Thursday, January 25, 1945

Up at 5:45 after Rachel's terrific coal hoisting crashed into my troubled sleep. Made a cup of Nescafe while waiting to see if the stove would melt under the load of coal she had put into it. I can tell by looking over these pages that I am without grace or humor...yet when Jimmie leans up against a wall to laugh at me - I know that the joy is there and needs only to be evoked. Very curious Svengali effect. I wish I knew something about it. If I could go home with Jimmie now and spend the rest of my life with him, I know the years would pass like the flash of a V-3. Such small hands - he still looks like an altar boy most of the time (High Church!).

A harrowing day: called J. to say goodbye and gave him this telephone # in case he'd be sent elsewhere. The Colonel had come through! He stays. Met at the Rec Hall at 4 for coffee with the clubmobile. Met at 8 in the Mess Hall for 2 hours of talk.