Cpl Roman F. Klick 36620923
Co "A", 353rd Engr Regt
A.P.O. #502, c/o Postmaster
San Francisco, California
2 November 1043

The picture went off very well after I got it started. We began the film at 7:00 P.M. instead of 6:30 as formerly because of the lengthening day as we go deeper and ever deeper into our Spring. Where I had trouble was at the very start of the picture when the pulley like wire which turns the reels was disconnected. When that was adjusted, the picture ran through without one single break.

It was another of those creepy murder mystery stories and at the same time a comedy with the dialogue of Bob Hope. The picture "Night to Remember" with Loretta Young was spooky but at times even the plot and action became ridiculous to provide a laugh. In this evening's picture, the plot, setting and action was all tense drama and Bob Hope carried the entire weight of the comic relief. That is the best picture I have seen him in.

It was still before nine o'clock when the picture was finally over and the last minute work in the booth taken care of; so Larry and I went to the shower room where the water was still very warm and where we got rid of the accumulated dirt of the day. Funny thing but we can take a shower with steam rising off of our backs; yet when we can walk about a few minutes later in the night air without feeling chilled or exceptionally cool as we do back home after a bath.

About a week ago or less I told you I had begun my shorthand lessons once again. Frankly, I didn't think they would last because I was very busy on another study which I have been plugging away at for some time. It was immaterial to me whether my endeavor in the shorthand field succeeded or became a postponed affair because I didn't want to interfere with this other business. The only reason I haven't told you about it up to now is because I was afraid it might become one of those plans of mine which I continually tell you about and then never do.

I have been studying my French and making use of all the books you sent out to me plus my new French-English dictionary. My goal was to build up a vocabulary first before trying to branch out into either reading it or writing it or speaking it. Up to now I've attempted, from time to time, to do every one of those three things but each time I ran up against my limited vocabulary which made it impossible to take two steps without reference to the back of the book. Technically and psychologically it is the wrong way of attacking the subject by learning a vocabulary first; but I believe my memory is good enough to do me the good turn and store the works away for future use.

Each day I try to learn thirty words and when I slip behind I try to make up for it. So far I have added 349 new words to my French vocabulary but am 100 behind schedule. However, right now I am working on a group of 100 new ones which will keep up the daily score and knock down a few from the 100 I'm behind.

So far they have only been nouns and descriptive words. I figured that first I would want to know about the things people read, write and talk about. Then I will learn the verbs later to know how to link these things together and make sentences, read them and understand them. Perhaps 1000 words will suffice for a beginning and then I can work on the verbs.

The other day I read all about Basic English in the Daily Times and reasoned that the same words in Basic English should be just about the same words used in Basic French if there was such a thing. I became determined to translate the English into French; but to my surprise, the vocabulary in the back of the novel, "Gil Blas", states that it contains all the words of A Basic French vocabulary according to some committee of modern languages. That has simplified the job. I keep my fingers crossed hoping that I'll not falter with this undertaking.

So-long,   /s/ Roman   Roman