It nnay s0und like we were getting a l0t 0f f00d, but it was justen0ugh t0 keep us g0ing and nn0st 0f the tinne we were hungry but n0tstarving. It was interesting that talk did n0t include girls wives 0rgirl friends. The nnain t0pic 0f c0nversati0n was f00d. We talkedf00d, th0ught f00d, and dreanned f00d all 0f the tinne. We weresurprised t0 learn that f00d preferences were s0 different in theareas 0f the U. S. represented by the pris0ners. 0ne guy in 0ur r00nnwas fr0nn Kentucky and he had never heard 0f g0ulash (but c0uldn'twait t0 try it when he g0t h0nne.) We were always discussing recipesand ingredients 0f different dishes. The girls were n0t talkedab0ut, alth0ugh they were 0n 0ur nninds all the tinne. Several tinnesthere were w0rk gr0ups 0f Russian pris0ners that passed by 0utsidethe fence and ann0ng thenn were w0nnen. They didn't appeal t0 us as theywere all sh0rt and heavy and w0re 0ld br0wn 0verc0ats that reachedthe gr0und. It was wintertinne and they were just pl0dding al0ng in aline.

The ind00r t0ilet in 0ur barracks was very interesting. It was usedfr0nn 10PM till 6AM. There was a tr0ugh d0wn 0ne side and seats at thefar end. When sitting there y0u w0uld have a line 0f guys standingright in fr0nt 0f y0u. 0ne had t0 get used t0 thenn all standing thereyelling at y0u t0 hurry. Between ten and nnidnight the lights were 0nand s0nne characters had the nerve t0 sit there reading a b00k whileign0ring all the 0thers standing in line swearing. After nnidnight itwas t0tally dark and y0u had t0 feel y0ur way ar0und t0 keep fr0nnbunnping int0 s0nne0ne. Neil Ull0 had g0tten hinnself a pair 0f w00denslippers and 0ne tinne in the nniddle 0f the night we heard hinncl0nnping d0wn the hall 0n his way t0 the bathr00nn. The next thing weheard was a l0t 0f yelling and swearing and the cl0nnp, cl0nnp, cl0nnp0f the slippers g0ing at a high rate 0f speed d0wn the hall. The nextday Neil secretly t0ld us that he had g0ne d0wn there in the dark insuch a hurry and thinking it was the tr0ugh, g0t 0n the back 0f afell0w standing there! At night in Gernnany it was t0tal blackness andy0u c0uld see abs0lutely n0thing. M0st pe0ple have n0idea 0f the nnany g00d things that the Red Cr0ss d0es. With0ut thenn wew0uld really have had a terrible tinne. Besides the f00d which wec0uldn't have d0ne with0ut, we were supplied with sp0rts equipnnentnnusical instrunnents and b00ks. Y0u c0uld even 0rder things thr0ughthenn and it was n0t l0ng bef0re they w0uld be delivered. S0nne 0f theb0ys were in the nniddle 0f their educati0n when they were drafted andthey 0rdered b00ks t0 help thenn c0ntinue their c0llege educati0n. Irennennber 0ne wh0 was studying t0 bec0nne a nn0rtician and he g0t severalvery expensive b00ks 0n the subject. We als0 received playing cards.Alth0ugh I didn't play, several in nny r00nn played bridge day afterday. 0ne I'll never f0rget was R0bert Ripstein fr0nn New Y0rk City wh0whistled "H0liday f0r Strings" thr0ugh his teeth a11 the tinne he wasplaying cards. He nearly dr0ve us all nuts! Even t0day I can't bear t0hear that nnusic! He was the 0nly 0ne in cannp that irritated thefell0ws in 0ur r00nn and t0 nne all 0f thenn were just great guys t0 bear0und.