Letter 6

9 April 1945

At The Office

Beloved—

I’m an awful wife, aren’t I—not writing a letter for almost a week?? But you’ll be so pleased when you get this letter you won’t care—for enclosed you will find some pictures—and they are responsible for my delay in writing, for every day I thought I’d get ‘em—so I’d think, “Well, I’ll wait til tomorrow and then I can send the pictures.” And true to form, they weren’t ready till about noon Saturday. Incidentally, the one of Penny and me is very awful of me—so please ignore me—or if you must look, please remember that I’m minus 30 pounds! I thought it a good picture of Penny, though—so why don’t you cut it down to just a picture of our sable b*tch?

And I’ve got the film situation licked—I can get 35 mm film at the Liberty Photo Supply in Peetstown—the idea being that the guy who runs said business establishment is an ex-navy man and takes care of the boys in fine style. So, I shall trot in the next time I’m in Pittsburgh and give him a sad story and if he gets an idea that Penny is a little girl, I won’t disillusion him. I found out all of this info through Bob Taylor—who is also going to get us 2 radio tubes. Also Bob says that if my story doesn’t work with the joe mentioned above, he can get the film—since he knows the fellow and buys a lot of stuff from him.

Also enclosed are another signature card from the bank—I figure if I send several of the same, one is bound to come back one of these days and lo, we shall have a joint bank account. Also, you will find a clipping from the Saturday paper. And I’m going to pack another box for you tonight—full of funnies, candy, etc. I’ve been trying to find an airtight container big enough in which to put a chocolate cake (baked, of course, by my own lily white hands) for you—but as yet, I’ve had no luck—but I shall persevere, my dolling—and one of these days you’ll will open a box to find chocolate cake slightly worse for the wear.

This letter will be limited to one page—in order to enclose the pictures, etc.—but I shall write another letter this aft., so you’ll probably get ‘em about the same time.

Ever since the story on the Jap attack on the fleet off Okinawa, I’ve been a trifle on the worried side—but as doc says, it doesn’t get me any place—so I’ve been keeping very busy of late. So far the Navy lists three destroyers as sunk and “minor damages to other ships”—tis this last that worries me—for so far as I can see, the only time the Navy says “major Damages” is when a ship is sunk! Oh hell, life is great—and I worry like hell and you know it—so why do I beat around the bush???? Damn it, darling, do take good care of you for me.......

Tonight I’m going to have the tires inspected WR to getting two new ones—you should see the one we bought in El Paso—it’s so full of cracks on the side walls, you can practically see the tube. Of course, that’s a bit exaggerated, but nevertheless, we took a royal rooking paying $17 for that tire, especially since the ceiling on Grade 3 tires is $11. But it’s going to get me a new grade 1 tire—so I’ll be quiet. The other tire, you’ll remember, has a break in the side wall—so I should be good for two new tires—if they only give me one, I’ll either wait another month or run over a hatchet.

Shall write more this aft—after lunch—

—Yours always, Emil