Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 13 - Part 3 of 11

7.3.44
AIR MAIL
Michael Billings

Mrs. M. Billings
548 Barkers Road
East Hawthorn Victoria

VX38483 SGT. M. Billings, 
District Accounts Office, 
NEW GUINEA. 9. 3. 44 

Darling Kay,
Once more Dad appears for another yarn and will be greatly 
helped by the delivery today of yours of the 4th and first of all, I was 
elated to read that Richard and you were feeling fairly well although 
your reports on the doings of the little chap give one a bit of food for 
thought. Seems to be a perverse young devil to be sure but as his spirits 
and supply of energy seems to be boundless, there can't be anything wrong 
with him. I know that, at his age, he should snooze a lot and eat plenty, 
but if the beggar just insists on living the whole day through at top 
speed and is averse to the change over in diet, naturally he wont gain much 
weight. Anyhow, don't let it frazzle your nerves, pet, for a momentary halt 
must be expected at a time when his system is learning to absorb totally 
different food and conditions. Glad to see another letter from Jungle 
Mick has been a ray of sunshine in an otherwise dreary day, what poisonality 
that guy has. The service has vastly improved and now your days are beset 
by many trials I only hope they continue to roll in regularly. If that 
sounds conceited, then you are to blame for your expressions of pleasure 
on their arrival are spontaneous and encouraging enough. 
Your description of the first approach of the beaut, 
Autumn was very nostalgic, I liked that season the best of all, so refreshing 
after the trying Summer. With it came the old urge to kick the leathern 
sphere again and you know what a slave to football I was. Pity old Anno 
Domini ordains that that will be but a memory, at least all my loves 
have not been taken away from me. Anyhow to get back on the track, the coolth 
will be a boon to you and maybe you can quietly accumulate a store of zest 
in anticipation of a visit from one whose cavortings will make the exertion 
of bringing up the bebby and hunting up a dwelling seem like a gentle 
stroll. At least, I hope so for I think what you need badly isx a man, not 
a quiet decorous gent but someone who will thunder in like a minor storm 
and by setting a tempo of craziness and virility kick our troubles fair in 
the backside. I have a sneaking notion that I'm just the bunny you would 
not mind doing just that little act so beware. 
Hard cheddar your strenuous efforts in pursuit of the elusive 
house, flat or what have you have so far come to naught, I can guess pretty 
fellingly how sore in several ways, yoummust feel after drawing a blank. 
Please don't be irritated at me in imploring you to take it a bit easy

2. 
for I know advice from a spectator is not worth much. None want us to hav 
have a place more than I and as you point out, it is a bit crowded where y 
you are. If there is any justice you will click but just fit it into your 
routine, can't have sweet Puss killing herself even though the need be xx 
dire. You sounded just too doleful telling me that apart from seeing you 
there's little good in coming from New Guinea at all. But then, you don't 
know the dear little island and apparently are blind to the fact that the 
entire reason for me coming home at all is to be with the two sweetest 
folks on earth. You should know by now that us blokes have known little 
of feather beds and sumptuous grub for a few years now so if the main set 
up is as good as promised, a trifling thing like a bit of crowding hardly 
merits notice let alone disapproval. So just plug along and if your luck 
is in, O.K., if not, it still will be heavenly. And by hook or by crook, 
I'll grab a share of the bed for long enough to make you forget your 
workaday pinpricks and if your effortsl'amour are as tingling as of yore 
your partner would not know whether he slept in a four poster orx in a 
slit trench. If the worst happens, we'll make out fine, pet, and anyhow, I 
have yet to see you tossed when your Irish is up. 
Nice to have Mother drop in and better still to find her 
bright. There's your cue, girl, never forget you're your mother's daughter 
and you'll probably capture a dinkum love nest for us. Rather surprising 
all right for your sis-in-law to dedicate her anniversary by turning up 
at another wedding in a responsible role. I'm afraid sweet you will meet 
many disappointments if you expect people to measure up to your own 
standards. She's only a kid, you know, and the young forget quickly. Perhap 
you are right, a love like ours can hardly be everyone's fortune and it 
often happens that the absence of one or other of the partners make the 
memory of the glorious times together grow dim. Anyhow, once again convey 
my deepest respects and love to Mother, another I shall be happy to seexx again. 
Needless to say, I was ve ry attentive to your paragraph 
concerning the matter elaborated in my G.E. and it is a bit of a problem 
to overcome if all parties are to be happy. In spite of all, xxx it is 
certain that while I have to go away from you the presence of another 
infant cannot be contemplated, particularly while this housing impasse xx 
lasts. Its perfectly absurd and to term your objection weakness right out 
of court. Under our present circumstances, we would be insane to risk it x 
and the height of unfairness to you or a child.

