Love Letter - December 20, 1943

From Laverne:
Dad's parents Julius and Bessie immigrated to America in 1917. Julius was a barber in downtown Chicago. Haircuts were 25 cents. Eventually he bought his own shop in a Polish neighborhood on the north side. As a result of Julius’ investments in real estate, every time we went to visit they lived in a different apartment building. They always seemed rich to us kids. They had plastic on their living room furniture, gave us huge Easter Baskets covered with cellophane and $5 bills were slipped in birthday cards. Bessie was what’s known today as a stay at home mom raising three sons. When we went to visit in the sixties she let us know that she did not like the “Polish jokes” that were so prevalent at the time. Of course they didn’t bother us kids. We were once removed. Apparently, the northerners have had their Polish and Irish, the southerners have had their blacks. Last night we watched Ken Burns Documentary, “The West.” revealing the degree to which the westerners have had their Indians. Today it seems many Americans basically have all immigrants to fear.

From Me: - If Dad had only known that 3yrs later to the day of this letter Mom would be delivering their first baby!

From Dad to Mom:

December 20, 1943
Dear Grace,

I received your letter today and I must say that it sure was sweet of you to send me that box of candy. It sure was good. That was the first piece of home made candy I had since getting into the Army. I sure wish that I had a girl friend something like you to send me home made goodies.

I guess I’ll have to wait till after the war to dream. I sure must say that the letter you sent me was a very interesting one and I really do enjoy your letters cause they are not short notes like mine.

How did you all make out in the basketball game the other night? Tuesday, I guess it was. I hope that your team won. Also how did your team make out Friday?

If you and I played basketball against each other I’m afraid that I would loose. In a school our size they had all the kinds of recreation you could think of. They had four football teams and all were class one teams. They had the same amount of baseball teams. We have also some swimming teams, basketball teams, soccer teams, tennis teams, boxing teams wrestling teams, fencing, etc. I guess our class was slightly bigger than yours, by 1150, only.

Boy! I sure do wish that I could hang my stocking up Christmas Day and get it filled like the times before the war and when I was young and innocent.

Boy! Reading that letter about how you spent Christmas reminded me of the ones I spent at home. I can’t help it, if I am sentimental that I got tears in my eyes when I read that. I guess I’ll just miss those good old home Christmas days.

I never was able to catch Santa Claus filling up my stocking. Did you ever catch him at work? Say, will you please tell me how far it is to Matador, Texas from San Angelo. I do hope I can take you up on that visit to your house. I’d think it would be a lot of fun spending time with you in a small town.

Nothing of importance has happened here, same old routine day in and out. Saturday evening I went to the show and saw the pictures “Appointment in Berlin” and “Gals Inc.” I would say the pictures were fair.
Sunday afternoon I went skating. I did not enjoy myself. Don’t know the reason why.

We sure do have a nice Christmas tree in our living room. (The Army calls the living room the day room.)

Today I started my target practice. I’ll tell you at the end of the week how I made out.

I went to a show today. I saw the picture, “The North Star” and that sure was a good picture.

I’ll guess I’ll close until I hear from you. So I guess I’ll close with love.

Always
Ray

PS I am enclosing a kiss for you for Christmas and also one for New Years. I hope you don’t mind.