4/11/44[1]
Dear Bob[2]-
It
was good to finally hear from you again – I have been wondering just what had
happened to you.
Your
traveling seems very elegant[3].
Especially this week when we have been hearing of great travel difficulties.
Remember Jody – the gal you met in Vegas who has the new baby? Her father is
very ill in Chicago and she has been trying for almost a week to get
reservations home. She can’t get a plane which is what she most wants and can’t
get Pullman or roomette[4]
reservations on the train. She’s taking the baby with her and to Chicago is a
long way by chair car[5].
She may have made connections by now – I certainly hope so. We were in town
Saturday and she was all set to go by plane – she got a reservation an hour
ahead – and then 30 minutes before plane time it was canceled. What a mess[6]!
Everything
is the same here. Today I cleaned house while Bette went shopping. Tomorrow we’re
going to the show – Thursday we’re having the boss and his wife over for lunch –
and Friday we are going to town. Sounds busy, doesn’t it? I have a whole list
of social engagements etc. that I want to get done before I leave here, which
is to be May 15th both officially an unofficially. Wonderful, isn’t
it? Don’t know just where I’ll go yet for it depends on Walter. I will get to
Fresno ─ of course ─ and I’ll look over the Aunt Beth situation for myself[7].
Before
I leave here I’ll send you another batch of almond brittle if you want it. Will
you be in Santa Ana long enough[8]?
This
isn’t much of a letter but Bette is cooking ham and cabbage and it really
smells good. For once, we’re going to eat before we go to work. We’ve finally accustomed
ourselves to getting up by 11:00 am. Which gives a grand long day. Also, I get
more time for a suntan, of which I am acquiring a little[9].
Write
again soon 
Lydia[10]
[1]
Postmarked the same date.
[2]
Addressed to: a/c Robert B. Richert 19111319; Sq. 180 SA.A.A.B; Santa Ana;
California.
[3]
Clearly sarcastic in the context of the paragraph.
[4]
The terms are not interchangeable, but actually different classes.
[5]
A class where the ticket holder only has a chair seat with limited ability to
recline.
[6]
Interesting to note that even with the passage of 70 years and end of a world
war cancellations are still a common occurrence at the airport.
[7]
Other letters mention some sort of issue involving Aunt Beth (BBR’s sister),
but unknown at this time (12 April 2016).
[8]
While military training did have specific time requirements, service personal
never knew with absolute certainty how long they would be at a location.
[9]
Again, interesting to note that we often think that the pursuit of a suntan as
a more recent development, perhaps due to the increasingly revealing swimsuit
styles.
No comments:
Post a Comment