Document Type
Personal Letter
Transcription
[Translation begins]
Hotel Albert
Selma, Ala., March 16, 1945
My darling husband,
Golly, honey how many years is it since you were home. I miss you so much. It seems at least ten years since we were together.
I’m sitting on a swing on Mrs. Mosley’s porch. It’s so nice here. The birds are all arguing with each other + there’s a nice breeze. Every once in a while the sun ventures out but mostly, it looks like rain.
I wrote mom another letter because the one I wrote yesterday was really sad + I just couldn’t mail it. It’s really pitiful the way I can’t write anybody but you- I can’t even write my own family.
Golly, Judd, I love you so much. Every day seems awful so awful without you. I wish these seventeen days would hurry. Life just doesn’t seem like anything without you.
Julie + I went to the movies last night and saw “Practically Yours”. It was very cute. Fred Mac Murray has a little cleft in his chin that reminded me of you.
I should get started to town. There are loads of things I was going to do today but who cares. Why do today what you can put off til tomorrow. No, I’d much rather write to you.
Julie keeps forgetting Tom’s glasses so I don’t know when he’ll get them. Probably when he gets back here.
What’s Florida like, honey- Don’t imagine you’ve seen very much of the scenery.
Julie said there were loads of cars in Montgomery so maybe we can find one- They probably cost an arm and a leg though.
Gee, darling, it’s nice here. It would be perfect if you were with me. Everyone has really been wonderful. If it doesn’t rain today, I’m going out to the field and get my pass or try to get it. Then I can find that bulletin board + get us a place to live. You’d go mad here.
It isn’t so bad at night but during the day I’m afraid to walk with my shoes on. They echo through the house + it sounds like a bowling alley. At night there’s a G.I. + his wife here + they love- I mean they breathe. There’s no hot water except when you heat it by some horrible looking boiler affair. But it almost blew up when I tried so Mrs. Moseley has to do it for me.
It looks so nice every time I open the closet to see your clothes there. I’m so glad that you left them. They do help to keep me from getting lonesome a little. That’s silly isn’t it but they do. Just like sleeping in your pajamas makes me feel closer to you. They’re going to be worn out before you sleep in them again. But just the top.
You should see me the shoulders come halfway down to my elbows and they’re long enough for a short dress (very short). But anyway, I like to sleep in them.
Gee, darling, I wish you’d come back. I miss you so darned much. I just want to be close to you. To lie next to you on your shoulder while you smoke that last cigarette. Then wake up in the night and find that you’re really there.
Oh, darling, I love you so much. Guess that they’re keeping you pretty busy all the time. Hope that they give you a little time to write because a letter from you means so much. Golly, darling- it’s even lonesome after you’re married. I sure hope these seventeen days go fast.
So far they haven’t been too bad. Everything down here is so new to me and it’s interesting + I enjoy being by myself sometimes. Not much since I met you but it could be much worse.
I guess I’m just about the luckiest girl in the world to have you for my husband. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted in a husband + lots more that I didn’t realize I wanted. You’re just perfect. As long as we’ve been going out since you were stationed at Stewart I’ve been wondering when you’d disillusion me about your being perfect but now I know you never will because you are perfect. I can’t find anything that I don’t like about you, honey, no matter how hard I try.
It’s looking more like rain all the time + I suppose just as I start into town it will pour.
Think I’d better stop writing until later, honey + go in + eat some lunch.
I love you so, my darling, and until I’m in your arms again every day will seem endless.
Mrs. Moseley asked me to have lunch with her. Just finished- was good too. The Southerners sure cook food differently but it’s good.
Golly, darling, I’ll be so happy when you get back here again.
It seems so long since you went away. I love you so, my darling. I just can’t believe that you’re my husband- you’re so wonderful and sweet and gentle. Honey, I could just write about how marvelous you are forever but you’re apt to get conceited. So I’ll just spend ¾ of my time telling everyone else how wonderful you are and ¼ telling you.
Poor Julie- she must get so tired of hearing about how much I love you and how cute you are + what a wonderful person you are. Every other word is Judd or my husband.
It seems so strange to be introduced to people as Mrs. Clark. Nice though. When someone asks me my name I always have to hesitate a few seconds and then stammer- it’s awful when I’m not expecting it, honey. But I love to tell them Mrs. Clark.
Gee, darling, you can’t imagine how proud I am of you. I guess you have a slight suspicion but you know how proud you are of your wings + being a Lt. Well, I think I’m about three times as proud as you are. Besides, I’m proud because you’re so wonderful.
Well, darling I went to town a while ago + went to the hotel to see if there was any mail from you but there wasn’t. Just as I got back Mrs. Moseley called me and said the hotel had called + there was a letter.
Gee, I wish I could get it now but there isn’t a bus for almost an hour. Mr. Moseley said he was going in to town and that he’d stop and get it for me. Golly, darling I hope it’s from you. It must be. No one else knows where I am- oh, I couldn’t send that telegram to the photographer because something happened to the paper that I wrote it on + I couldn’t remember his name. It was some studio wasn’t it but can’t remember who’s. You’ll probably get the pictures down there. If you can send him a telegram + tell him to send the pictures of proofs or whatever they are to me c/o the Hotel Albert.
They’re so nice in that hotel. Oh, honey, we have another room. The room itself is very nice but it has one of those pool hot water heaters + we share it with three people. That’s not too bad do you think. The room has a private entrance + is nice and cool or didn’t I tell you it’s hot as the devil down here.
Golly, honey, I wish Mr. Moseley would hurry + go into town. I’m just about dying to see that letter.
