7/16/39
Darling:
What a perfect day it is. It is cool, the sun is out, and the sky is splotched with big, fluffy, cumulus clouds. There is a nice breeze, and for once, Camden seems to be quiet.
The hike was moderately successful. The campsite included a screened-in cabin, a lake, and nice surroundings. One of the troop committeemen owns a part interest in it, and he and another stayed there all night with us. I was most fortunate, for they didn’t interfere at all with my program, and were most useful. The troop is sponsored by the most prominent American Legion post in the vicinity, and all of the men know their camping rather well.
We had a dip and a campfire Friday night. Although the kids didn’t stop talking until about 2 p.x.,* I went to sleep anyhow. They arose at about 4:30, and camp was under way by six. Part of the kids played ball and quoits**, while the rest of them passed the tests. Then we had a couple of hours of boating and swimming. During this, one fellow got his toe cut halfway off, and I sent him into the doc. He received four stitches and an anti-tetanus shot. Lunch over, we had a treasure hunt (for a can of spaghetti and one of tomato juice), followed by a swim. We concluded with a general clean-up and inspection. I got home by about six-thirty.
I slept until noon today, and am still tired. The nervous strain of 21 young Italians was terrific. The last scoutmaster they had just turned them loose out there and they expected me to. He let them go swimming any time they wanted to do and didn’t make any effort to observe normal safety precautions. A couple more hikes and I shall have them in better shape, and then it will be more of a pleasure. Nevertheless, I had a good time.
I’d certainly like to have you here today.
As for school, since you are so damned sweet to wait for me, I feel the best arrangement is to wait until I have enough saved to complete the degree without working. Then, when I graduate, I shall have no ties and can do what I please. If I continued with the RCA on a part-time basis, I would feel obligated to work for them at least another year on full-time after I had graduated. This may not be desirable.
If you write to JH, tell him I yet love him and will write when I get a chance. I have about a dozen letters to answer.
Lots of love, Cy.
*Buddy occasionally uses “p.x.” as a time indicator and I’m not sure if it’s a typo or if he’s playing around with “pm” and using “x” as the time between evening and morning? I can’t find any reference to “px” in radio slang, etc.
**quoit: a ring of iron, rope, or rubber thrown in a game to encircle or land as near as possible to an upright peg; a game consisting of aiming and throwing quoits.