Dart notes that it’s been a long time since he had a letter from Dot – really just a few days, but it seems like a lifetime. He knows he’s been short-changing her, as well.
He’s scheduled to work an extra shift at the newspaper tomorrow, staffing the telephone and the reception desk. He may as well earn some extra cash while he’s off school.
Today’s mail brought a cute card from Chuckie, Linda, and Billy Pecsok, but he suspects the signatures weren’t actually theirs.
Finally, the complete measuring of the third floor has been completed; walls, floor, doors, windows, alcoves, closets, stairs, and anything else he found up there. He’s made a scale drawing of the floor plan and now hopes to make more drawings to include some ideas he has for finishing the rooms out.
He has no idea what to tell her about the color the curtains should be until she tells him what colors the walls should be. Whatever they decided, he suggests they paint or paper the back wall of the back room a lighter shade. He’d like to consider perhaps a light blue or an off-white on the ceilings. He intends to use oil base flat paint on all the walls and ceilings.
The floors are in decent shape except for a couple of cracks which he’ll fill before giving them a coat of shellac. He and his dad moved the gas heater into the back room. After a handyman came over to pierce the chimney tile, they’re ready to find a more attractive gas heater for the front room. After it’s bought and installed, he hopes to build some bookcases around it.
“Naturally, I wouldn’t do a thing without your approval, so if you have any ideas, send ’em. If you have any suggestions about what I’ve said tonight, don’t be afraid to make ’em.”
He calculates that, apart from the new gas heater and a wash stand in the back, they should be able to finish the place out nicely for about $100.
He still hasn’t answered her 6-pager, and he won’t tonight. He’s “t’ard and he wants to go to bed.”
Sending her all his love, forever, he does just that. He’ll return on Christmas Eve with another short letter.