Out of deep sleep, I found Jerry sitting on my bed trying to explain to my befuddled brain why he wanted my watch and silver filigree bracelet, the result of two past anniversaries. He is trading it out sub rosa, hoping for exchange in food—peanuts or sugar instead of money. Then he can trade these in camp in exchange for milk or Spam or beef. Without even a look or qualm, | took it off and handed it to him. He oozed relief. Food is a terrible problem for the three of them. There was so little rice this noon that they simply had to open a can of beef and his mind began to figure new ways out of the dilemma. Again we will eat diamonds, platinum and silver, to keep our bodies going. Jerry said he was all in after pushing the wagon up the hill. June was weary after doing a large washing. I made her fix up a glass of calamansi juice for them all. Bedie’s grades average 81 which is an improvement. I told them about the three aides who almost fainted because of hunger and dehydration. So we live from day to day, waiting, weaker and weaker, for the Americans.
Natalie Crouter
(October 30, 1898 — October 15, 1985). Resident of Vigan and later Baguio in the Philippines. Interned by the Japanese with her family in Baguio, then Bilibid Prison in Manila.
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