Barbers Point NAS

Took the day off. Rode to Pearl Harbor on a supply truck, then caught a cab into town, along with Bill Thomas and Savio. Got a drivers license, Xmas cards, and a pair of swimming trunks. Parted with Savio and Thomas, went down to the Bishop Bank to have Marion cash a check for me ($100). While I was there in walks Jack “Bato” Bates, my old friend and ex-rival (for Elly Watson at Stanford), now an ensign in the Supply Corps. All went to lunch together.

Shopped around in Gump’s at Waikiki later in the afternoon trying to find something for Xmas for Mother and Dad. Couldn’t find a damn thing that was right, but did manage to part with $440 for a very beautiful pale-blue-jade bracelet. Thinking back, I can’t see why in hell I bought it, except that the stones were one of my favorite shades of blue. Was assured that blue Jade is one of the rarest and most valuable jades; also Gumps swear they haven’t raise a single price on their jades since the beginning of the war, which is remarkable in view of some of the fantastic prices asked for jade in the cheaper stores around town. So, on the whole, it may turn out to been a good investment. That’s two pieces of jewelry, now, lying in safes in town — the Alexandrite ring at Wichman’s ($825) and this jade bracelet at Gumps ($440). Got back out here in time to catch dinner.