"Still bet you could drink me under the table" - January 4, 1943

L.A. Winsauer
T-4 36212741
Div. Hq. Co.
APO 253
Camp Pickett, Va.

Miss Jean Johnson
Sheboygan, Wis.
Sunday Nite

Hi Darling,

It's just some late, but I've been going to write you since early this morning and didn't, so late or not here goes.

One of the kids in the detachment came back from his furlough this evening and brought two quarts of 'the stuff' with him, so we got a case of cokes from the P.S. and had a little party in the back room here at the Dispensary. Not much of a party, but in this G.D. army a little goes a long way. We played poker, drank up the two quarts in a hurry, laughed a lot about nothing and at 12:30 had one of the boys make some coffee in the sterilizer. There was still some fruit cake, cookies, and candy left from the xmas packages so we killed that off with the coffee and it tasted prety dam good. The poker game broke up about 15 minutes ago and everyone's left for the barracks except Chris and myself (He's also writing a letter) and the Charge of Quarters who's sound asleep in the next room. (Boy and is he snoring)

What did you do New Year's Eve? I stayed here in camp and saw the New Year in here at the Dispensary. Nearly all the fellows in our outfit were over here and we did a lot of bitchin' about the army and that's about all — everyone wishing they could be with their wives or gals, but non harder than yours truly. Just wait till next New Years or the New Years after — darling we're going to paint some town just some red — and I don't mean perhaps. You must have done allright up in Monitowoc last Tuesday night, according to your letter. I don't see why you'll never soak 'em up like that when we're out together — 'still bet you could drink me under the table — not that I'd want you to but you do once in a while when we're not together. You "sposed" I'll be mad at you, but heck hon' you oughta know that's slightly impossible. 'Course I may be a slight shade of green and perhaps would like to try out the old one-two on a couple of those boys from Manitowoc — but that's just 'cause they're lucky enough to be with you and I'm not — you can't blame me for that (Wanting to slug them, I mean). Hell, someone could kick me around the block and back and I wouldn't mind — if it meant I could be with you for one night, (I'll make that an hour) and baby that's for sure.

I still haven't looked up either Bill Brick or Sammy but 'am going to shortly. Especially Sammy — I suppose he's wondering what happened to that quart of Paul Jones Benny gave us.

Haven't had the chance to go to Washington either — we're still busy as hell here. The latest rumor has it that we're not going across as yet but are going to leave Pickett for some other camp in this country — either in Texas or Florida. Boy I wish they'd make up their minds.

'Hope you're over your cold now — mine cleared up in about a week, but boy it was nasty while it lasted.

Well darling it's now 3:15 A.M. so I'm going to hit the hay. Goodnight for now.

I love you

Louis