Was going to the Post today but didn’t get there. Now there’s really no need to- Except that Julie and I may go to the Post theater. But I’d feel queer without you.
You should see my legs, honey, they’re all black + blue. What a beating they’ve been taking. Can’t figure out how- where or when.
Finally bought ink yesterday. Oh, did I tell you I finally exhausted the $25 that you gave me. It went all of a sudden when I paid the hotel bill + paid a week in advance here.
Well, darling, I’ll be here until two weeks from yesterday probably.
Oh, honey, before I definitely take this other room what do you think. A private bath is just about impossible except in the hotel but the room looked all right. I liked the private entrance idea + we won’t bother anyone no matter what time we get in. It’s much nearer to town b/4 Parkway. About five blocks from the middle of town, I think. Not near as far as I am now.
I have to call back Sunday. Oh, golly, I just realized that today is Friday. Gee, I thought it was Monday or Tuesday. Gee, it seems (the phone just rang. Thought it was Julie so I almost broke my neck to answer it but it was someone for Mrs. Moseley). The phones from the houses next door sound like ours + I’m breaking my neck all the time. Everyone’s out except me.
Mr. M. has gone to get my letter for me. He’ll probably by back in an hour in the meantime I’ll just die. Golly, darling, I love you.
I hope you come back feeling all nice and rested. You’ll have to. Oh, honey, I hope that you’ll be able to be off that Post until the morning. Wonder if they’ll give you a leave after you finish this course. I wish they’d give you a nice long one so that we could have a honeymoon.
Golly, it’s almost our anniversary. We’ve almost been married a week. Was supposed to be here.
What kind of a car did you want, honey? What you? Maybe some weekend we can drive (on the bus) to Montgomery + get one. How much do cars cost. I suppose an arm + a leg.
Oh, I took out a library card today. Anything to keep me busy. I love writing Mrs. Wm. Judson Clark.
I’ll just have to write mother + Daddy tonight. They’ll be worrying if I don’t. Wrote them last night but it was such a dopey letter. I just can’t write to anyone but you, darling.
Gee, darling a lot of officers are coming home now. It would be wonderful if you were, too. I love you so, Judd. More than I’d ever believed possible.
Darling I wish Mr. M would hurry back. I’m just about dying for that letter. It would be a tragedy if it weren’t from you. This suspense- I’ll be gray soon!
You’ll probably get this either Sunday or Monday so happy anniversary, darling. I love you so. It certainly has been an unusual marriage. I’ll say that for it. I’m sure we’d be awfully happy together but they just don’t want to let us.
Gee, honey, it sure will be wonderful when we’re together again. I’d like to move this other room on the day you come back so that we’ll be together there for the first night. Did I tell you that’s $10 a week or $35 a month- Let’s see- whatelse.
There’s nothing important for me to tell you. My mind is a one track- I love you. I love you, I love you.
I can still see you when you left the other day, standing in the door- looking like the most handsome man in the world + just being so cute. I hope we never have to be separated again. It’s just like taking away part of the sun moon + stars + telling them to shine the way they used to.
How are Tom + D.A.? Don’t think we’ll ever get Toms glasses mailed to him. Well, that’s probably just as well- they might break.
I just thought of something terrible- Maybe Mr. M. will forget to stop for the letter. Wouldn’t that be awful. I’m almost dying now- why doesn’t he hurry.
Gee, honey, I wish this war would end. It’s received so many people’s lives + will hurt so many more.
I’ve been sitting here day dreaming for almost half an hour. Darling Mr. M. just brought your letter + it’s been about fifteen minutes. I guess but I’m so happy + glad to hear from you. I’m in the nicest little fog now, darling. You’re so sweet.
Honey, I just can’t believe that you are my husband. It’s all like a dream now. Only not quite- it’s too real. When I first got your letter I just sat + looked at it. The envelope looked so nice.
You mailed this on the 15th + I received it on the 16th. Just think we’ve been married five days now.
I feel like you’re overseas, too. What a place to send my husband. Oh, honey, will they keep you there longer if the weather is bad? That would be awful. Golly, to me seventeen days seems like a year.
You’ll be busy all the time. That’s good- it’s awful here. The more the das pass the longer they take. I miss you more than you can imagine, honey.
Gee, darling, we didn’t have much of a chance to try “married life” as everyone says but I guess things will be fine. I think we’ll be o.k.
It sure is tough being separated like this, Judd. But I suppose it’s better this way. Any longer we were together would have made it that much harder.
Seventeen days doesn’t seem so long. If we were together for seventeen days, it sure would be short but being separated can make all the difference.
I wish that I could be with you now, honey and just be restricted together. You’ll manage to live, all right, down there, I suppose.
Oh, honey, I’m sorry I forgot to endorse the check. That was silly. Well, that will keep me from breaking the $100.
Hope you get loads of sleep down there- It will be good for you!
Honey, do you ting we’ll ever be able to have some time together. It sounds like a wonderful dream. I’ll be praying for god weather.
Well, honey, if you want us to have some money, it wouldn’t be exactly fair to tell me to be a good girl. We have to eat.
But, darling, seriously, I’m awfully lonesome. It will seem so long until we can be together again + I can be in your arms + be close to you.
Honey, have you any doubts? Are you sorry? I’m so afraid that you may decide that you’ve made a mistake especially after our little complications.
I love you, Judd, more than you’ll ever know. Be careful, darling, + hurry back to me. (messy with it.)
I love you so- I’ll always be yours.
Your devoted wife-
Dottie
[Translation ends]
