15 May 1956

Dear Folks

At payday this morning, I drew the grand sum of $19; shortly thereafter, I learned our schedule had been changed, substituting Istanbul, Turkey, for Salonika, Greece. I quickly mounted my horse & rode off in all directions. I’ve got to get some more money, somewhere….Then, to make the morning even more enjoyable, we had a mail call, at which I received my fifth consecutive nothing from you.

This afternoon, however, we had another mail call & got three, on your new stationery (which meets with my approval). You’d be surprised what mail (or lack of it) can do to a day.

Speaking of TV, did you happen to see "A Night to Remember" a few weeks ago? It was about the sinking of the Titanic & all the critics raved about it. Sure wish I could have seen it.

Towels—big ones cost 60 cents, medium 45 cents & little (wash rags) 30 cents; I can get tons of them, but compare prices first. As I said before, you can dye them any color you want.

My car insurance at Pensacola cost $126 for a year. Which. is just a little more than $72. The road maps came today & were greatly appreciated. I’ve got to write to that garage soon & tell them to fix it up for me (battery, hydraulic fluid, oil?, grease?, wash it up, & all that).

You liked that picture of me? Let’s put it this way—it wasn’t as bad as some of them, but it’s still horrible. Of course, I spend my life on the inside of my face, looking out, & I suppose I sort of imagine things that aren’t there, or rather change things that are there around.

We’re still wearing blues, although it’s warm enough to make anyone happy. The result is that we roast. Yet, when we switch to whites it will be even worse because they get so dirty so quickly. Oh, well….

No, I haven’t received any brownies or handkerchiefs for several months, but am looking forward to them.

As for your binoculars, dad—they’re all packed & ready to go, except for two things—one of them is the fact that I need some brown wrapping paper—which chose this time to make itself very scarce, & the second is money—I can’t afford to send it until next payday. See? That’s what you (I) get for trying to save money. Oh, well…..

Nick went ashore tonite; Coutre is around but I don’t know where, & Lloyd is studying for his Seaman test, which is to be given tomorrow morning. Tomorrow afternoon, both Cou & Nick are going over—I have so much work to do I’ll be working all day.

Coutre just came back in, with his "Lift-That-Barge-Tote-That-Bale" spiel, then he left, expecting upon his return to find 1) the trash cans emptied, 2) floors swept, 3) desks dusted & washed, & 4) chairs straightened. Boy, is he going to be surprised!

Upon re-reading the first paragraph, it sounds like a hint. It wasn’t. Besides, it couldn’t reach me in time to do any good; we’ll be long gone before your answer gets here.

Oh, yes—two visitors from the Intrepid (CVA-11), which pulled in this morning, have said we are not going to Istanbul at all, but right home, arriving June 15 as originally originally originally scheduled. You would think Christ had spoken to His disciples the way everyone takes it for gospel, All I have to say is---Hmmmm.

Well, I think I’ll close for now. Please send more stamps—lots more.

Till next time

Love

Roge