As usual, Sakashita was barking drill orders in what is known in camp parlance as the Daily Puke.
One of the English girls has taken to pipe smoking as there are no more cigarettes or paper, only strong leaf tabaccy which has to be tempered with guava leaf. Most smokers will do anything for a smoke. All of them are groveling slaves to a stimulant.
Notice to Hospital Patients and Visitors: “Those caring for the sick are underfed and may be actually ill sometimes themselves. . . . The hospital is crowded far beyond convenience; repeated efforts to obtain other supplies and facilities (light bulbs, for example) have met with little success; the supply of some of our most valuable medicines is becoming depleted; nevertheless the policy that all internees too ill to care for themselves shows be hospitalized is being maintained, so try to overlook the inefficiencies of an inadequate staff with very limited facilities and demand as little personal service as you can. Signed by the Medical Committee.”This rubbed us all the wrong way thoroughly.
From a distant black line of planes like wild geese we heard the sound of bombs. Over the blue range 12 bombers crossed in a straight line. After them four others very high and directly over camp, each glistening white the sun. One very fast plane dashed aside, showing a circle on it—then a stage whisper from the onlookers, “A star in the circle and 3 stripes on the other wing!”
Jerry and the kids had a meal outside with me, bringing a plate of cool green lettuce from the ‘‘hako niwa’’ (box garden), with a masterpiece made by Jerry—a meat pie of camotes, pork loaf and soup stock, with a crust of cassava flour. We reveled in it and enjoyed being together after seeing our own Americans fly overhead. At last, they came like many birds.
Yamato asked Bedie if he knew Wick and the other one who escaped. Bedie said of course he did. Yamato counseled, “You must not try to escape as they did, for we will stay to protect you, even with our lives.”
There was a thrill, happiness, radiance and hope all over camp. It will be harder to wait than ever, now. Jerry’s cheeks and throat look awful—sagging croutand full of hollows.