Dart is on a writing spree this week; he had back-to-back eight page letters, followed by this seven-pager tonight. I expected that he might make a reference to the 5th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack that changed the fate of this country and the world, but he didn’t mention it. These two kids have certainly seen a lot of changes in their own lives in the past 5 years.
It was a very busy night at the PD, in spite of the fact that the two big news stories broke early enough to be covered in the afternoon edition. Still there was lots of follow-up news.
“We got some of the most gruesome, sordid pictures anyone could imagine. Of course, the Plain Dealer, not having to resort to yellow journalism for its circulation, does not print the worst of the pictures or stories. It’s a very conservative newspaper.”
He tells Dot that the horror of the hotel fire in Atlanta completely obscured the story of the coal strike settlement. He was surprised and pleased to see the city was lit again when he went out for dinner tonight. He also enjoyed seeing the bright moon while he was out, and the people walking around downtown in shirt sleeves. It’s a rare December in Ohio.
In response to her most recent letter, he asks how he can tell her how sorry he is that she must endure such torture each month without sounding as though he’s patronizing her. “You’re too sweet and wonderful to deserve such treatment. Naturally, I don’t know anything about what it’s like to go through year after year of painful functioning like that, but I know that it must surely be an awful thing , if it causes you to lose consciousness. Oh, Dottie, I wish I could be near when you call out to me like that.”
As in previous letters, Dart spends several pages discussing a matter of extreme delicacy. This time, it was in response to something Dot recalled – apparently an incident at Sunapee when she was eager and willing to go beyond the boundaries they had set for themselves, but he refused. He talked about how fortunate they have each been able to “take turns” at being the strong one when passions exploded. Contrary to thinking less of her for her impulse that night, he thinks it’s a good sign that they both want the same thing – when the time is right. He knows they’ll have a happy and satisfying life together after they’re married, and he’s confident that if they have times where one of them is not satisfied, they will have the trust necessary to talk it over, get help, and find a solution.
She revealed to him that she was working on a secret project that involves their life as Mr. and Mrs. next fall. Naturally, Dart is quite curious about this secret and probed for more details.
To wrap things up, he assures her that he will welcome her help with his homework. He also asks her how much money he should count on for their honeymoon week at Sunapee in June. He wants to make sure he’s budgeted for rent, food, and whatever costs there may be.
“Good night, Darling. There is little new I can say to express my love for you.”