As the summer winds down, there seem to be fewer letters per week, so this is a short post, with the last letters on Wednesday. Both Ruth and Dave have been working on jobs with very long hours; it’s possible they’re both too tired to sit up and write a few pages, or with the “new” Ford, the opportunities for driving into Albany to visit have become more frequent.
August 19, 1935
45 Brookline Avenue
Albany, N.Y.
Dear Dave,
I won’t promise to make this a very lengthy letter as I’m sort of tired tonight. When I got in last night, I found a note saying not to bother getting up to get breakfast. You may be sure I didn’t. I slept until 10 a.m. I was so tired last night I can’t even remember how I got ready for bed. I must have been sociable last night. Gee, I guess I can’t say much about you being tired. Seems like I’m always complaining about being tired. I’m either on night duty or just come off a case so I act all washed up.
Whew, is it hot up here tonight. I wish we would get some rain so it would cool off a little. It is bad enough working in the house, it must be terrible out in the sun. Don’t work too hard, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea if you took an occasional snooze under a shade tree. You know, “if you have to take it, take it easy”!
It is now 9:45 and I just finished my dishes and wrote a short letter to Mom. I have worked all day. Anyone would wonder what there is around here to keep two people busy but believe me there is plenty.
Loretta says she has raved all day about how nice and well trained Billy is. I’ll bet that doesn’t go over so big with Mrs. Schermerhorn.
I hope it will be possible for me to be down to Lydia’s Sunday. I’ll ask or rather tell Mrs. Herlihy early in the week about the plans. I think maybe I can manage as Mr. Herlihy starts his vacation Thursday. It will be just like them to wait all the week and send me on a case for over the weekend.
Maybe Florence will be over and make her plans known. I’ll let you know as near as possible what we are going to do. Of course, I never know where I will be.
I hope you weren’t sleepy going home last night but I’m afraid you were. I don’t know what there is to be done about it, unless you move nearer Albany. Let’s find some place to go in bathing Sunday if I’m not working. After all, we do need at least one bath a year. Tell Fran I said you could borrow his bathing suit if he still owns one.
Now that you no longer have the Essex to drive and the berry season is almost over, I think you will get fat. Here’s hoping anyhow. Gee, it must be awful not to be any fatter than you are. I wonder how it would seem.
My eyes absolutely refuse to stay open, so me thinks I’ll have to go me to bed.
Ruth
P.S. If this empty paper annoys you, all you have to do is fill it in and send it back to me.
August 19, 1935
Middleburg, N.Y.
My dear Ruth,
Fifteen minutes to eight and it is dark already. The days are growing shorter right along and of course that means winter is right around the corner. Isn’t that a cheerful little earful or sompin. Better start looking around for that apartment to entertain me in this winter. I don’t imagine the Ford will be any warmer than the Essex on a zero night.
I’m trying to write this while sitting in bed so if it should end rather abruptly, you will know I have fallen asleep. Not much danger of it though I guess. Between the “skomitos” and the heat one would have to be nearly dead to sleep. I wish you were here to kill mosquitoes and “scratch the bites”. It does feel pretty good to give them a scratch now and then. I’m only admitting that from a distance though you see. I hope your room isn’t as hot as it is here. Right now I could enjoy some of that breeze that was blowing on “Observatory Hill” that night.
I had coffee in the diner on Madison Avenue last night and when I got to Greenville at 1:10 the restaurant was still open so I had another cup. I gave the guy in there a bawling out for not staying open last Sunday night until I got there. He says he will never let it happen again. I didn’t get sleepy all the way home or yet today for that matter.
I worked under a shower bath most of the day. I had to build a box flume around some pipes leading up to the water tank. The tank overhead had several leaks in it so the shower bath effect was quite real. Except for the mud underfoot, I didn’t mind it a bit as it was a good way of keeping cool.
Don’t forget to find out what time you can get out next Sunday and I will try and be there. Even if it is too late for the picnic or whatever it is the gang is planning on, we can come out here and spend the evening, that is if you want to.
By the way where is the ring you have been wearing all the time or shouldn’t I ask such a question. I couldn’t help noticing you didn’t have it on last night.
Did you find the thermometer amongst your belongings? I’m sure you took it out of the car. It seems funny you don’t remember something about it. I know it wasn’t in the car when she went to the boneyard or wherever it is junk cars go.
Well, Ruthie, I think I have related all the topics of the day along with some sense and more nonsense, so I’m groping for words to fill this page. Of course I could tell you in every letter and every time I see you how sweet you are and how much I like you, but I’m afraid if I say it too often, you will think I am only kidding and I’m not, dear. I mean every word of it. So with a pleasant thought of you to put me to sleep, I’ll say good night and wait for your letter.
