May 28, 1944
My darling,
I didn’t write yesterday. I wanted to, but somehow could not find words that did not form a question. Today is exactly ten days that I haven't received mail - so I won't go any further.
I have quite a bit to tell you in the way of news. First - Seymour enlisted in the Navy yesterday and this time was accepted. He leaves June 10. Ed left for the Army last year on June 9. Sy was most anxious to get into the Navy and finally got his wish. My mom is bearing up well, though I believe she is taking it harder than she leads us to suspect. Sy's salary was a big help and with all bonuses he received it sometimes ran into the $50 figure. He always turned most of it over to my mom, which enabled her to buy 4920. I'll say like you do, "Perhaps it's all for the best."
Secondly - Betty is moving next month. She had all she could stand from this house and I don't blame her in the least. Adele and I will miss them terribly, but they aren't moving far, in fact, they are just moving down the block to 4942 (next door to Taylor). However, they helped me considerably and were always here to sort of keep us company and while we will be able to see them frequently it will never be as it is now. They got a real lucky break. Then house is one of two that has a brick back porch and a full pantry. (Remember those two-houses further down the block with the backs built out?) An old couple want to join their children in New York and are giving them the house for $60 per month. The rent is high, but the house is worth it. It is modernized and has been well kept. They are very happy about the whole thing, and I don't blame them - I would be too.
Yesterday was a full one for me and I enjoyed myself thoroughly. I’ve begun a new practice with it Adele. I make her nap before lunch (from 11 to 1) so that I may take her up to bed earlier in the evening. Phil, (God bless her) she's such an active kid and so strong-minded that she wears me to a frazzle before the day is over. I can't wait til I get her to bed in the evening so that I may relax my weary bones.
When I put her to bed yesterday I took the bus to Germantown to pay a bill for my dad. On my way back I met Ruth Anapolsky, who gave me quite a bit of news. Hilda's Dave is coming home, after 20 months overseas. I wonder if they'll marry now? I promised to stop over later in the afternoon, after attending Natalie's birthday party with Adele.
Adele awoke at one, had lunch and was ready for the party. She wore pink from head to toe and looked very party-like. She had a pink flower in her hair to top off the ensemble, which was strictly feminine. I gave her the gift for Natalie. She marched right up to Natalie, and handed it to her and then became fascinated with the many children attending. She played games with them and even got so interested at times that she sat still to look. When it came time to eat I tied her in a chair and sat her at the table. She helped herself to a pretzel, had ice-cream, Pepsi and birthday cake, after trying to help blow out the candles. Betty invited Goldie and me in for lunch, and it was a delicious repast of salads, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce and the usual, accompanying foods. I was famished and had three helpings of most every thing - no less. I even surprised myself!
I walked over to Ruth's shortly afterward and spent an hour there. Adele was very restless and in "sissed" almost every five minutes. That is she said she wanted to and never did. Then she "wet" herself whereupon I got disgusted and took her home. She had her dinner, made a big scene cause she didn't want to go to bed (a licking followed), had a bath and fell asleep immediately after.
In the evening Mom went to the movies with Mrs., Feldman to see "A Guy Named Joe". Later Betty asked me to accompany her, Lou, Sarah and Petey to a movie. I was fairly tired and it was raining and I couldn't decide. In the end I relented and went to Germantown once more to the Colonial movie to see "Broadway Rhythm", with Ginny Simms, G. Murphy. It was in technicolor and was lovely to look at, but that was all. The dancing and singing didn't seem to come up to par. I got back at 12 and hit the sack-like a ton of bricks. Adele woke at 5:30 and I had to get up. I made breakfast cleaned our room, took a walk with her, put her in the playpen til I washed and set my hair, gave her some milk and pie, and put her to bed.
I was so exhausted I fell fast asleep two seconds after I lay down. I awoke before she did, prepared lunch and practically ate mine before she awoke.
When she finished Sarah took her for a short walk and Petey made two snaps of her. I dressed in a pair of one-piece shorts and skirt that give a dress-like appearance of deep pink with zig-zag lines of green, royal and navy blue running through it that Betty gave me last summer. Flora's mother complimented me on my figure - imagine! The material of the outfit is very clingy and does show up everything???? Even Mom asked me if I were wearing anything underneath , to make me look so nice. I always look nice (don't I, dearest???) !
