THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL : THE DEFINITIVE EDITION ... - Fidele

Yours, Anne M. Frank
WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, 1944
Dearest Kitty,
First the weekly news! We're having a vacation from politics. There's nothing, and
I mean absolutely nothing, to report. I'm also gradually starting to believe that
the invasion will come. After all, they can't let the Russians do all the dirty
work; actually, the Russians aren't doing anything at the moment either.
Mr. Kleiman comes to the office every morning now. He got a new set of springs for
Peter's divan, so Peter will have to get to work reupholstering it; Not
surprisingly, he isn't at all in the mood. Mr. Kleiman also brought some flea
powder for the cats.
Have I told you that our Boche has disappeared? We haven't seen hide nor hair of
her since last Thursday. She's probably already in cat heaven, while some animal
lover has turned her into a tasty dish. Perhaps some girl who can afford it will
be wearing a cap made of Boche's fur. Peter is heartbroken.
For the last two weeks we've been eating lunch at eleven-thirty on Saturdays; in
the mornings we have to make do with a cup of hot cereal. Starting tomorrow it'll
be like this every day; that saves us a meal. Vegetables are still very hard to
come by. This afternoon we had rotten boiled lettuce. Ordinary lettuce, spinach
and boiled let- tuce, that's all there is. Add to that rotten potatoes, and you
have a meal fit for a king!
I hadn't had my period for more than two months, but it finally started last
Sunday. Despite the mess and bother, I'm glad it hasn't deserted me.
As you can no doubt imagine, we often say in despair, "What's the point of the
war? Why, oh, why can't people live together peacefully? Why all this
destruction?"
The question is understandable, but up to now no one has come up with a
satisfactory answer. Why is England manufacturing bigger and better airplanes and
bombs and at the same time churning out new houses for reconstruction? Why are
millions spent on the war each day, while not a penny is available for medical
science, artists or the poor? Why do people have to starve when mountains of food
are rotting away in other parts of the world? Oh, why are people so crazy?
I don't believe the war is simply the work of politicians and capitalists. Oh no,
the common man is every bit as guilty; otherwise, people and nations would have
re- belled long ago! There's a destructive urge in people, the urge to rage,
murder and kill. And until all of humanity, without exception, undergoes a
metamorphosis, wars will continue to be waged, and everything that has been
carefully built up, cultivated and grown will be cut down and destroyed, only to
start allover again!
I've often been down in the dumps, but never desperate. I look upon our life in
hiding as an interesting adventure, full of danger and romance, and every
privation as an amusing addition to my diary. I've made up my mind to lead a
different life from other girls, and not to become an ordinary housewife later on.
What I'm experiencing here is a good beginning to an interesting life, and that's
the reason -- the only reason -- why I have to laugh at the humorous side of the
most dangerous moments.