p29  September 26, 1941 . . . .

Monday. Today a holiday. My other wife who must have neglected to open his eyes yesterday had to be held down to be prevented from going to Chapel. We have had a great deal of trouble with him in that respect. There was the time it was Monday for him for nine days. We have drawn our books for Academics. This year is going to be just dandy.

Tuesday. First day of Academics today. My other wife returned from History with the firm opinion that his instructor smokes opium. He says he would like to try some himself, for his instructor, though obviously living in a world of dreams, is very happy and tells very entertaining stories. I have found things under flat stones that had a larger cultural understanding than my other wife. Philosophy is a most trying subject. However, my sane wife has finally grasped the meaning of everything in the book up to and including the title page and my other wife opened his slide rule case all by himself today so we are making definite progress.

Wednesday. Today we went to the drawing academy. All my five blood corpuscles, evidently appalled by the altitude, rushed to my temples and throbbed. There has been something lacking in my life since the end of gym that is lacking no longer. My sane wife quite happy as he says he derives the same esthetic thrill from sharpening pencils as he does from shining his b‑plates.

Thursday. My sane wife, who still sleeps in the top bunk, dreamt he was a Stuka last night and after glancing off three walls without touching the floor crashed in flames in the shoebox. They are going to have to give him crawling-to‑class slips. Philosophy again today. My other wife continues to regard the marks on his slide rule as mere fanciful decoration and persists in setting it by thumb breadths. I would not mind if it were not for the fact he gets closer answers than I do.

Friday. The change from French to Spanish has been most difficult for all except for my other wife. At the end of last year "oui" and "asseyez‑vous" comprised his vocabulary and his pronunciation is such that they could have been in any language so he does not have to forget anything and what knowledge he has he can still use. Today we drew again. I never knew one could sweat and suffer from oxygen starvation at one and the same time.

Saturday. S. I. today. The Tactical department seems to have regarded that forty demerit clause in the "three days for third classmen" announcement as a direct challenge.

Sunday. My sane wife, carried away by a great emotion, gave his young lady one of his b‑plates last night. Now he is terribly worried for fear he can be sued for breach of promise. I fear West Point has warped his sense of values.

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