For the first time in many days, we have a letter from each of the young lovers today. As usual, we will start with Dart’s.
Dart arose early yesterday to take his father to work so that he might use the car for the day. Then he went back to bed and slept until it was time for him to go pick up his father. That evening, his cousin Marg, the piano student visited while she was on her break from Oberlin College. Even during her break, she must drive to campus to play for some of the budding singers there. She and Dart had a nice visit, topped off by a late night trip to Manners for some hamburgers and Cokes.
Today, Dart measured out “his” section of the basement and plotted his massive railroad empire. Fortunately, his scheme was discovered in time and his railroad was reduced to a “wee county.” He’s discovering that brick walls and gas meters are truly insurmountable obstacles for a railroad, especially one that has no source of revenue. “Fortunately, the railroad hasn’t been built yet, so there’s no need to shed tears over the …passengers who board the train, ride around all day, and finally arrive at their destination – the station from which they left.”
This afternoon, Dart puttered around the house, unpacking and pitching stuff. This evening, he called an old friend Bill Mather, who wasn’t at home. Homer Singer arrives tomorrow. But the brightest spot of his entire day was his phone call with Dot. He’s sorry to hear that he got her grounded to campus, and that she was disappointed with her English grade. Tomorrow, he and his mother are planning a trip to Ashtabula to see Aunt Flora.
“Goodnight, Dot. I love you with all my heart and I miss you terribly when you’re away. The house doesn’t seem the same with you not here. I miss your torture, even though I do not always enjoy it as much as you do. I miss the softness of you in my arms, and the way when we embrace that we’re so wrapped up and close to each other. I miss your laughter and the sight of you.”
# # #
A certain phone call Dot had tonight made her feel like life was worth living, despite her nasty cold. And she wasn’t talking to that sailor she’s written to so often; she was talking to a civilian!
When she told Miss Olin that Dart had planned to come to visit on Wednesday if she’d not been grounded, Miss Olin said that he could have come anyway, and she could have taken her final grounding day on Thursday. It works out better this way, because she has a big biology test on Thursday morning and could use Wednesday night for study.
Joyce’s fiance Bill will be here this weekend about the same time Dart arrives. She hopes they get to meet and that Bill will play the piano while he’s here. Otherwise, Dot might be tempted to entertain him with her meager skills on the keyboard.
She begins a second page merely to tell him that she loves him with every fiber of her being and she can’t wait to see him on Friday.