p.

3

I am doing my best. Last month, my mess bill was the
lowest I have had yet - & I have brought off some
more coups with my clothes. Those three pale khaki
shirts from Cole, on which I had the collars turned
twice last summer were quite worn out again; & so
the tailor has made new collars from their tail
flaps, & very neartly sewed up some tears. And also the
two wool shirts from Cole had worn out collars,
& I suddenly realised I had two spares, & so now
they have been fixed on. Quite a triumph, I felt,
& rubbed my hands together like an old miser. The
same tailor has also patched up the two pairs of
shorts from P.Rs, & they are now in use again.
Clothes are an awful price now - 25/- for shorts,
which used to cost 8/- & £1 for a very
ordinary shirt, which was 6/-. I feel that this is just
one more little reason for coming home in July
this patching & repairing cannot go on forever.
I am not in the best writing form tonight - & have
taken two hours to get this far. But I keep stopping
to think about coming home - it is almost too big &
wonderful to imagine. To really be with you, & at
the worst to be in the same smallish country
& be able to go & see each other by means of such
small things as buying a railway ticket or getting
a few days leave. But I must not write about it
any more until something happens - but I cannot
prevent myself from thinking. I shall go to bed
& think now. XXX H.

Monday May 25th We had roast