Year: 1939

4/28/39

Hi Kitten:

How is ya?   I’m a new man.  I got the enclosed letter from Sam Marks, the motorcycle boy at school, a couple of days ago.  Same is a swell egg, and likes me a great deal (it is mutual).  He knew more about the MG situation than anyone else, but is rather good at telling people to politely go to hell.  Looking at his letter, I got the impression that possibly MG was trying to get at me through him.  This wouldn’t surprise me at all.  I wrote to him and told him to discourage everything and write me more specific details.  Then I didn’t mail the letter because I didn’t want anything around in writing.  I was almost certain that he was on my side of the fence, but not too sure of it.  MG might have dropped out of school or something and gone back to the old place, in which case, his ear would be a lot closer to her mouth than to mine.  The best solution seemed to be to call him on the phone, thus eliminating all chance of collusion between the receipt of the letter and the time I got an answer.  This I did this morning.  He damn near fainted when he heard who it was.  Analyzing the damn thing by paragraphs is like this:

1. He just talks that way.  Nothing sinister about “trace.”
2. Stuck it between a couple of books and didn’t find it until he studied the books again—this can easily be months in college.
3. School, which was a big failure when I left, is now panning out fine and he is going to graduate.
4. Same as A.
5. Can’t figure it out.
6. This is what worried me.  I thought maybe MG had been writing letters.

(He didn’t even mention MG, which he would have anything had soured.)

I had a swell time talking to him, and I was so relieved that the cost of the thing didn’t even hurt.  He is coming East this summer for an ROTC camp and I shall see him then.   Apparently nothing drastic has happened.   The MG parent (male) threatened to malign my name about the campus after I had gone, but I told him that his own rep wasn’t good enough.  I countered by saying that I would name the date of his last bath if he spilled any more lies about me.  He did a good job of this while I was there.  He certainly missed the main point, hi.  If anything is sour in that section, it would have gotten out—so I think we can finally forget that section of my past indiscretion.

The vacation plan has only one flaw.  I haven’t mentioned it yet, so here goes.  The last time you came to see me, I let you get away.  That left a permanent rent in my little life, which can only be filled by you.  To cut things short, I’m terribly afraid that I won’t let you go back once you get out this far.  That would be suicide unless things get along a lot faster than I now think they will.  Another point, also a little blunt, when you come out to see me, I want you to stay for another reason.  Although I don’t anticipate it, if we can’t hold out on our ideals, I at least want to be near you until you again become sure we didn’t slip.  That is the least I can do.  I feel so strongly on all of these subjects that I can’t keep my little brain on a level keel.  Let’s not make a definite decision until later.  Precious girl, we mustn’t do anything rash for a while yet, and then we can really live.

Darling, one other thing.  We are taking life too seriously.  Let’s try to relax, hard as it may be.  I frequently catch myself doing twice the worrying about us that I should.

I’m glad Maw liked the birthday.  It was probably the biggest one she has had for some time.  Yes, JH has changed a good deal in the past months.  Having noted the corresponding change in so many college students, it doesn’t perturb me.  But there are a lot of his friends who would be most surprised.

If Burns was right, it will only be about a month more.  He has to be right, little girl.

Well, my beautiful little darling, now that I have said all of the things I ought to say, I’ll say what I want to.  I must have you, I love, yes worship, you.  And I hope that it won’t be too long.  So there.  You see, I’m crazy too.

Jack sent me an awfully nice birthday letter.  Nothing seriously wrong and is now all happy.  I think 90% of it is due to being able to feel that the kid bro crashed through.  You know, sweetheart, I have a feeling that you two are going to get along beautifully.  Don’t breathe a word to anyone—most seriously—but I wouldn’t be surprised if you got to meet her sometime soon.  One of the first things I am going to do when you get cleared up is let her know the set-up.

Supper time, darling, and no wife with whom to eat it.  In case I haven’t made myself clear, I am a very lonesome little boy.

Your only husband, Cy.

Editor’s note:  On 4/30/39, The NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR opened. RCA Began experimental TV broadcasting through NBC in the New York area.  The fair ran until 10/31/40.

4/30/39
Darling:
Am I a bad, bad boy! I started reading “Guns of Burgoyne” yesterday evening and finished it this morning, at 5 a.m.(daylight time)! But I slept until noon, so it wasn’t so bad. I then bathed and shaved and washed the old dome, and I feel like a new man—must be driven very slowly the first five-hundred miles.
Mrs. Brooks’ daughter, Emily, and her husband and three of the kids are in this morning. Two of the boys, about 10 and 12 each, passed judgement on you. They think it is a good idea, but like your recent pictures more than the 1936 one. So Darling, you see—even little boys think that you are growing more beautiful every day! I don’t see how you do it, but every time I see you, you are a little more irresistible than before. They stayed up in the room for some time, and I showed them my heavy mittens, flying helmet and goggles, and other things in which kids are interested.
I had a rather discouraging time yesterday. I watched a parade for over two hours, and didn’t see but one competent fighting man in the entire bunch.  Kate Smith’s “God Bless America,” may be a well needed prayer, rather than just another Irving Berlin masterpiece. [ Click to listen:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zF7a0wB-Lg ]

