May 23, 1945

Dear Billy:

Hiya, honey chile! Make with the pen. Mother is having kittens because she hasn’t had any mail from you. I hope we get a letter from you tomorrow, Billy. Mother is really quite upset because she hasn’t heard from you.

Vera Sauerwalk stopped in on Saturday morning to tell mother that she had just received a cable to the effect that Johnny is all right. I’m certainly happy about that.

Mother met little Joan’s mother, you know, the people who used to live in back of us, and she said she had received a cable from her son to the effect that he is all right and is now in a hospital. He said there is nothing wrong with him that a few good meals won’t cure. I guess he’s pretty much run down because he anticipates being in the hospital over in England for at least another month. He was a German prisoner, you know.

I deposited your check in the bowery saving bank last Saturday morning on my way to the office. Your balance, including the $1,000 deposit and interest to date, amounts to $2,523.81. Yippee!

We had a letter from Heltie and he didn’t do so well on buying the car I was telling you about in my last letter. The fellow wanted $250 for it and since Heltie will have to pay $100 of $150 to have it fixed, he won’t pay more than $175 for it, so I guess that’s out. However, the fellow may still change his mind.

We’re really getting our yard in nice shape. Several of the flowers have started to bloom already. If it’s nice on Sunday, I’ll take a picture of it and send it to you.

Heltie will be home this weekend so maybe I can get some good pictures of all of us. I’ve been trying for several weeks, but we’ve had rain practically every Sunday.

Ham’s sister me the day before yesterday and said she had had word from the red cross to the effect that Ham should be home in a week of ten days. I’ll really be happy to see him. Kay is out in California but has reservations to fly to New York and from what Ham’s sister said, she should be here sometime next week Let me know if you want anything special. Bye for now honey lamb.

P.S. Heltie said he sent you another package containing some tennis balls, films and cigarettes. He said he has Rob sent you 27 tennis balls in all.

-Squeeze