26/9/19                                                                                                      D.B.Bearman

                                                                                                    Friends War Victims Rlf Cttee

                                                                                                   A.P.O.   S.5      B.E.F.      France

 

Dear Père, 

        The undershirts & ’BBs’ just to hand, after having had to pay £3.70 to the customs. The saddle, boots & books are all here also, though not yet unpacked & I now have them. Thanks very much. Was there not another typed copy of Paracelsus?

        The last few nights I have not slept very soundly: but I am keeping very well all in all. Last night walking home with Miss Fletcher, I had prepared many deeper thoughts to unfold to her – impersonal thoughts – but we ran into a French Mlle. artist friend of hers, & as Miss F. speaks little French I had to devote most of the walk to entertaining her while Miss F.walked apart. It was one of the humerous ironies of fate. But I found time at the end to touch upon what she meant by Platonic Friendship. I pointed out the dangers of the relationship but asked permission to mutually Platonize one another, since when she has been very nice. For some days now she has followed the example of the fellows here in calling me ’Beery’ ?– my old nickname in my London Office. But she is the biggest problem I have ever had to face: but I can face it disinterestedly.

        At dinner Lewis – our ’American-Belgium’ guest – was with us. Miss F. & myself were having a dispute, & Miss Simms intervened to the effect that we ought to be parted, for our seats always come next to one another. Thereupon Lewis started to tease us along the lines that there is a proverbial right to quarrel pertaining to lovers. We laughed over it all easliy at the time: but I realized afterwards what a great strain it had been.

        But these little things are but bubbles, though they agitate the surface.

 

                             Yours Sincerely 

                                       Donald Bearman

                                    Love to all

                                           Don

 

Ps.

    By the way Mr Young is going to be married early in November & wants me to be best man if you please!

    Of course I think I could manage to get my Xmas leave then instead of at Xmas, & I have written back to ask him if he really wants my ’assistance’ above others.

    I wonder what the expences would be – ie. For the suit etc. – the cost of the journey would come from my vacation allowance.

    What do you think?   Don