Just “Me”
August 21, 1935
45 Brookline Avenue
Albany, N.Y.
Hello Davie,
Being as how I am on a case I have a few spare minutes so I might as well answer your letter that I haven’t received yet.
Yesterday Miss Salisbury called me and said Mrs. Best had a call for a student and since she had no students wanted to know if I would go. I hesitated a minute and after doing some quick thinking I consented. I know if I refused I would never get a chance to refuse again. After all it is better than working for nothing and it is an easy case.
I don’t have to be to work until 8 or 8:30 and get through at 7:00. It is on Ryckman Avenue near Park Avenue and between West Lawrence and Main Avenue. Some different place than my last. It is near enough so I can walk to work. The woman has a strained back. Her husband is a traveling man. They have a son 15. He is a smart kid but cute. Last night he ran a temp of 102 degrees so I had to call the Dr. He is o.k. today and his mother feels better. I don’t imagine the case will last much after Friday as she is going to try and sit up tomorrow.
I don’t know if they still plan to have the picnic or not but I told Mrs. Herlihy I was going down to Lydia’s Sunday.
Gee, was I burned up last night. I didn’t get home until 8:30 because I waited for the Dr. to come. When I got home Mrs. Herlihy had company in for dinner. She had nerve enough to ask me to wash all those dishes. The worst of it was she didn’t even offer to help clear the table. It was 10:30 before I was finished. I came to the conclusion that after I have put in a twelve hour day, I’m not going to spend my time washing someone else’s dishes. I don’t mind helping when I’m not working but I’ll be darned if I’ll be anyone’s goat. I’ll stick it out for a while longer and then I’ll go home for a while. When I come back Loretta and I are going to find some place where we can live together. She is fed up on her place too.
9:15 p.m.
Well I finished my case tonight so I don’t know where I will be by Sunday. I hope I can be down to Lydia’s. I don’t know what to tell you about coming after me. I would come down with Florence and Ben and save you a trip if I was sure of their plans but I’m not. I’ll try and let you know if I find out anything but if I don’t, you can come after me at 12 our time if you can manage it. You had better come the usual way so if I should come with them, you will meet us and not have to come way up.
I am listening to “Town Hall”. I bet you think this letter sounds like it had something to do with an amateur hour.
I gave the ring back to its owner. I asked him to ask the kid who last had my ring about it.
As usual I am tired so I think I’ll jump in bed. Give my love to the Spragues when you see them.
Be good and don’t work too hard.
Ruth
August 21, 1935
Middleburg, N.Y.
Dear Ruthie,
Wednesday evening and all is well or it is as far as I know. It has been somewhat cooler today but no rain yet. I guess the country is going dry again.
Still working at the camp and I’m beginning to wonder if they will let us off for Christmas day. They laid off a few men again tonight and we haven’t even started the new buildings yet. Still correcting mistakes that were made in the beginning. I guess there are only five of us left down there that have been there right from the start. It must be that I happen to be out of sight every time the Lieut. goes around looking for men to lay off. I seem to be pretty lucky anyway.
D____ these mosquitoes. They seem to be getting thicker all the time. Window screens don’t mean a thing to them I guess. One of them just bit thru my slipper and when I went to slap him he got excited or sompin and carried slipper and all away. That just shows to go you how big they are. If two of them happen to be humming at the same time, it drowns the radio out.
I just made a check up on my letter file and I find a grand total of 64 letters on hand. A few more and I will have enough to publish a book.
Gee, some people have the luck of the Irish. Imagine being able to sleep until 10 A.M. I don’t blame you for doing it as long as you had the chance. I guess you needed the rest all right. I hope you don’t get any more cases like that one or any in such a neighborhood. I’d rather see you go home than have you working steady in a place like that.
I hope you can get away to come out here Sunday. I may come into the city Saturday afternoon. If I do, I’ll call you. I don’t suppose there would be a possible chance of your being able to come back with me then. Of course I’m not sure I’m coming in, but Mother wanted to come in and do some shopping before school started. It will probably turn out so that I have to work.
Last night Mother and I went down to Ward’s for the evening. I stopped at the station a few minutes to give them the latest dope on you. Lydia wasn’t feeling very good but she insisted on trying to work. She was drying dishes while I was there.
How is Loretta getting on with the B.F. Must be rather hard on her.
So you think I have a possible chance of getting fat now. Sorry to disappoint you but I know I won’t. It is just my nature to be thin and I can’t help it, not that I wouldn’t like to. You’ll either have to like me as is or else.
It is time I was in slumber land so bye, bye until I see you Sunday (or Saturday). Be good and don’t think you are going to get by without a spanking because I’m not there on your birthday.
Dave