I interrupted this long enough to receive two visitors Hilda Zaslow and Shirley Anopolsky. Hilda is as happy as a lark and expects to be married when he gets back. Jennie is engaged to Dave's younger brother, who is stationed nearby. Hilda says she thinks Jen is waiting for her to get married first. I guess they'll both marry in the very near future,
Gee, baby, I've got a terrific urge to see you! Guess I'd better sign off before I go “off" again. I love you, Phil, I adore you, I could eat you - (sigh).
Lovingly,
Your Eve
May 28, 1944
My Darling,
The second mail-less day, so I'm reduced to V-mail again (and double spaced at that). Just finished a real “longie” to Dottie by way of repayment for her own “longie” that I received yesterday.
Nothing of any importance transpired today - just the regular humdrum routine. I didn't even go to the movies - “Lucky Jordan” isn't the type of picture I care to see twice. However, I figure I made pretty good use of the last evening in getting off that letter to Dot. Think I'll turn in early tonight. Here of late I've been plagued by attacks of homesickness. I find they occur when I remain uninterrupted in the evenings.
It was just about this time last year that I got to see you a few days each week. I remember thinking then that I would someday look back to those balmy spring evenings, when I was so impatient to get to you that I had to curb the impulse to run from Broad Street. I was so happy then, Baby, in spite of the anxiety of imminent departure for an overseas destination that spoiled the completeness of my contentment. I knew then that I must make the most of the time I was still to have with you - and I did, didn't We? That last goodbye, although we didn't know it for such at the time, will always be clear in my memory, as will all of those nights - they were so beautiful!
But never fear darling, here will be many, many more such nights and they will be the more precious for having had to wait so long for them. They will be infinitely better for all the lonely ones we are now in the process of getting through as best we can. One day there will be an end to our loneliness. “Da” again be an actuality - the happiest circumstances that I am capable of imagining. Until the, be secure in the everlasting love of
Your Phil
28 May 1944
Sweetheart,
To begin with, I must apologize for neglecting to write yesterday. What is worse, I have no justifiable excuse for it. The plain truth is - I just wasn't in a writing mood. Think you can forgive me on such flimsy grounds? If you will, Chippie, I'll make it up to you here and now - what say? Tonight I am CQ again and I have nothing to do but write, so I mean to take advantage of the opportunity.
These past two days have been most uneventful, so if I don't say anything about what I have been doing, you will understand why. The "marquee" of the "Thunderbolt Theater" tonight reads as follows: "Adventures in Iraq"
John Loder
A Stinkeroo
So I don't feel that I'm missing anything in that direction. It is a beautiful evening. All the doors and windows of the Orderly Room are wide open to the warm sun and the occasional breeze, The view from here isn't too good, being impeded by a clump of trees and underbrush, but off to the rear, the cultivated fields of the adjoining farms lie green and lazy in the late afternoon sun, The eye follows them to the far horizon, interrupted only by an occasional tree, or by small groups of trees like little islands in a green sea. Wild red poppies grow aimlessly. The vivid daubs of scarlet are startling in the sharpness of the contrast to the preponderance of the all encompassing green of the fields. (One moment, Sweet, while I get one for you).
They are very fragile, I find, and I don't suppose the petals will hold their original color for long, but I'll see what they look like a little later, and if they haven't wilted too badly, I'll send them along.
Your letter of the 16th-17th arrived yesterday, and that of the 18th, today. The former contained the snapshots Fay gave you. I liked both of them. The first, sitting on the steps, for the cheeriness of your smile, the glimpse of one round knee, (trust me not to overlook that!), the eager curiosity of the punkin's expression (she looks like she's about to say something), and last but not least - the welcome view of the houses in the background, which serve to remind me that they are really as attractive as I remembered them. The other picture (of much poorer quality) unfortunately blurs your features, but affords a good idea of your very attractive new sport-coat. I like too, your jaunty, yet graceful posture in this one. The punkin, if you recall was very much interested in something across the street (or was she just showing off her "dopey" hat to the best advantage?) Fay looks heavier than I remember her. Her son is looking down, deeply immersed in something directly in front of him. Whoever took this picture evidently didn't give a damn about getting the babies in good poses, The "snaps" are very much appreciated, Honey, and now that summer and nice weather is here, I shall expect to see many, many more of the same. You aren't going to disappoint me, are you?