3. 
However, we must both be realistic about it and first of all, must say 
that xxx the last thing I want either you or myself to be forever be 
oppressed with is the likelihood of a procession of babies following 
every occasion of proper sexual relationship between us. Equally true 
is the fact that for well over a year two normal people very much in 
love have been denied the expression of that love in its fiercest pitch 
and to be candid, I just can't trust my self control to the extent that I 
can refrain from possessing you completely when united with you particularly 
when I know that every fibre of you is crying for me to join you in a 
frenzy of passion that will quickly sweep away the pent up emotions 
harnessed by a year of separation. It just can't be done, precious, people 
are'nt made like that and unless we can arrive at some feasible compromise 
both of us will be swept away by something stronger than ourselves and 
damn the consequences. Its a hellish position for people like us to be 
placed in and I feel strongly that by taking reasonable precautions without 
at the same time limiting our hard won right to derive that vital something 
from the other, God in his justness will postpone the day when our merging 
must result in another blessing. xx Perhaps by the time the situation 
becomes a present reality, your own sturdy frame may have answered the 
problem and we can thread our way safely through the pitfalls. In the 
meantime, you can when the time is favorable glean a little more information 
on the efficacy of that preparation you speak of. In concluding, I'm glad we 
see eye to eye on the handicaps of using sheath appliances. I know in my 
bones that neither of us would like that, it coarsens and fetters an 
impulse that should be given free rein at the right time and I'm afraid the 
only result would be one of frustration and irritation on every side. I'm 
sure this will give you food for a mental picture and please don't be a 
scrap, diffident about telling me your views and information because one is 
so cut off up here and I do think a happy solution can be achieved. 
I got the two lakatoi models away to you today, I had to dismast 
them to pack them but you won't find it hard to hoist the sails again. I hope 
the box does'nt get smashed on the way down for they are pretty fragile. 
Hope they take your fancy. They're not much really but the curio market up 
here is lightly stocked, ye ken. 
So for another coupla days, my own, I take your leave 
and in doing so want you to know that I love every inch of you and yours 
Lucky dreams, little lady. 
Micky

9.3.44 

AIR. MAIL 
Mrs. M. Billings 
548 Barker's Road 
East Hawthorn 
Victoria 

AUSTRALIAN 
MILITARY FORCES 
PASSED BY CENSOR 
543

VX38483 Sgt. M. Billings 
Dist. Accounts Office 
New Guinea. 11.3.44 

Darling Kay, 
Sorry to relate there have'nt been any more of your dear 
missives since I last wrote but the grapevine is very strong tonight for 
a good bag any time now. Hope the orderly comes good tomorrow for being 
Sunday and, therefore a day of heavenly bludging. I can picture no greater 
pleasure than reading say, four letters from your versatile pen, whilst 
reclining on my stretcher, digesting my breakfast, clad in a pair of trunks. 
Before commencing my pot pourri, first the good guts from B.G. As usual, the 
weather is most sticky and unpleasant and the daily showers about to 
commence. However, after so many months of the same conditions more or less, 
the weather has ceased to elicit the barest interest from me, its always 
been like this and until I hook it, I guess it will be just the same. I don't 
feel so bad xx physically but I guess my nerves are wearing a bit thin for 
unless things go smoothly for me, I get into a roaring bad temper. Just the 
result of an overdose of the tropics with a few worries chucked in would 
be a pretty accurate diagnosis. Well, I ought to be able to keep from going 
batty until I am reprieved so your expectations of a hubby looking O.K. 
if a bit travel worn should be near the mark. 
I trust Master Richard and his sweet mummy are keeping 
on with the good workand the recovery of the champ has been permanent. 
Not much fun for you when he won't eat or sleep for that would have the 
same effect on you particularly in regard to sleeping. Our lives seem to 
x possess an abnormal number of bumps which would be easier to surmount if 
we were together and could apply our united efforts to x our problems. It 
is unfortunate though that the setbacks have robbed the laddie of his 
comely appearance, even if temporarily. Its disheartening to you after putting 
in such yeoman work that his nibs is not his irrepressible self. 
Another item that is, of course, of burning interest is 
your strenuous pursuit of the will o' the wisp, to wit, a home. It will be 
a surprise if your letters announce the joyful tidings but I stubbornly 
cling to my previous hunch that you will succeed. I guess that will evoke 
a cynical snort from you home after a few knockbacks but I just think 
that way. Time will tell whether my intuitive beliefs were built xx with 
bricks of straw or not, anyhow, you can't be murdered for thinking. I will 
confess though it is with mixed feelings that I regard the search for while

