Monday, April 19, 1943

Dear Diary,

I found out where Bob was staying down town today and went up to his room. His secretary invited us (two other girls) to come in. Bob was sitting with his chair tilted against the wall, and he was humming “I Came Here to Talk for Joe.” He gave us his autograph, and talked to us simultaneously. We were asked not to tell anyone where he was staying, and Bob added, “No, don’t tell anyone I’m staying at the Little Mothers’ Club.” (How we found out about it can be seen about six pages further on.)^[1] We promised not to tell, thanked him sweetly, and walked out. When the other girls picked me up off my knees, they left, but I hung around. Every once in a while I could hear him make a funny crack or sing something like, “Got a touch of irium on my teeth. ” When the whole gang left for Fair Park, B.J. Allen saw me and recognized me and said, “Hello there. What are you doing here, as if I didn’t know?” I said, “Just hanging around making a nuisance of myself.” She said, “Oh, no!” convincingly.

When Bob came out and got in the elevator, I stood right beside him. (It was very crowded.) I showed him the three pictures I had drawn of him. He looked at the first one I ever drew of him and said, “You know I could sue you for libel?” He laughed and showed them to Barney Dean. Barney said, “Sue her? You should pay her money!”
___

1. Here’s how I found where Bob was: We went to both hotels, and no Bob, so we tried the Athletic Club. I saw a bunch of men get in an elevator, and one of them yelled, “Come on, Barney.” I recognized Barney Dean then. I followed them to the seventh floor, but lost sight of them there. I stood near a likely looking door and waited ’till General Donovan of the 8th Service Command went in. That almost cinched it. By that time the girls had followed me up. A porter came to one of the doors of the suite carrying a suit with Bob’s name on it, so that’s when we knocked on the door.