Beirut, Lebanon

25 October 1941

To the Birthday Girl,

Happy Birthday! You'll get this after your day of festivities, but know that Addy and I were thinking of you today. I've enclosed something I hope you'll like, it's not much since I didn't have a lot of preparation time from your last letter (next year will be better, I promise).

[a muddy paw print interrupts and partially obscures the end of the last sentence.]

Addy says happy birthday too, the scamp.

Please pass on my congratulations to Clara and Eric; hopefully, she'll pick a color you enjoy wearing. And there's a chance I might see it in person? There's talk of starting a rotating leave in the new year, and supposedly our brigade is towards the top, but it's a rampant rumor - who knows how much truth there is to all of this. We're all starting to get homesick, I think. Lebanon is wonderful… but it's not home. I'm honestly excited at the prospect of going to class with you, it'd be something different, and I've refrained from telling my sister about it because I know she'll tease me to hell and high water about it. I solemnly promise not to distract you from taking notes - you have it in writing, Almost Doctor Harvey.

And to answer your question, my birthday is at the height of winter: June 9th, well, winter in our neck of the woods - it was very strange to have a hot birthday this year.

I'm glad to see you're going to take both my advice and Mrs. Collins' advice; I can't guarantee that I won't get hurt, but getting bored of you? Of our conversations and letters and friendship? Never, Alice, you never bore me. I'm so glad you took the risk to talk to me because my life has also been enriched because of you.

"Handsome as a rogue"? I prefer rakishly handsome, thank you very much.

Happy Birthday again, and I hope you had a wonderful day - you deserve it.

Your Friend, the rakishly handsome, gallant soldier you know,

Matthew

[with the letter is a separate piece of paper with a wonderfully done portrait of Adelaide lounging in a beam of sunlight - her eyes closed and content as she sleeps. Near the bottom, Matthew has written: "Snoozes in the sunlight, not a bad idea, eh? - M"]