October 4, 1944
Click Here to Enlarge Item
310.17.1-4.2016 Transcription
4 Oct 44 (Wed)
Dearest,
How the heck that Rochester mail
runs I cannot tell for the life of me!
I know it’s not your fault in
any possible way. However this is
what happens frequently viz. today
I received no letter; tomorrow
morning I will receive, lets say,
your Tuesday’s letter; & tomorrow
afternoon I will receive your
Monday’s letter. Oh, me! I haven’t
ever received a letter under 2+ days
& the average is 3+ days. Anyhoooo,
its all over now & we will see
how Bismarck runs. Guess the only
reason I mention all this is that
I’m a wee bit “down” right now
as I write this letter — usually
your letters “lift” me so that I
“float around” while I’m writing.
Also another reason why Im a bit “down,” I
Guess, is that I never got to bed till after
1 AM last night after the visit c̅[1] Doby & Kay.
[2]
Before I forget — Doby’s
name is really Francis. One reason
I mention this is that Kay, who
leaves in 2 days, is going to write
you all sorts of “dope” from either
Hastings, Nebraska or Elko, Nevada.
Thus Mrs Francis Fields wouldn’t
puzzle you at all if it were on an
envelope. I could write pages about
what we talked over & what we
did but Ill just summarize:—
It was a super-swell evening!!
A few rum-cakes at their (Army)
apartment; steak dinner at a
Carlton Club 10 miles west of
Columbia; & home. Those kids were
certainly swell to me — I
was / am down to my last $2 [(CALCULATED)][2] & have
been for all week long & I just
refuse to spend it as I [thus][3] always
have enough money (thereby) to call
you if it turned out that way.
Well, they paid for cokes & whiskey at
[3]
their place; a $1.75 steak and
2 rum-cokes at 65¢ apiece out at
the Carlton Club; & all I feebly
contributed was ½ the telegraph
fee (30¢) to let Clyde know at
his P.O.E[4] that Doby & I had met
eachother & hoped to hook-up c̅
his crowd. That we all three
might be together is not too
“long-shot” a possibility but it
probably will not materialize.
Here’s hopin’! — geeeeeee!
Again, tonight for 1 to 2 hours
I am being the recipient of
financial-kindness. I asked Lt.
Gillespie if I would have a
chance to talk to his wife (just [here][5] visiting)
for a few minutes before she left.
He said sure, why didnt we all
eat together tonight. Well! what
could I do but explain that I
could not eat out because of
a financial mix-up occasioned
[4]
By my whole Sept check going to
A Dakota Bank. [P.S. I have learned I was ill advised.][6] He sa[id], “Aw forget
It—be my guest! “Well, those
kids don’t have any more (or less)
money than we have. BUT, I do
so want to get a mother’s
words/reactions/experiences about
a congenital heart that so as to
pass them on to you, that I
swollowed my pride & thanked
him a lot. If I am frank, I must
confess that because of your Rochester money
juggeling + my Ft. Jackson experiences, I have
progressively gotten more aggravated each day
c̅ Dad for being so dogmatic about my
not converting war bonds. Maybe this is
misdirected blame, but I don’t believe so.
Anyhooooo, I was just to darned tired in
Bismarck to argue & rationalize c̅ him.
Friday night brings up another
financial demand. They (the Ridgewood
Country Club) is charging the exorbitant
price of $4.00 for that final officers-
get-together dinner. If no money
has come by then I will just have
[5]
to borrow $5 from somebody.
Em, if no money has been
sent by the time you read this
(WHICH SHOULD BE FRI. EVENING)
please wire me money the first
thing as soon as banks open
Saturday morning. There is no other
“put.” I have already stalled
considerable buying until POE, &
I hope I don’t get “caught” by
finding things missing (as Clyde wrote Doby)
at the POE-PXes[7] are
supposed to have everything but
apparently it is partly myth.
I honestly haven’t felt like
writing any of this letter but there
is one point I have meant to
write for several days, so I may
as well write it while I
remember it. You wrote in your
letter re: “Peter,” Mary Griffin, etc that
[6]
you (QUOTE) “were sorry.” —
for having expressed / voiced yourself
in front of that bunch. Hell! I
express myself infront of any
bunch! That is what Bishop
Brent & millions of others say
we should do, can do, & (as
true Christians) must do for
His sake & His mission.
I must clean up for the
Gillespies now dear, so goooobye
until tomorrow evening.
A.M.L.[8],
Dave
P.S. As soon as I have some money for
parcel post I am shipping the tire
pump back as it isn’t “all around”
possible to take it c̅ me. Thanks, dear,
for all your efforts re: the pump & don’t
feel badly as I always always felt one
should be in the rear end of the car.
I could have used a car pump 2x already.
P.S. Thanks for your tourgram re: Roch → Minneapolis → Bis.
P.S. Did they ever send my wire re: Clarice on Oct. 2nd.
[1] Medical abbreviation meaning “with.”
[2] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[3] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[4] Point of Embarkation.
[5] Bracketed text is written below the line.
[6] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[7] Post Exchanges, for shopping.
[8] All my love.