blizzard in the North.  It must be very difficult for you to get around.  I wonder if it has been cold in the apartment.

One by one, the members of ACO 42 are coming to me for editing jobs on their theses.  So far I have corrected 11.  John says I should not correct them since it will bring the curve-grade up but I don't see how I can refuse.  Besides, the corrections I make are really minor--spelling, rephrasing, a sentence or two, etc.

Rita wrote to me again.  Curiously enough, her letters are light and entertaining.  She writes quite well.  I shall answer her letter tonight or tomorrow.

Tonight, right after I complete this letter, I shall go to see 'Picnic'.  From the reports I have so far, it is an excellent picture.  I will review it in my next letter.

One of the things I have been dissatisfied with is our food.  It has been quite tasteless and ordinary. There seems always to be a shortage of the meat course and this is depressing.  They do have an abundance of potatoes, desserts, syrups, hot rolls and plenty of salad.  But I eat none of these things and the salad dressing is always mayonnaise or French dressing, neither of which I can abide.  One ray of sunshine:  there is all the coffee you want available.  I consume gallons.

The barracks is very quiet.  Everyone has gone to see the movie.  I will venture to say that many of them will be disappointed, having merely gone because of the pressure of opinion which says is it a "good" picture.

You remember I told you that the Iranian likens a woman to a snake.  To him the snake is sensuous, and I suppose it is, if you can forget conditioned prejudices. . .

I shall close now since in this mood I should write nothing but trivia.  Will you forgive me if I close with all my love

Buddy