Letter 8, July 29, 1941

Dear Mother & Dad,

Received your letters today, they were both grand. Keep it up and maybe I won't bet so homesick.

Well, tomorrow is the big day. I leave the school and go to the plant. By Thursday, or Monday at the latest, I should be working. I had three more tests today and they wound up my course. Tomorrow, L32, my class number, will check out, and we will start replenishing our empty pockets. After two weeks, that is if I start Monday, I'll have a pay check. It will be a new one on me but it's one I am quite able to stand. But, if I start working this week, I will get paid a week from Friday. It won't be much because they hold your check back a week, and I will only get paid for two days, but it will help.

I would like to have seen the celebration over the Twenty Forth. Hope I don't ever have to miss another one. Heart very little about it down here, but what I did hear sounded to me like I missed something. Yesterday was a holiday for Brid, Nels, and myself. We all slept until noon. Gad, but it was great. I miss my sleeping in. When we finally got dressed, after an hour or so of talking shop etc. we ate breakfast and went to down town Los Angeles for a game of golf...miniature golf. For forty cents you can play fifty four holes. The first thirty six cost forty cents and the next eighteen are free. We clowned around there all afternoon, came back and ate dinner, then went our various ways. Brid went to see Dave Perry, another Salt Lake boy, and this little piggy stayed home. I had some studying to do for the tests I had today. I didn't realize when I left that this course would be so difficult. The shop work was easy but there were a few technical details I had to learn, and their being new, were very confusing at times. It's all over now, thought, and I can see it was well worth it.

Your offer of money interests me very much. I hate to say so but I think I could use a little. Hope your not pinching pennies to send it. Would still have some but I didn't' want to see Jim starve, so I let him have it. Will write you tomorrow and tell you what happens. They even hand out diplomas, at school, I understand. Write Soon. Love, Tom

P.S.

Just had to add this note. I don't know how to start but I am certainly going to try. I want to thank you for what you are doing for me. After seeing what some of the fellows are going through, outside of school, to get this job, makes me sick and realize how lucky and what wonderful parents I have. Love, Tom

Thank you again and again- - - - - - - - After reading that over, I want you to know that what I have said, is by no means a farewell.