Sept. 18th, 1943

Dear Dad,

Happy Birthday Dad! I sent you a telegram late last night but I don't suppose you received it till this morning. I was only sorry that I could not get into town any sooner but it just seemed to be that every time I tried to set out, something stopped me. I have had quite a few night classes this week and that has certainly put the kibosh on a lot of my plans. So I will just have to trust to luck that you got my telegram OK. today. You'll know that I was thinking about you anyway.

Well, tomorrow I'm going trout fishing for the first time in many years as you know. I am on a 48 hr. pass and so decided to indulge in a little of my favourite sport. Evidently they trout fish in this country with worms and catch them too. Pop, the fellow I'm going fishing with says they've been biting like savages for this past two weeks after laying off all summer. So maybe I will have good luck and catch a mess myself. I have also got an invitation to go deer hunting later on in October, but I don't know whether I'll be able to make that because I hear it takes about four days for a really good party and as you know, the most I get is three. So I'm afraid I'm going to have to pass that up, much as I hate to because now that I've learned to shoot, I really would love to deer or moose-hunt. I hear there are some bear around here too. The one thing I don't like about these hunting parties though, is that everyone seems to consider them a great opportunity to get drunk. I have never seen a country town quite like this one. Every man in it carries a bottle on his hip and the women seem to be the most promiscuous I have ever seen! Everywhere you go, you hear talk about them and you can't walk down town without having it practically thrown at you, it's worse than Shaftsbury Ave. and Piccadilly Circus at midnight in the blackout - and I guess you know how bad that is.

Mart Kenny and his orchestra are in town tonight and I'm going, though I guess it will be pretty badly crowded. They always are. When he came down to Moncton, you couldn't crush your way through the doors of the drill shed where they held it! But I have to go because I promised Mary that I would learn to dance before I went back to England, and that is one promise I want to keep. She's such a beautiful dancer that I hate to ask her for a dance because I'm such a bad one myself. I love it too, but I have never had any proper lessons. I have an idea I could be a good dancer if I was taught properly but somehow, I always seem to have missed out on it. Anyway - if I ever get to be half as good as you are, I will be happy.

Have you done any fishing this year yet? I suppose you have been pretty busy but I hope you have managed to get in at least a few days. I certainly would like to go salmon fishing - but by the time I get home again, the salmon season will be over. I don't expect to graduate till the middle of January and then I'll probably get two weeks leave.

Well Happy Birthday Dad, and many happy returns of the Day. You should be good for at least another thirty. Tell Mom that Jack Stevens was one of my best friends in the Reg. I joined up the same day he did and we were in the same squad together Overseas. I am very sorry to hear he got this... I guess all the lads are now in the thick of it!

Your ever loving son,

Jim