2
will be magnificent to know that we at last, have a spot to call our own, 
it makes me reproachful to think of you tramping the streets doing what 
is a mighty tough job. If it is any help, I do wish you good luck for if 
anyone I know of deserves a slice of that commodity, its you. Perhaps my 
hunch is based on the knowledge that you are a great battler and you just 
can't toss people like that. 
After gazing at your picture at least a hundred times, I can 
assure you that the matronly look you detest is not for you, for you looked 
verymvery sweet in that snap, quite the lovely girl I wooed and fortunately 
won. And it will not be in the slightly perfunctory manner of husband and 
wife that I shall hug and kiss you when next I see you, my kiss will be 
laden with the feeling bottled up in me and I can tell you its not all 
directed to xxx my wife and the mother of my son. I hope too, that you will 
have no cause to think of me as a dutiful husband only but as a lover 
whose ardor is a lot more necessary than one would expect in a mere 
husband. You see, that's why its so hard to be away from you, xxxx for as 
well as being the complete lover, you are waiting to present me to a little 
chap that links us forever and in case, you have never noticed it before, 
you happen to be my best cobber as well. How could anyone be satisfied kept 
away from so many blessings. 
Ooh, what a vixen you are, getting niggly about my folks 
rubbing in the boy's fancied resemblance to me. Why dontcher grow up, bundle. 
I mind well the searching inspection of everyone under the age of protest 
near or distantly related. in my ancestral abode and cackle at the 
astonishing likenesses conjured out of thin air by fond but foolish mamas. 
Not the least humorous were the agonised squirmings of the victims under 
scrutiny and the ill-concealed conviction on their faces that they were 
the progeny of senility. It amuses them I suppose and when you get old 
many avenues of entertainment are closed to them. 
You need have no fear that the photos will go astray for 
they are an essential part of my household and I cling to them as one of 
thexx few close links with the life I pine for. Lose them, the very hint of 
it is preposterous while breath remains in Poor Micky's body. Still a lot 
of the earlier ones are rather faded and dog-eared now so if you like I shall 
ship some of them back to you and just keep the later ones. Let's know. 
The news from Brisbane was not so good but when a 
party reaches the eighties and has a dicky heart, anything is likely to

3. 
go haywire. Bad luck, for they are really fine people and true friends. 
Sorry to inform you that the moustache is off, after persevering for 
a while I have given it away for it just would'nt behave and be a good 
mo and keeping it in the trim taxed my resources to the utmost and in this 
hyar country you can't afford to waste energy on blue ducks. Alas, it 
seems it is not to be and another great lover retires to the wings. 
By jovemyour gloomy remarks about that lovely hair I so admired have 
depressed me. How could such a tragedy be permitted to happen to us. 
Please have another look and tell me you were kidding for in the snap it 
did not look so ghastly as you describe. Tell me, whatever can be the reason 
for the lack lustre effect. Maybe the seething comment of your associates 
has been so frequent that you have come to believe it in spite of knowing 
better. As far as I am concerned. I am highly displeased. 
Ha-Ha, you gave me a good laugh when discoursing on the 
fall from grace of my brother. However, I shall withhold my unsolicited 
judgement until I see what branch of that noble corps he goes to, there 
are very hot spots in it, you know and many xxx of them get into more deadly 
strife than a stink at a pub. I had a letter from him and he seemed 
to have the notion that the course he was on was xx in preparation for 
the stern work of forward areas. Sure, they have plenty of hoot or should 
have for the war has not weighed so heavily upon them as upon some others 
we could name. Still, I'm all for making hay while the sun shines and I 
think he did all right for himself in choosing a wife for she's the first 
one who has ever instilled a bit of sense into what was undoubtedly one 
of the prize fat heads about the place. Or am I in error, do husbands 
choose their wives or vicky verca, let's in on the secret. Well, its news 
to me that Mum ever felt sorry for him for he collected at least 95 per 
cent of the ear bashings she was prone to dish out with telling force. 
Anyhow, enough of family gossip, I must be getting browned off properly 
to deliberate on others troubles. Believe you me, I've got plenty of my 
own sitting here atoning for a crime he never done. 
I will ascend to more agreeable topics and get away to the 
beckoning arms of another great love, the cot, I love it. Cheerio, treasure 
and give young Fauntleroy a large moist kiss from Paw. For you, my 
lovely onion, can you guess, just the love of a homely sarge called, 
Micky