Hello Pauline-

I mailed my letter before I received yours. You put me on the spot. That accounts for the writing on the envelope. You said you were married but didn’t mention your husband’s name. That phone call cost me 3 bucks; best investment I made in my life. The first few words you uttered I noticed a quiver of nervousness, and I realized by the tone of your voice that you were connected in some professional vocations.

From the snap shot of your husband [it] looks to me like you got a lot of man. The beef on his frame is placed in the right places, lucky you. And he don’t even beat you. Dad looks like he’s holding us O.K. I showed the pictures of you and Mary to my landlady and she said Mary’s nice. I agree.

Say didn’t you make a miscue when you said Luke was 6’3”? Boy, he’s taller than I am. If he ever fell down he would be halfway to Detroit. He could make it in two falls. Has he still got that B.B. gun? He used to shoot at Joe T’s store window when we lived at Watson St.

I like that picture of you on the rocks at Niagara Falls. You don’t know it but I have a picture of you that I carried with me ever since I left home. I’ll send it to you. I’m sorry to hear that mothers been ailing. Tell her to be a little careful. I suppose there are a lot of changes in the old neighborhood places, friends, and neighbors. Let me know what happened. I’ll try to give you scraps of news of myself as I keep writing along.

Don’t any of you people come here. Give me a chance to get lined up. If the work holds up and the weather breaks, I’ll surprise you and drop around.

I work for Dodge Bros. It’s connected with Chrysler same as Plymouth and De-Sota; one big corporation. I work nights, from 4 P.M. to 12:30 A.M., [with] half an hour for lunch. I make good money and like my work. I work in the body trim department. That’s where the upholstering is installed, such as seat cushions’ backs, side arms and head lining. Other parts of assembly are rear trunk, door glass, panel hand brake, speedometer cable, and a few other small parts. The bodies are lined in formation on a conveyor and travel at a certain speed. Speed varies at times. My work requires 16 jobs per hour. We belong to a union and our shop stewards take care of our grievances. We have been on strike for 3 months; that set me back.

We may receive some compensation insurance for the time lost during the strike: 7 weeks at $16 per week. The state is refusing to pay off. [Their] reason [being], that the persons actually involved in the strike are not entitled to it. The union appealed it, and the case comes up soon. [It’s] nice money if you get it all at once. If I get that money I may make a deal with a fellow at the shop. He has a ’37 4 door deluxe Dodge, with radio, heater, and defroster, with 25,000 miles. He wanted $375. I had a Chevy once and I lost it in a crap game. The place that I live in is quiet. Everybody keeps to their self mostly. The house is run by a woman who has another one several blocks away and she comes everyday to make the rooms. Most of the roomers are men and there are two couples downstairs where they have their own private entrance.

There are many things I would like to write and ask you about mother and dad. Luke and Mary, did you receive any of my letters while I was traveling around? When and where did you hear from me last? Well sis, I got to go to work. So long! I’ll be seeing you in the form of another letter maybe at the end of the week. That includes mother, dad, Luke, Mary, and Frank. So-long.

Your bro,

Pete