Saturday, February 3, 1945

Had a very nice party indeed at our RC building in the evening for Maj Yeats, who is going to the continent. "Bloxie" was up from Salisbury - I was more or less paired with Col Bartlett, Dusty with Capt Mira, Soph with Maj Brown and Capt Clemm. Delightful Scotch and food - daffodils on the table. Missed Jimmie and called him twice during the evening. Dusty was under the weather so I brought her home about 12.30 and returned to the party. Nice time really.

Called Flt/L Parker in the AM - made a date for Wednesday to explain my change of attitude. Wonder what I'll say?

Friday, February 2

A Western "Opry" at the movies and the boys out en masse. Never had a bigger crowd in the evening. The snow was gone and the evening sky was Spring. Jimmie stood outside the door with me and talked for an hour - then later an hour and a half in the mess over coffee. Each time is more wonderful. But he's taking away the feeling that I'm in England. It's back to Delaware County, Ohio - I'm 16 - he's back from college for Spring vacation. How can such things be?

Wednesday, January 31, 1945

Went to the Detachment Dance with Jimmie - later to the mess for coffee with him where we met Leo and the boys. F/Lt John Parker was waiting at the club for me all evening but of course I had no way of knowing that until I got home and found very disapproving superiors - J. and I must be very careful to avoid being talked about as "going together." Separation for any reason is unthinkable. We are building up a scheme of diverting people from the main issue, which we call the Red Herring Dept. Red Herrings are other dates, other apparent interests which might lead people to think I'm not very interested in Jimmie, and vice-versa. We just move around in a daze as it is - look at each other and smile - can't believe we're so much alike, but know it's true. Except for MUSIC. Those slender, childish fingers with their sensitive pads are so highly skilled and so perfectly obedient to a volatile mind, it fills me with awe.

Monday, January 29, 1945

Day off - Tea at Mrs. Gray's in Cecily Hill. Although it was Monday and my precious day off, I called at a few wards, shooting the breeze with the lads, and took a mirror to one. Shopped in the PM - went shopping for stove lid lifters, films, tobacco for J., and music paper for him. Wound up at Cecily Hill for tea at the Gray's - very quiet and sweet with their three beautiful children, Phillip, Antony, and a most stage-child daughter. It was snowing heavily when I came out - walked to the hospital all alone and arrived at the hut covered with snow. J. back from the country with the entertainers - we talked until they were through in the wards - then went in the ambulance with them back to Malmsbury. The first time we've ever been so alone - on the return trip. It was as new as my new found love. Later coffee again and radio gossip with Leo. Floundering in the snow at last - as usual in gales of laughter - I'm still dreaming...

(pictured: View from Hut 110, Christmas Eve 1944)

Sunday, January 28, 1945

Office in the AM early. Jimmie came and had coffee with me there while I wrapped Purple Hearts. Talked to a father in Scotland, and later got his son to talk to him on the phone. In the PM all sorts of requests. J. in the office for a while. I went to the hut for a while to have tea with Olive and Sally who were down from Birmingham. Jimmie came to the bingo game at the Rec Hall and we talked madly for 2-1/2 hours. The boys were awfully funny tonight. One came in on crutches with his pants falling off. Didn't know whether to replace them or ignore it! J. and I stayed in the mess and had coffee, and then I took him to rehab where he's billeted. We are in the middle of something so terrific that it scares us both. I didn't know it was possible to be a mental twin - I don't see how we can ever separate! (pictured: Red Cross office from Rec Hall)

Saturday, January 27, 1945

The Flight "Leftenant" back from Bruselles with perfume, nail polish, powder for me. Because of my Magnificent Obsession F/Lt Parker is no longer anyone but a nice, sweet Britisher. At the club Jimmie did his usual gorgeous piano work and passed the odd moments with the little blonde entertainer left over from the Rec Hall show. I was so occupied with my Jimmie that all my thoughts were there, and it was perfectly obvious to John, who said I was very charming but no longer his girl. Hard to explain really. Shall have to do it though. The Colonel says my radio shows are all right -

In the PM took bunnies to the wards to make, and told a psycho case how to learn to read music. Very interesting day -

Friday, January 26, 1945

I was standing in the Rec Hall at the movies talking to some lads when Jimmie's voice came over the PA system. It was a thrill - fortunately the movie film got twisted and nobody could fix it, so we had shorts and I heard most of his palereo - Big Time - mellow. I knew he was excited, especially after I called and they wouldn't let me talk to him, because of something. I said, "Listen, I've got through to Bob Hope without this much trouble". He kept sending me little messages in his requests - and referring to our Red Cross foolishness earlier in the day and once said, in explaining the atmosphere in the studio, that "great crowds" were there, " so you see how it is, children." That was me. We went to tea at the Manse, at Major and Mrs. Dugale's, in a taxi - snow on the pines and the Cathedral framed in the window, and everyone loving Jimmie for his sweet talk and fingers making such fairy sounds. Played Clair de Lune for me. A concert later at the Rec Hall. Terrible not to be able to talk. But later at the mess.

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.

Wednesday, January 24, 1945

The club opened its new bar - pictures - free beer. When the colloquy started over detaining Jimmie from leaving, I detached myself from the Colonel and the psychiatrist and S. and walked away, my stomach having descended to my shoes. It was apparent that the Colonel had no intention of recalling him to our hospital. S. got in her spade work - said that as long as he isn't going to combat anyway - this hospital should get him before the Replacement Center assigns him somewhere else. The C.O., not knowing an arpeggio from an ant-eater, doesn't know he has anything in the Livingston. S. finally got a promise from somebody to detain Jimmie from leaving until his case can be reconsidered. Asked to be called early so she could check on it. A wonderful machine, the Army. Jimmie got paid his four pounds today. I was off duty tonight so we talked steadily from 6:30 - 9:30 in the Rec Hall. Like music...it stops at 10.

Tuesday, January 23, 1945

Another patient talent show - Dusty was ill so I was on duty alone. People came from nowhere and played guitars and things. Jimmie played "Stardust" for me as one of his numbers regardless of the fact that three piano keys were silent!

He told me before the show that he's ordered out Thursday. We talked and had coffee at the mess, and it suddenly occurred to both of us that it doesn't matter where or when we get together - we are irrevocably a joy to each other, and ever shall be. "Such a small girl to affect me so many different ways" - That's me. Small.

The talent show was a hodge-podge of the worst G.I. taste and talent, but Jimmie, smooth and cool, played like an angel. In spite of the news of his leaving we muddled through very nicely. The Hospital (Center) called for our PA system - so that kept us waiting for an extra hour - the nicest hour!