I watched it from in front of Independence Hall. A plane overhead was dragging a streamer with “Stop Hitler” written across it. The parade was made up of National Guard troops, the field artillery being the only branch that looked like soldiers, Legionnaires, and Legion Auxiliaries and kids bands. The ex-soldiers were too damned old to be of much use outside of GHQ in the next fracas. The poor pimply-faced kids couldn’t stand up under a stiff campaign, and the N.G. troops were horrid. Then the plane flew its damned “Stop Hitler” over Independence Hall. The very birthplace of anti-imperialism being desecrated by a God-damned sign urging that America try to tell Europe how to run its affairs (for the benefit of America). Hitler’s answer to Roosevelt’s latest effort to embroil us in a general war certainly was one of the most masterful pieces of intelligent statesmanship which I have ever heard. In a word, he pointed out that America had once stood idly by and permitted the Allies to rape Germany, and he (Hitler) saw no reason to believe that they (Americans) wouldn’t do it again.

Well, Darling, let’s hope that the damned fool doesn’t get us into another mess like Wilson did. Of course, if he does, I shall in almost any case be kept right where I now am, since I am working on government receivers. But if such occurs, I shall be enlisted in the Army, stationed with the RCAM*, and draw pay probably at a private’s rate– $30 per month. All of this for the honor of my country and the same amount of work. As you can see, I am a little rabid on the subject.
Now that that is out of my system, the good part follows. I bought a pair of suede crepe-soled shoes I mentioned in the last letter. I had to go all over Philadelphia before I found them. Got them for $4.95 and also bought 6 pair of assorted blue, gray and black socks. Part of them are rayon and the rest are Lisle. I hope my baby girl likes them,
So Miss Lolly-pop is glad you have pretty eyes. Maybe you don’t realize it, but one of the biggest obstacles to our not having that little blue-eyed blonde is going to be Mother. I think she is planning on it rather heavily. She may not quite understand why we have to wait for a while.
The phone call will materialize as soon as I can make it, use your name, and not give a damn if it does go on the books. In other words, when you’re all clear. Darling, is it going to be as much of a relief to you as it is to me to be able to be open about loving each other? It has to go through ok.
Give my regards to Tommy when you write.

Well, pretty girl, I have to write mother and Maw, so I suppose I had best stop. I am going out to eat then, take in a show, “Midnight” with Claudette Colbert, and see the stage show, which features Tony Martin’s orchestra. Then I have to come home and study the theory of coupled circuits, whatever that is.
Take care of my wife for me. Love Cy.

*I believe this refers to “The RCA Manufacturing, Co.”

4/31-5/1/39 What is it?*

Precious:

How’s my darling?

Gee, Baby, I wish you never had to miss me again.  Your letter was quite pathetic, but I know how you felt and I am awfully sorry that I can’t have you with me as soon as things clear up.  Little Girl, if it ever gets too bad, why don’t you telephone me and reverse the charges?  Make it “person to person” and from someplace in Chi where a record of the person calling would not be kept, like from Fritz and Dottie’s.  So long as I have any savings you are welcome to at least that much of them.

I am not going to mail this until tomorrow, for a letter a day would look bad at this time.  I shall probably write every day and combine two letters in one envelope.

I wrote to Dr. Maynard and asked for an appointment in the next three weeks.

Those darling pictures of Bill and Jo’s infants nearly caused a riot over the week-end.  I sent them off to Jack for her inspection, and they returned Saturday.  I put them in my coat pocket along with my wallet.  When I was paying for my lunch at Pohle’s Tea Room, I took out my wallet and they also came out.  They have already seen those snaps of you, the two I carry with me (one of the new waitresses got a funny idea about a date once, and I thought that would be a good way to squelch it—the girl later left, but the squelching was most complete—she came out and said she couldn’t compete with a girl that cute).  So when they saw Better dark and Jimmy light, they put two and two together.  Of course, I was sufficiently flattered not to correct them.  I don’t think they have yet figured out whether or not I am married.  When asked, I just blushed and said something to the effect that it was yet customary when increasing the population.  Oh, me.  Do I have fun.

Am I getting extravagant.  I finally bought a Little Ben.  It is black with white face and chrome finishing.  The old one is in the drawer and yet makes more noise than Benny does on the table top.  I thought of an electric one for future use, but they sometimes stop—and I could afford that now.

Darling I am awfully lonesome, but this little conversation with you helps a lot.  I’ll see you about this time tomorrow, and then I’ll drop both into the mail.

Later:   I’ve written letters to Mom and Maw, and now I remember some more things for my precious girl.

While reading last night, I listened to WMAQ.  Honestly, darling, I got a big kick out of realizing that those old signals were coming from a spot within five miles of where my wife was sleeping.

I sent John $20 yesterday and put another $20 into Postal.  That brings the savings up to $50 and the debt down to $133.  I hope to be able to clean it up by the end of June.

My last check had 85 cents deducted from it, so perhaps I am already in the set-up described in the enclosed booklet.  I probably signed up for it when I registered at the employment office.  85 cents is the amount of the first deduction, 50 for membership and 35 for monthly dues.

Darling, the old typing is pooing out, so I shall stop again.

Your husband, Cy.

*I’m sure Buddy added an extra day to April for humorous effect.