"Bitch" of a Day

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart

U.S.S. Ocelot, F.P.O San Francisco
Thursday 8 February 1945, 7:15 PM

My darling,
     Here I am again. This has been a "bitch" of a day. The way I was working today would make outsider think I was getting paid for each operation. Began the morning with a nice juicy cyst that almost extended into the nasal cavity. Then I had nine patients off other ships to take care of. By 11:40 I had removed a cyst, filled 14 teeth, X-rayed several teeth and extracted a couple more. After lunch I had a couple of treatments, lanced an abscess and filled another tooth. By then it was 3:00 PM. I was tired so I just quit.
     I was talking to a commander. He thought that there was a tax forgiveness on 1943 incomes for men in service during 1944. Ask Dave if he knows anything about that. After all we paid over $5000 and all or part of that would come in real handy later on.
     Did my letter of yesterday make sense? I was feeling pretty good as you probably concluded.
     The movie tonight is the "Woman in the Window" with Edward G. Robinson. It is supposed to be 4.0 I do hope so and also hope that it doesn't rain.
     No mail today. It has been several days now since any "bird" mail came aboard. I suppose I'll hit another jackpot in a few days. Also hope those other packages arrive soon.
     I got the "Esquire," January issue yesterday so I guess that'll be coming through now.
     Sweet, do you remember the long walks we used to take on the ocean front when we lived in Venice? Those were the carefree days but more are just around the corner.
     Nothing new and nothing different so guess I'll sign off with love and kisses for my whole family.

Devotedly,

Gil