Dart writes, “There’s another of those summer storms brewing outside. …Remember the terrific storm that was raging the night before you left? Seems to me that both the weather and our hearts were in a tempest that night.”
Continuing the storm theme, he adds, “As I look back on it, I was reminded at the time of some scene in contemporary literature, although we did not go to the extreme the author described (under the cloak of censorship, of course). The scene was in King’s Row. If you’ve read the book, you’ll remember, and if you haven’t, you’ll not recognize the description of the stormy night that the hero spent in the study of the doctor who was his tutor. He’d fallen in love with the doctor’s daughter, who apparently had incestuous and nymphomaniac tenancies. They started out as we did that night, but the storm moved them to greater discard of inhibition. I couldn’t say ‘greater depth of passion,’ for the love and desire and possessiveness and protectiveness I felt for you then could have no equal in fact or in fiction, except as we might equal it in the future. My darling, how grateful I am for those fleeting moments when we clung so tightly to each other that it seemed our bodies would burst; or unite and become more nearly one body than we felt.”
He encloses a copy of his typing practice from this evening, complete with a circular grease stain from the doughnut that fueled him during the exercises. He has little good to say about his instructor in this class.
He’s beginning to resent the implications so many people make about them getting married. They say they shouldn’t marry until one, or both of them finish college, but they don’t know the situation. “I say to heck with them. It will be a titanic struggle to make ends meet, though, so heed your mother’s words and be prepared.” He warns that they will have precious few luxuries in the early years of marriage. He supposes they’ll have a joint income of between $175 and $195 a month (yes, you read that right) and perhaps rent as high as $55 per month. Still, somehow they will manage. He agrees that a strong love is vital, but he would put it at 90%, rather than her 99%. There are other factors like hardship, accidents, finance that may creep in to change the ratio. “Don’t let anything I say be construed to mean that I want a delay in our marriage. In spite of all the factors that seem to be against the advisability of getting married, I (and I know you, too) feel that we can whip them all; or enough of them so that we’ll be successful in our marriage. I’m pointing toward a goal which I hope will provide us with a decent living.”
Will she wear her new bathing suit at Sunapee? What if his college registration infringes on the week they have carved out for the lake? Could they go up there at a later time? Should he join them after registration and have a shortened vacation? Is there an older person who could serve as chaperone other than El?
He hopes to see all of her projects done before he’ll believe it. If she can manage it all, he’ll have little doubt about her ability to keep a home.
“Good night, Dot. Thank you for accepting my love and for returning it in the gracious and wonderful manner you have that I never would have dreamed of before I met you.”
# # #
Dot’s writing from the first floor and must answer Dart’s letters from memory. She left his most recent ones up on the third floor and it’s too darned hot to go up and get them.
Okay, from now on, it’ll be hamburger! As far as a job with Negro children is concerned, she would love to work with children. She knows, however, that she will be forced to look for the job with the most tempting salary, not the most interesting tasks.
She’s been home a week and has spent only 87 cents – mostly on stamps. Of course, her penny-pinching has been aided by folks taking her to dinner and movies for her birthday, but that gravy train is about to come to a screeching halt. Still, she hopes to have some money in the bank soon.
El is planning a beach party next weekend for 16 people. Dot was invited, but then she and El had a big fight, so she doesn’t know where things stand right now. Since most of the folks there will be El’s age or older, Dot doesn’t mind if she gets excluded.
Before work on Friday morning, Nancy Clapp is coming over so they can play at tennis. These two girls had an 8-hour gab fest the other night to catch up on all the news of their lives. Nancy has two more years of training in the Cadet Nurses Corps.
“Some days I miss you til it hurts, Dart, and today was one of those days. I tried to make myself feel better by telling the kids at the playground about you, but it only made me miss you and want you more than ever.”