My dear, darling little Fred,

Today I received your letter.  Letters from Lorle and Margot came with the same mail.  Lorle has renewed her efforts on your behalf, hopefully with success.  She’ll certainly write you herself.   That would be the nicest.  Margot accepted a position in a household.  She does not elaborate as yet.  She still does not know anything.  Hopefully she will hit it off well.  In any case she can return to the Home at any time and therefore is not risking anything.

What kind of work do you have to do in the fields?  Does the field belong to the château or to another owner?  There are a lot of apricots here right now, much more than last year.  We received some from the comité, also in the refectoire.  When I was in Perpignan last week, instead of lunch I bought some (apricots) and ate them with the bread I had brought along.   I walked the whole way, rode the bus from St. Jean, delivered the laundry and many other things in the knapsack to the office.  Then I went to the outdoor market and at 1 o’clock to Papa.

He is well, but he has a hole in his tummy, as he says, he can’t get full.  I brought him a big quantity of bean salad and a kilo-can of first rate pudding.  As you can imagine, he was very happy, just too bad that the two hours went by so fast.  I went as far as Byrrh on the bus to Salzes.  It was a trip with obstacles.  One has to board one and a half hour before departure in order to get a seat.  Then the “parlor car” was tightly filled and one was unable to move.  On top of it all, it started to rain with lightening and thunder.  It rained in from all over, pouring on my back.  Next to me was a wooden board instead of a window which one could not close.  I lifted it as high as I could.  Suddenly, still within the city, the “all weather” vehicle stopped.  The driver covered something on top and then he came with a little crowbar and a rag, lifted the so-called window with the former and stuffed the rag in between so that the window does not slide down.  You would have laughed and I know what you would have said:        “Typical…………”[1].  I said it too and thought of you.  At 6:30 PM we were in Byrrh and at 7 here.  It did not stop raining on the way and I was sopping wet.  Luckily I had everything in the knapsack and not much in the bag.  On the way there, everything was heavier.  I put on clean clothes and everything went well.  By now I have arranged my night camp.  Too bad that I don’t have a camera.

There are awfully many bedbugs in the barrack, I killed 30-40 in one night.  So everybody moved out and sleeps outside.  Behind our barrack there are 2 open sheds, like the ones in K which we used to cook in.  One is for cooking and the other shed is empty.  That’s where we sleep, rent is not collected but there were fights yesterday about space.  One mattress rests next to the other, and I and Rosel Roos are lying at right angle below Mrs. Richheimer and Martel H.  Like this                                    .  Wonderful.  Hugo will be coming by Saturday.  He did not come last week.  He did supply me with vegetables though.  He is in Barcarès again as the other job is finished.  Uncle Sally wants to come again.  Well my good little Fritz, I told you a lot.  You may write more too.  With the most tender regards and strong kisses from your

MAMA

Dear little Fred,

It is always nice being with Mama.  Today she fixed stuffed tomatoes and green beans for me.  Was delicious.  Are there already tomatoes where you are?  The apricots are almost all gone.  With kindest regards and kisses from your brother

HUGO

Lotte Samuel[2] is also here since yesterday

[2] From Philippsburg.  She had come with us to Gurs.  This move may already have been part of the assembling of people in Rivesaltes prior to the deportations.