John F. Zeller Papers
I’ve finished my homework at 9:30 tonightt for some strange reason -- so I'm going to spend the hour before lights out in writing this note and making a 10-minute trip to the PX.
I've just returned from the PX -- fast trip, wasn't it? I wish you could see the mob there. OCS men are not allowed to go after 7:20 nor before 9:30 -- so it's really mobbed from 9:30 to 10:00 (closing time). I could hardly get in. And I had to push + shove + fight my way to the candy counter. Supplies as low. We too are rationed. Candy bars are doled out three to a person. Last week it was five -- but things are tightening up.
Ice cream is getting more scare too - so the PX is tiyng to puch sherbet + ice. That's all they had tonight. I imagine your folks are really feeling the pinch.
Now to answer your letter of Jan 15th. Grits, Mother are like oatmeal or much. Hominy is corn, evidently soaked like rice or tapioca before cooking, for the kernals are big and white. I don't care for either.
Why don't you go visit, Isabelle or Aunt Va., Mother. It's the only chance you'll have -- for once Grandma gets back + with gas rationing and all -- you'll not get away again until fall. And I'm sure Dad won't mind eating out for a few days.
You don't need to think only Pa. is cold. A north wind blew in here Sunday night and Monday and brought below zero temperatures. Th infirmary was damned with frozen ears, noses, feet, + fingers. I was out in it almost all my Monday and my right hand, was front bitten. It's been numb ever since.
The wind is so biting that it really gets cold. Fortunately I do have enough convers -- so that its warm in bed, any way. The hat itself is some protection from the wind -- but it's just as cold as outside.
To top it all off the gas main broke tonight and we had no heat at all until almost 9:00.
We have another new roommate - dropped back from a class one week ahead of us. He had flu + was in the hospital 4 days. His name is Winskaitis + he's from Chicago. Lithwanian by nationality. Seems like a nice chap. He's younger than I -- and married.
I finally mailed the box last night. You should receive it about the same time as this letter. It includes the tin cans you sent the food in -- and some of Aunt Edna's too. My letters are in the cans. Also my diary -- rather poorly bound -- but it least it will hold together until I find a better binder.
My notice of promotion to Cpl + my Center School diploma are in the brown envelope along with my stripes OCS insignia, + your little crossed cannon, Mother. The Xmas menu and a few other things are also inclosed. You can put the Reader's Digest in my bookcase! They make such good reference material, I like to keep them.
I suggest you look through the mail + see who all sent Xmas cards. Then when you see the folks who remembered me you can tell them how much I appreciated it.
I hope to get into town this Saturday. Last weekend was too crowded, I didn't make it. If I do, I shall look for trinkets.
I haven't been getting the Bucknellian from the CA regularly -- so if you can without too much trouble, please send it along with the Journal + Sat. News. Thank you. We were out on the range Monday to fire our 1st gunnery problems in the freezing cold. I was one of the 1st to fire and did all right up until the very end when I got excited and moved the gun the wrong direction. I haven't received my grade yet -- but I have hopes of an 5. We were out again today -- not as cold this time -- and the rest of the class fired.
Friday we fire again on a different type problem. I guess from now on we'll be spending about half our time out of doors. I hope it gets warm.
I had a letter from Dave again. He wants to know what OCS is like, + how tough the entrance exam was. So I wrote + gave him the lowdown.
I also had a letter from Dick Nutt. He + Dottie all sailing happily along. He's decided to be a Methodist, and is to be ordained -- or whatever the Methodist's do -- within the next month
It's time for light out now so I'll close.