Dart writes that he misses Dot so much that he can’t recall any other time when he wanted her near him as much as he wants it now.
He and his father spent all day on the kitchen-painting project. The walls are nearly done, and the place looks much brighter already. The cabinets, however are a nerve-wracking problem. They hope to have all their home improvement work done by the time Dot’s parents come out in June.
He offers some information about a meeting he had with an insurance agent today. He wants to carefully consider all his options before buying the right policy for them and their future family. He reminds her that she is foremost in his thoughts whenever topics like this come up.
A similar subject came up today. His folks told him about a number of large brick homes on Forest Hill Ave. that are coming up for sale. If the GI bill offers home loans as well as money for education, he would like for them to consider buying one of those grand old places. It was his parents’ suggestion that he and Dot could buy the house, his folks would rent some of it, and they could also rent out spare rooms to offset the loan payments. Meanwhile, Dart could finish the third floor as an apartment for them, and live there rent free. He asks Dot to consider the idea and make any comments or suggestions she has. “Think of the pride we could have in beginning our married life in a home that pays for itself! With no rent to pay, my $90 a month would go much farther toward being enough to live on.”
“Our problems can almost all be solved by insight, discussion, and inquiry. The problem of where and how to live until I’m out of school is perhaps the biggest of our immediate future.”
“I keep thinking of all the things we did and the good times we had last weekend, and I’m all clogged up inside with love, admiration, adoration and love for you. Oh Darling, I don’t want to say good night, but I must.”
# # #
Dot’s letter is typically spirited today. It begins, “How’s the world been treating you today? I can’t complain about anything new, but I didn’t see you and that’s always hard to take.”
When she went into work today, Mrs. Grabbenstedder (her boss) greeted her with “Good evening, Dottie. Did you have a nice weekend? We missed you but we know how lonesome you must get, being so far away from home.” Dot was surprised, but pleased by such a warm welcome. Then she went on to serve the men of Kappa Sigma Chi – a generous bunch who wolfed down their dinner in 45 minutes and left each girl a $1.15 tip.
She had a brainstorm tonight. When he and Al (and Homer?) come down on Friday night, maybe they could have dinner at Robin Hood. They could get a good meal for $ .40 and she and Phyll would give them great service. Then they could leave for their date at 7:00 and spend more time together.
She tells him what a good influence he is on her. Her room has looked like the site of a major cyclone for weeks, but today, it all changed. She thought of what Dart would say if he ever saw that unholy mess, and she had an idea. “I’m going to pretend this is ‘our’ room, and I’m going to keep it as neat as a pin. I know it’ll do the trick, ‘cuz I couldn’t bear the thought of you having to come home to an untidy room, apartment, or shoe box, as the case may be.”
She had a date tonight with an “old friend.” She was so sick of talking to the girls in the house that she took herself into town and saw a movie called “A Sailor Takes a Wife,” with Robert Walker and June Allyson. “I walked myself home without even stopping to buy a hamburger. It was rather foggy, but the moon made an honest attempt to show its face from behind the clouds, which made a beautiful pattern in the sky. Even though I was alone physically, you were with me every minute, as you always are.”
“It’s time for a certain girl to hit the sack. She’s mighty tired and she knows you won’t mind if she puts down her pen and picks up her dreams where she left off last night. Consider yourself as thoroughly kissed as you were last night up on your bed. Gee, but I love you sumpin’ fierce!”