Editor’s note: One of the hit songs of 1939 was the haunting and sobering song by Billie Holiday, “Strange Fruit”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ZyuULy9zs
2/22/39
Camden, N.J.
Haw, Haw, Haw: I’m at it again.
Just a line, sweetheart, to tell you that I’ve got it framed again and in its proper place. It’s been out of circulation for 3 years, but never again. Sure, I’m crazy—and proud of it. I feel better already, and it’s only been there for two minutes by the clock.
My trunk is located and will be delivered tomorrow—at $4.65 plus express charges. If I’d used my head & traveled straight PRR, instead of C & N.W., I would have had this. The former allows 300 lbs & the latter only 150. Oh, well, so what—I have my picture again.
Having gone out to town, a total of 12 blocks per trip, some six times in the last 5 hours, I shall not make another trip to mail this. I’ll get it on the way to work.
I’ll bet you’ll be glad when the typewriter gets here so you can read these in a reasonable amount of time. Maybe I’m just getting used to it, but my writing does seem to be improving.
More love, and supply not anywhere near exhausted.
Cy
P.S. I’ve got my picture!!!
P.S. #2 Goody—Whee.
2/22/39 4:30 P.M.
Darling:
To put it bluntly, I’m so damn lonesome it hurts. You probably also are, because we’re both spoiled brats, and talking won’t help us any. So let’s drop the subject before I do get blue.
I feel this afternoon like Cinderella must have felt at 11:50. Everything has been too grand, and something drastic must happen soon.
When I awoke, I found it cold, windy, and snowed on. The wind made me feel at home, and helped a little, except that you weren’t there to dig the bricks out of my eyes. I ate and then found the employment office. After signing away my life, I was sent to the dispensary for a physical. Incidentally, I have some sort of group insurance which I should have signed to you but thought more judicious to drop on Dad. That’s one thing I hope I can do in the next four months, because you haven’t much to fall back on upon. The Doc found me healthy and my eyes 20/20, which is average. Then I reported to Mr. Gunther. Everyone showed much surprise that I hadn’t worked for the company before. It seems that I started a little (not much) above the bottom brackets. Gunther is a group head and Salby is head of the project upon which I am working. As suggested, I am working on Government equipment, behind locked doors. Everyone is nice to me, and haven’t heard a single complaint about the company.
Well precious girl, that isn’t but half of it. First, I start at 8:00 and finish at 4:00, with an hour for lunch. Second, there is no Saturday work. And third, it takes the signature of two vice-presidents before a man can work overtime. It all adds up to a 35 hour week! This is 1.98 cents/minute against 1.3 cents/min. at Scott and 1 cent/min. at Wells-Gardner. But I’ve been stung so frequently that I can’t help being a little afraid that my bubble will burst. My first job paid 0.192 cents/min, or less than a tenth of my present wage. That’s a ten times increase in 7 years. And if these hours are straight, I could study some at night and yet have plenty of time for my darling.
I called Railway Express about my trunk about half an hour ago, and they said they would call back if they couldn’t get it over here tonight. I guess, and hope, it will arrive. The bed sleeps well here, so I shall have the folks send out the typewriter. I have a bunch of letters to write and it certainly will expedite matters.
Darling, this is the first time, with one exception, that I have ever written like this to a girl without making a copy. This is one time I certainly have stuck my neck out, but I love you and trust you so that doesn’t worry me in the least. Another question which has been frequently asked is “married?” I don’t know yet whether it is considered good or bad to be so attached.
Although the RCA’s technique of design is more engineering and less experimental than the ones to which I have become accustomed, I feel that I shall be able to handle the work. It will mean a lot of extra study though.
Oh, oh! A wedding just drove past.
I miss you in so many ways, Honey. No one to squeeze me, no one to yelp at me for twisting my hair, no one of whom to ask advice. If we could live on $135/month, I wouldn’t have so many compunctions about not finishing school until later. In two years we could save $1100, which would take us through one year of school nicely. If we can do it any other way, it would be desirable, but it wouldn’t be hopeless this way. I’d rather spend the $1100 on something blonde, if you get what I mean. If my initial estimate is correct, and if I don’t get sick or fired, I should be able to save $25/week. Allowing 2 weeks to build up my cash balance, just $50, I could finish off J.E.F.* by the end of April. By the middle of September, I would have $400. Then, if John would agree to it, I could finish school, go $150 in the hole and work for 6 months. At the same wage and savings rate, I would have paid back the $150 and saved another $500. Then I wouldn’t be afraid to go ahead.
They may be pipe dreams, sweetheart, but so was Purdue and working for RCA, and they came true (although I’m not yet indispensable).
If anyone asks, I am working on “special applications” and that is all that you know.
Don’t forget to see your boyfriend Webb, and let me know how it turns out.
If I couldn’t write to you, I would go nuts, but I shall try not to write until you answer this one. Please state that you are answering mine of the 22nd. It’s nearly six and time for supper.
Good night, little girl. Love Cy.
*”J.E.F.” are the initials for John Fast, who was a cousin to Buddy’s father. He owned the John E. Fast Condenser Company. He and his wife had no children and had always been very fond of Buddy. They saw Buddy’s potential and knew his family did not have a lot of money, so they had helped finance Buddy’s first three years at Purdue. According to my father, there was something of a falling out and Mr. Fast refused to help him in his last year. The cause of this change of heart is unknown. Cy made comments about drinking too much and letting his grades slip. Did Fast not approve of Cy’s relationship with Margaret or Marty? Perhaps Fast wanted Cy to work for him after graduation and Cy didn’t want to commit to that. In any event, it was obviously important to Buddy to repay Mr. Fast whatever he felt he owed him.