Work Text:
Steph,
I’ve arrived and am settled in, writing this from my barracks shared with two dozen other WACs. We received the rest of our uniforms and gear and I can safely say our exercise dress is nearly the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen, only beaten out by the hideous mud brown underwear and slips we’ve been given to go under the uniforms.
Classes and exercises don’t start until tomorrow morning, so we’re taking the time to unpack a bit and get our bearings. Small problem as one of the other girls has discovered we only have four irons. For the entire group, not just our barracks. This is going to be interesting.
Met a couple of nice girls on the train, hope they’ll stay friendly. Martino Albanese’s sister is here, so it’s nice to have a face from home around.
Going to keep this short and I’ll write when I have something more interesting to tell.
Hope it’s not too quiet without me around, but at least you’ll get some sleep.
Sweet dreams,
Becky
Dear Becky,
Glad to hear you’re getting settled. Looks like Gina already wrote her Ma about you being there too, expect cookies. She said that she’s happy there’s two Brooklyn girls there to stick together. I think you’re now automatically included in all the family prayers now, too. Between theirs, your parents' and mine, I think you’re going to be pretty well covered.
Not a lot going on here yet. Picked up a job drawing the new sign for Wittner’s Cakes, so that’s good. I’ve stuck some of my sketches in here so you can see – drawing cakes is fun, but it makes me hungry. On the bright side, they’re paying real well and Mrs Wittner gives me something to taste every time I go by with sketches. I’ll be fat by the time you’re done.
Yeah, it’s a lot quieter without you. No one makes smart mouthed comments about my cooking either, so it’s a win-win.
Sweet dreams to you too,
Steph
Steph,
Thanks for the letter and the sketches. The cakes look amazing, really elegant and yeah, they’re making me hungry too. They’re going to have the fanciest sign on the block and it’s all because of you.
Speaking of sketches, I found the one you hid in my suitcase. Sneaky! I love it and I’ve got it stuck up on the wall beside my bed. All the other girls are jealous that they only have photos or magazine pictures and I have a Steph Rogers original. You know, they don’t let us actually fire guns, but adding it to the pinup was a nice thought – makes me look like a real tough dame.
So far my days start early, there’s marching and calisthenics, then breakfast and after that we start classes. There’s so much to cover and the teachers are good and mediocre by turns. Funnily enough, the classes taught by other WACs have much better information about what we’re actually doing while the ones taught by the regular Army officers are in turns boring or jam packed with information. I like the tactical and strategy class the best, but the typing can go jump.
I hope you’re taking care yourself and not drawing so long you forget to eat.
Forgot to tell you, heard some birds singing in a sycamore tree the other day.
Yours,
Beck
Dear Becky,
I ended up stuck in bed for a few days (just a little summer cold this time - nothing to worry about, mother hen) and I might have gone a bit overboard with the sketches. Feel free to share them with the other girls, I think I drew every movie star in the last three issues of Silver Screen Magazine.
Zinda from H&H looked in on me and she and her sweetheart brought by some soup, which was real nice of them. Don’t think I don’t know you asked her to keep an eye on me. But, thanks.
Since I haven’t been outside, I don’t know much about what’s going on in the neighborhood but I do know that Mary and Keith are engaged, but he’s been drafted so the wedding’ll be sooner rather than later. I feel sad for her, having to be left behind while her fella goes off to war, but hopefully it helps him to know that he’s got someone who loves him waiting for him to get back home.
Sweet dreams,
Steph
Steph,
Thanks for the drawings, the other girls really liked them too and there was a bit of a fight over who got Clark Gable. Josephine Wright snapped up Marlene Dietrich, said the likeness is really good and she’s a big fan, so she’d know. Jo and I have gotten to be good friends over the last few weeks - we’ve got a few things in common that mean I can share a bit that I can’t with some of the others. Though not to say they aren’t nice girls or anything; it’s just that some things are too private to spread around, you know?
Best to Mary and Keith when you see them next, I’m real happy for them. I can imagine that it would make a real difference to a soldier knowing that his sweetheart is there, safe and sound, and imagining the life they’ll get to have together when he gets home. Dream a little dream, hey?
There are some brass coming by the camp next week. Probably to make sure we haven’t started pawing at the men or forgotten how to clean the windows. We’ve been practicing our salutes and marching in formation, I think they’ll be impressed by us WACs. Hopefully impressed enough to give out a nice assignment somewhere warm...
Make sure you’re taking care of that cold and give Zinda my thanks.
Nighty night,
Becky
Steph,
Can’t really say much now, but I’ve been requested to stay on longer for some specialist training. On the bright side it means I’ll probably make Sergeant before I get home.
Sweet dreams,
Becky
Dear Becky,
Not a long one from me this time, I promised your best guy he could add a note in with mine. Just this once, but he said he really misses you and how can I deny that face?
I picked up some work at Miller’s, three days a week behind the counter because Tom got drafted. I know it’s not art like you want me to be doing, but it’s work and it’s not in a factory, so we can have this fight later.
The girls at the automat send their best, as do Millie and Mr D from across the hall, and I’ve enclosed a drawing I did of your sisters the other night when I was at your parents’ for dinner.
Nighty-night,
Steph
Becky,
Don’t be mad, I begged Steph and she gave in. I just couldn’t go too much longer without telling you how much I miss you. You’re what I think about when I wake up, when I go to sleep and most of the time in between.
I’m so proud of you. Even though I miss you every day I know what you’re doing is important and I think you’re magnificent. What are the chances of getting a snap of you in your uniform to keep in my wallet?
It wouldn’t be polite to go on more in a letter, but I will say that the memory of kissing you keeps me afloat and makes every day brighter. I love you.
Always yours,
Steve
Dear Steph,
Tell that sweetheart of mine he’s in some trouble but also that his note made my whole week. It’s nice to have something so… real to hang onto when the days are long and I’m missing home. I don’t have a photo for him, but maybe we can get one when I’m back in town.
Speaking of, looks like I’m finishing up the extra training soon and should be home within the month. I’ll let you know exactly and I’ll write and let Ma know too.
I will say, what I like about being out here is the stars shining up above you. Not that I’d trade New York for anything, but it’s been something nice to have when you’re missing everything else.
Yours,
Becky
Steph,
Home next Friday. STOP. 4pm train at Union Stn. STOP.
Yours, Sgt Rebecca Barnes