Today’s only letter comes from Dot. I’ve always known that when I paraphrase her letters, much of her playful mischief and gentle humor is sacrificed. Since we have no letter from Dart today, I decided to replicate Dot’s letter in its entirety so that readers can enjoy her wit and charm in full measure.

If I don’t watch my step, I’ll get as far behind in answering letters as some other people I know.

Any news about the possible job at Singer for your mom? Wish her good luck for me, but you might add that if having a job means I’ll not get so much as a postcard from her anymore, I don’t think I like the idea. I guess my mom owes you a letter too, doesn’t she?

I will offer absolutely no sympathy to you about your test in industry. If you do get as low a grade as you predicted, well, congratulations – one of your predictions came true. If not, I’ll be glad, but don’t think for one minute I’ll let you know about it.

Guess it’s only right for me to compliment you on your work in prose workshop. (By the way, that shouldn’t be capitalized. Neither should industry.) Hope you’re saving all your papers from that class ‘cuz I want to read them.

I’m eager to hear what the editor from McGraw-Hill had to say. Is there any chance of you doing some part time work for them while you’re going to school? Might be well for you to get your teeth sunk into that piece of cake so that you’ll be all ready to bite it off when it’s time for dessert.

Thanks for the clippings from the various papers. Of course I recognized you in the photo. You were squatting down near the left side of the picture. You held your little camera in your right hand and you were wearing your sport jacket.

With such a wonderful orchestra as the one Cleveland boasts, I don’t wonder more people want to enjoy the music without going bankrupt to do it.

I, too, have found it much easier to talk to the opposite sex since I fell in love with you. My reason, however, is a trifle different from yours. I was a man-hater most of my life until I met you and always hated the thought of having anything to do with them. But after I met you and discovered, much to my amazement, that there are a few gentlemen in the world, I more-or-less lost my terrific fright of males. I gradually began to be able to say hello to them without turning every shade on a color chart.

Whenever you’re in a mood to type or write a long letter, don’t try to talk yourself out of it. The longer they are, the better I like ’em. You might try writing another long one Saturday night so that it will arrive at a time when it will be needed and most surely appreciated.

Just what, my good man, were you referring to when you said they didn’t make symbols for what belongs below the hugs and kisses? (As if I didn’t know, or couldn’t guess, or didn’t wish for all the time.)

Think you’ll have a train layout like Mr. Doeright’s someday? After all, if you don’t have to keep supplying me with fur coats, you’ll have plenty left to invest in your hobby.

Our Choral Club is going to have several extra rehearsals between now and December 1. We have a very meticulous and good choir director. We will have organ accompaniment, but there are parts when we sing without it and then it comes in. In such a case, pitch is extremely important because the organist can’t just join in, playing the pitch we may have dropped to. She has to play the notes as they are written.

Dr. Howgate said if I didn’t have a false tooth put in, the tooth below where my tooth used to be will start growing up in that space and will separate from the teeth next to it, thus causing cavities. $75.00 covers everything he’s doing – preliminary to putting the tooth in – so that’s really not as exorbitant as it appeared.

Yes, you did ask what the male members of the wedding party will be expected to wear. They all wore dress suits at Harriet’s wedding, and looked mighty purdy to me. Darling, I know it must seem like a lot of fuss we’re going to to get married, but a wedding is something a girl dreams about all her life. It’s not just something that lasts as long as it takes to perform the ceremony. The memory of such an event lasts a lifetime. The girl who sits next to me at work once in a while got married two weeks ago. She had a matron of honor, four bridesmaids, a ring bearer and a flower girl. I thought maybe it would be fun to have Linda Pecsok as a flower girl and maybe Chuckie or Chris as the ring bearer. But perhaps that’s getting too elaborate. I’ve always dreamed of having a flower girl, but I don’t have to have one.

This afternoon at work one of the supervisors gave me an analysis. That means she plugged in with me and checked every call I made, the way I handled my calls, my voice, etc. The analysis lasted an hour and she called me aside to talk about it afterwards. She explained that even though I hadn’t been one of her pupils, she tested me because my own supervisor is sick. She went on to say that she wished I’d been one of her pupils because she was very proud of me. Then, and this is what counts in the long run, the chief operator, the real boss lady, came up to me personally and told me they were all very pleased with my work. Now who’s tootin’ her own horn? See, I do say nice things about myself. Already my hats don’t fit. It did make me feel kinda good and was all the more incentive for me to become absolutely perfect. For, after all, it’s a job worth doing, and I’m going to see to it that my part is done well.

Say, what’s gotten into me lately? This is the second night in a row that I’ve come through with 6 pages. Guess that’s ‘cuz I spend 5 pages answering your letters and use the 6th page to tell all that happens around here. It can all be condensed into one sentence: Nothing ever happens that’s worth the time it takes to happen in this dead, dull town. P.S. I don’t like Connecticut people very much. Oh! But those Ohioans! Ah, now that’s practically a different race! There’s one in particular that I’m madly in love with. Who, you ask? If you did ask such a question, it’s you, silly.

Your own, Dot.