In this letter, Dad expresses his excitement at the thought of getting together with his dad and brothers for another of their all-night gab fests. Though a usually quiet man, when Dad was with his father and brothers, he became very loquacious. His thoughts were more and more on the baby coming in march of 1946....and on going home. Dad enclosed a cartoon Bonnie had made in 1944 about her first attempt at baking a cherry pie and then having to scour the oven due to the spillage.
October 19, 1945
Guam
Dear Mom & Dad,
Yesterday I received your letter giving me your new address. I didn’t get to answer it though, because I didn’t get off work until late. I’m glad you left that darned place on Michigan Avenue. I didn’t like that bunch of people around there.
I got a letter from Bonnie today, and she said she is coming to stay with you starting December 1st. Mom, you don’t know how happy that makes me. Please don’t let her back out of coming . She has it nice with her cousin Jean, but they aren’t “her” people. She wants to come to you, but you know how she is, so please make her come “home.” Then when I come home, we can find a place where I can take care of her, OK? Yes, Eddie is in the states, and you don’t know how happy that makes me. I had been waiting for his letter telling me he was going home. I know what it means to a man to get home after he’s been far away for a long time. He said he would be the one to pick me up off the hospital floor when the baby is born. What a guy! wait until he and Jesse and Dad & I get together again. All of the windows will fly out of the house. That will be the first time Bonnie will see me talking so much that no one else can get in a word. Bejabbers!
Say, Dad, when I get the word that I’m coming home, I’ll write to you and make a date in advance to got out with Bonnie. You’ve got to let me have a date with her sometime after she moves in with you and Mom. You won’t be able to take her out ALL the time. By George, I can just see myself sitting at home mending socks, and you and Bonnie out to a show with Mom telling me, “That’s OK. You can take Bonnie to a show tomorrow night.” Egad!
Here is a cartoon Bonnie drew for me a long time ago. Show it to her to see if she remembers it. She sure is a sweet kid. I’ve laughed at this cartoon every time I’ve looked at it. I can just see her face turning red and scrubbing out the old stove.
Well, this is short but I can’t think of much more to say unless I said, ) * !!))))000**##*** to Vi for not writing. Bye for now. Be careful. God bless you and watch over you.
Your loving son,
Elwood
p.s. When Eddie gets there, make him take some pictures and send me a couple, OK?
Guam
Dear Mom & Dad,
Yesterday I received your letter giving me your new address. I didn’t get to answer it though, because I didn’t get off work until late. I’m glad you left that darned place on Michigan Avenue. I didn’t like that bunch of people around there.
I got a letter from Bonnie today, and she said she is coming to stay with you starting December 1st. Mom, you don’t know how happy that makes me. Please don’t let her back out of coming . She has it nice with her cousin Jean, but they aren’t “her” people. She wants to come to you, but you know how she is, so please make her come “home.” Then when I come home, we can find a place where I can take care of her, OK? Yes, Eddie is in the states, and you don’t know how happy that makes me. I had been waiting for his letter telling me he was going home. I know what it means to a man to get home after he’s been far away for a long time. He said he would be the one to pick me up off the hospital floor when the baby is born. What a guy! wait until he and Jesse and Dad & I get together again. All of the windows will fly out of the house. That will be the first time Bonnie will see me talking so much that no one else can get in a word. Bejabbers!
Say, Dad, when I get the word that I’m coming home, I’ll write to you and make a date in advance to got out with Bonnie. You’ve got to let me have a date with her sometime after she moves in with you and Mom. You won’t be able to take her out ALL the time. By George, I can just see myself sitting at home mending socks, and you and Bonnie out to a show with Mom telling me, “That’s OK. You can take Bonnie to a show tomorrow night.” Egad!
Here is a cartoon Bonnie drew for me a long time ago. Show it to her to see if she remembers it. She sure is a sweet kid. I’ve laughed at this cartoon every time I’ve looked at it. I can just see her face turning red and scrubbing out the old stove.
Well, this is short but I can’t think of much more to say unless I said, ) * !!))))000**##*** to Vi for not writing. Bye for now. Be careful. God bless you and watch over you.
Your loving son,
Elwood
p.s. When Eddie gets there, make him take some pictures and send me a couple, OK?