In your letter of the 16th, Chippie, you again see fit to remind me that I "committed (myself) to fatherhood, wife, home, etc., etc.)" I don't know whether or not you realize how often you have reiterated this very same statement to me, but I do know it's a source of irritation to me that you consider it necessary to do so. Don't you suppose I know what my responsibilities are? I don't, in spite of what you seem to think, chafe under the burden of those responsibilities - hell, I glory in them, which all makes it annoying as hell (to put it bluntly) to be nagged about it, A word to the wise, Chippie - - -. As for the little discussion you instigated with that remark about the $60 a week, I can't, for the life of me, see that my opinions on the subject were given any thought whatever - at least you entirely overlook the issue to offer a new set of opinions of your own, which, while they are plausible and even logical in themselves, don't, by a long sight, tend to approve or disprove anything I said. Either you are incapable of putting your true thoughts on the matter in writing, or you are tactfully trying to conclude our differences on this score. I'm inclined to think it's a little of each. I agree that the sensible thing to do is to forget the whole thing until we can talk about it. I have the feeling that we don't completely understand each other's viewpoints on this point, and writing about it only tends to confuse the issue. I feel as you do, Sweet, that we will, when the time comes, see eye-to-eye on this and any other question that may be a temporary source of controversy between us. After all is said and done - the ultimate truth is: we both want the same things of life, and since our hopes aren't built on too high a plane, we have every right to expect that, in time, we will realize them. Please, Baby, try to curb your inclinations to belittle my ambition, and my sense of responsibility. You may have every justification for believing so, but it is too soon to say for certain that I am lacking in either. I ask only that you grant me the benefit of the doubt, until you have ample justification for so believing. When you imply that I am lacking in these "virtues" I am just proud enough to feel the need to defend myself. I dislike, intensely, being pushed and prodded by anyone (even you, darling) in the direction I should (to anyone's notion) be taking. Be good enough to allow me to judge for myself, and to choose for myself, the "right direction,” and trust me to make every effort to attain my "goal" (and it shall never be as limited as $60 per week) in whichever undertaking I may see fit to pursue, I trust I have made myself very plain, Sweet, and I promise you that if you respect my feelings in all the respects I have set forth, we will have no further “misunderstandings” to contend with. 0.K? 'Nuff said?
I am delighted to read in your letter of the 18th that you are as highly pleased with the C.P. pictures as I said you would be. I love to say 'I told you so, s O O o - - I'll say, ''I told you so!" I figure it'll be a month yet before I get to see them, since you have included them in a package, but at least it's something to look forward to. No, darling, I hadn't noticed the cleft in your chin, but I'll be sure to look for it.
Your complete understanding of Adele and her various foibles and whimsies, as evidenced in your most entertaining account of her doings, both tickles and amazes me. If she expects to fool you in any respect, she'll soon change her mind when she attains a fuller appreciation of whom she is dealing with. Now if I were home - Well, I’d "wise her up" - make her understand that her Mommy is not a person either to trifle with, or to attempt to delude with any hope of even limited success. One particular sentence here especially intrigues me. Remember how I was curious to know how she displayed jealousy? Well, this time you tell me how she acts when she is "shocked" (and I begin to understand why everyone thinks she is so cute), but now I'm puzzled again. Just what could there possibly be that could inspire that typically adult emotion in my infant? Or are you guilty of a misnomer, and use "shocked", when "amazed" or "awed" would more appropriately describe what she feels?
I never cared for ankle-strap shoes (if they're what I think they are), but if you like them, then get them, 'cause I won't be around to be annoyed by them anyhow. Aren't they the type that have the strap running from the top and the back of the shoe? If they are, you may be amused by the reason for my prejudice against them. Some years back, I noticed that type of shoe on some very low characters around the town. Since then, the very sight of them reminds me of a harlot. Once, when Jeanette bought a pair, she asked how I liked them. She was very much surprised, to put it mildly, when I told her of my intense dislike for them, and the reason. If you'll take the trouble to look, you will find she is wearing them in some of the snapshots we took, You probably think I'm very silly and too impressionable, but you wanted my opinion. Well, Chippie mine, "you've had it"!
I'm waiting to hear the details of the New Yorkers' visit. I'm especially interested in Sammy's condition, and how he impressed you.
Your last paragraph was a "killer", Baby, and I'm going right to bed and dream about all those divertisements you suggested. Your thought on how we could turn the punkin's proclivities for interrupting your sleep to our own advantage, is most intriguing. What I wouldn't give to give it a try along those lines!!!
‘Bye now, Baby. I adore everything about you - especially the memories. Give my love to the punkin. My love to all.
Devotedly,
Your Phil
