Document Type
Personal Letter
Rights Management
All rights retained by Bryant University
Transcription
[Transcription begins]
Thursday, 12/28/44, 8:40 p.m.
My darling bubsie-pie,
Today I received four letters from you—two V-Mails both dated 12/15 and two air mails, one dated 12/7 and the other 12/18. Gosh, was I ever “tickled” to get the one dated 12/18 because that is after the German offensive began. As I said before, I’m a little anxious about you, but somehow or other, I’m sure you are all right. My feelings are a little bit muddled, but I’m sure that is not an unusual sign during this period of strife and uncertainty!
In today’s mail I received a lovely Xmas card from Mrs. Luddecke and it has a snapshot of Karla on it. The baby looks very precious—very much alive and full of vim, vigor and vitality! You tell that to “Doc”—I don’t want him to think his precious baby looks simple!
Rec’d the German invasion money and also your article that the soldier needs love in postwar. Yes, we have discussed the contents of the article many times!
As yet, I haven’t rec’d any of the packages you sent me. Perhaps, darling, you sent me some souvenirs which are not passing the censor. Huh? However, I wish to hell they would forward me my suede brush before spring! In almost every package I have sent you I have enclosed some reading matter, and I shall try to continue to send you magazines and stuff with your food requests.
I shall try like mad to get some pictures taken and send them on to you. By all means, send me any pictures that you take! I have a ½ day off Saturday and shall try to give your letter to one of the Kodak Co. and get you some more films, and also, I’ll try to send you an AEF message, although I haven’t had much success with your receiving them!
The diplomatic service after the war sounds good to me and honey, [and] not bragging, but I think you would be very well qualified from an educational as well as character standpoint. I also think that that will be a big thing after the war, plus the fact that it’ll always be interesting and not monotonous. Of course, anything you chose to do, I’m right with you.
My darling, I’m a little disappointed since so far none of your letters have [sic] commented on my job. You tell me not to work to[o] hard in your letter dated 12/18 and I assure you darling, that if I didn’t keep very, very busily occupied I’d “go to pot” because although I miss you more than mere words can say, I’m so very busy that I can’t let your being away prey on my mind. See my point! Today was another rather miserable day at work since the housekeeper is still ill and I had to send one of the ass’t teachers home as she couldn’t stand on her feet! Then, to top it off, I tried to impress Michael Berger that he couldn’t avoid eating things he didn’t like by claiming to have to go to the toilet. I let him go once, and when he had to go the second time in the space of 15 minutes, I said “no” he would have to wait until he finished his dinner, and dam [sic] if that little kid didn’t go ahead and dirty in his pants. Well, I made nothing of his dirty pants, ‘cause I still wanted to get my primary point across. I did, however, merely take his pants off and put them in a bag—“crap and all” and let his mother worry about it! But that’s the “ups and downs in a nursery school!”
So far, I haven’t received any of the issues of “Stars & Stripes” that you sent me! Don’t know what is wrong with the mail delivery but I’m trying to be very patient!
Have been reading “The Laughter of M y Father” by Bulosan, a Filipino writer, and the book is light and entertaining. Last night, I decided to start reading “It Runs in the Family”—psychology stuff, but found it very easy reading, and some darn good common sense [sic}. This James Lee Ellenwood writes such a terrific book that I recommend (and I’ve only read half the book) that every family have a copy. For example, why are there always arguements [sic] in a family and this is what he says, which I think is excellent: “Without any particular design life dumps four or five people into one house. It is not the purpose of this home to maintain order, to establish regularity, to perpetuate peace and quiet. The entire end and aim of this unit is to provide opportunity for the four or five to make the most of their lives. It is not nearly as important to have a home to be proud of as it is to have people in it who are having a swell time. In order to make this experience of living together a well-rounded influence, the people involved will and should have opposing likes and dislikes that will range the whole field, from recreation to religion, from personal preferences to politics. And why not?” A little further on in the book he goes on with “Life is an intricate venture leading us into numerous relationships. Successful living is not withdrawal or isolation, not even peace and calm. It is, rather, the best possible adjustment to the total experience of life. To be surprised over problems is to be naïve, and to be frustrated by them is to be defeated.” I could go on and on as every word he says is worthwhile, but I hope to buy the book eventually and then, let’s plan to read it together in the near future!
Today, on the bus I started the condensation in Reader’s Scope of “Some of My Best Friends Are Soldiers” by Margaret Halsey, and the exerpt [sic] is concerned with an incident having to do with race relations—or, I should say, religion—Jew-Gentile problem, and only Reader’s Scope would probably give you that part in full—certainly, not Reader’s Digest! The book is exceedingly cleverly written, and I’m thinking of buying it as soon as it comes out in the $1 editions because I think we will read the book, but we would never study it as we would “It Runs in the Family.”
I adore you my darling, and can’t wait for us to be together again—we have so much living and loving to do! Even in a lifetime, I won’t have enough of you! You’re all I want, my darling.
God bless you, and goodnight,
Edith
[Transcription ends]
