September 29, 1944
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310.12.1-5.2016 Transcription
29 Sept 44
Dearest,
The exigencies of War make me write all these
things to follow about 6 days early but you will & do
understand that I will feel better (& you will feel better) to
have gotten things taken care of for sure rather than take
a last minute change of getting caught “short.” In
other words — “Christmas-Day-On-Christmas Eve.”
Your birthday present has been
“bought.” Ho! ho! ho! — what a
Combined Scotchman & Wilitzski[1]
I am — ho! ho! ho! I pays only
$1.99 for me wifes birthday present
& she must pay the rest! Nice
going Sandy Wilitzski, ol’ boy! —
Rabbi McTavish is might proud
oh yuh!!
Oh! so you want to know what I bought
you?? Well, now let’s see — can I remember.
Let me think. Now just a minute while I
think. Gee, whiz but it is murky here in
South Carolina. Oh! you say, I should get
Back on the subject! Well, now let’s see — can
I remember. Let me think. Now just a moment
please, while I recollect. Well –— enuf suspense?
$[OVER][2]
[2]
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAREST.
$$
AND HERES
HOPING I
CAN SAY iT
FOR THE 29th
ONE, ON UP TO
THE 99th ONE!
Here’s a long story about it all
& I do want you to know it
all, dear. First of all, might I
remark, WHAT A MAN WON’T DO FOR
A WOMAN! Yup, first for you I
Went “AWOL” (not really or fully or completely, but
AWOL is AWOL!). Ho! ho! hum! Seriously
though, dear, after your voice re:
a picture the other night, I had
80% of my reason for going “AWOL.”
[3]
Your anxiousness to have a portrait
Type really impressed me (even s̅[3]
having as yet received that letter you
spoke about longdistance that was
going to be so “convincing” re: my
having a portrait taken). To finish
the “AWOL” (Before going to the last 20% of the reason)
it was like this — I should
have & could have been driven out
to the rifle range about 11:01 this
morning after nigger work to shoot the Gurand rifle,
but instead pulled a fake excuse
to come back here to the hut so
as to get helmet, leggings, fatigues
off & put on “presentable” clothes.
I scooted out the back way (s̅ going
to the mess hall to eat & thus be observed)
& jumped a bus to look over the
types & merits of Columbia’s photographers.
Say! I must really love you if I did go s̅ a meal!?!
Yup, you betchum, I do!!! Well, I chose a
place that really seems as if it
should have-what-it-takes. Nice,
neat, modern, clean, & young personel.
[4]
Right across the street was the
House of Dynamic Portraits by some
ritzy sounding name — if you
charter a plane to bring a note
down to Columbia saying just this
“go Dynamic”, I will go “AWOL”
again to have some of those
open-throated, leaning, touseled
haired, glamour shots taken.
OK? — agreed! (& waiting for plane).
Anyhoo, I think this Dunbar
Studios should be just fine.
They told me to tell you #1 the
Proofs are so called “sun-proofs”
so do not get them in too
strong a light; #2 write on the
back of only those you wish
printed according to the scale
of prices they will enclose; & #3
you can keep the remaining
“sun proofs” that are not going to
be printed. [#4 from Wilitzski — for
Heaven’s sake write this Dunbar Studios
ticket number down on the wallpaper
so that if mail got lost you wouldnt be
sunk as to identifying my silly
[5]
face via mail — however I am
sure your returning the proofs by
registered mail would go through c̅[4] certainty.][5]
Next — I’m a wee bit
please about the time elements,
as you should have selected
your birthday present BY THE
TIME OF YOUR BIRTHDAY — whoopee!
This makes me very glad. Sooo,
according to Dunbar promise, you
will be mailed the proofs on
Wed Sept October 4th & the mail
should land JUST ABOUT ON YOUR
BIRTHDAY — whoopee! (Right here, dear,
let me say that if I can call you on your birthday
I will essentially break my neck to do it. — I
guess you know how hard it will be.) Oh, yes,
I should say this before I forget
it — I am really very
pleased that you are getting-your-
own-way — remember, how
you said you wanted to be the
one to look at proofs & do the
selecting yourself? Really, dear,
I am tickled about it. Now, to
[6]
go on to the last 20% component
of why I went “A.W.O.L.” (I quote it because
I wasnt really or officially A.W.O.L). I had a
certain birthday present in mind
for you for a long time, but the
exigencies of War make this
present a little but “shakey” as
to its certainty of time-availability-
arrival. Soooo, for 2 days since
your phone call I have been
revamping my present-plans
& this photograph-present has
been jibed in just fine.—
infact things have been worked
out so well that I, as of this
moment, prefer the photo idea over
the other ideas. Wouldn’t you just like to know
what the other idea was?! — ho! ho! ho!. One
last point — I even didn’t
go get that GI-haircut until
one hour after the picture was
taken. Think you could still love me c̅ a “skinned”
head — well even if you dont, my pal
Thump[6] does still love me — see! Ü!«!卐! Now
he & I have pretty much the same type of haircuts
THUMP & I STICK TOGETHER — SEE!*!*
[7]
In one of your letters you
spoke about how I had probably
been to Church that particular
Sunday morning a few hours
earlier—you were right!—
I had been to Trinity. Very steeped
in tradition in stuff c̅ graveyard
& signs that let you emphatically
know there was, & still is, A-South
before-and-after the Civil War. Their
dedicated monuments around here
give me a laugh because of the
attempted subtlety, while
pronouncing the difference between
South & North. Oh, me!
Say, did you know that
That Numerologist Kelley was
once c̅ Ringling Bros Barnum-&
Bailey? Well, that one certain
famous number he gave to you
recently seems to “work” better
& closer all the time. despite the
Ever-existing uncertainties correlated
c̅ Numerology.
[8]
Gee, dearest, I am so very very
pleased/happy/relieved that Terrell
David Wilsey is baptized. Geeeeee!
The sponsors are just tops!
Say! you are wrong — why, Heaven’s sake I’ll
have to get you an electric ear phone or better, yet
my grandmother’s great big old fashioned ear
trumpet PLUS send you to at least 3rd grade
in school for some simple learnin’ —
you said in your letter that my Pal and Agent
Thumper winked at you after the baptism
ceremony & said [QUOTE YOUR LETTER][7] “Give Pop
my love” — why, Hell, you only got
two of the words “straight”/correct!—he
said—“Pop says for me to say for him
that —
I love you c̅ all my heart &
soul & mind,”
Dave
[1] Wilsey’s nickname for himself.
[2] Bracketed text is part of original.
[3] Medical abbreviation meaning “without.”
[4] Medical abbreviation meaning “with.”
[5] Bracketed text is part of original.
[6] Nickname for their infant son, Terry.
[7] Bracketed text is part of original.