Dave’s Mother has returned, relieving him from cooking. He invites Ruth to a dance on March 15, which she can’t go to because of work. He and Francis will try to replace the clutch on the Essex themselves to try and save money. Ruth updates him on Mrs. Finkelstein and laments that she hasn’t had a night off for four weeks.
March 4, 1935
Middleburg, N.Y.
Dear Ruth,
Well here I am doing what my good judgment tells me I should not do. Talk about anyone being spoiled, if that’s not what I am doing to you, please find some other name for it. Just think all that strategy of mine went to waste and I wrote that extra letter for nothing. Oh I can hear you chuckling to yourself as you read this so don’t think you are fooling me. I’m getting to be just like the trained animals in the circus with you as the trainer. Every time you crack the whip, I jump. However, there have been cases where these seemingly well-trained animals have suddenly turned primitive again and become the master of their trainer. So watch out, I might prove to be one of those cases.
Walter Washburn, Florence (Coffin) Washburn, and Emma (Coffin) Irwin
Let’s see, I suppose you want to know what we did last night after 9 p.m. Practically nothing would be the correct reply. First we drove up to see if Ben and Florence were home. After a casual glance in the window we decided they were out and we drove right on. Took a ride out to Averill Park, came back on the Pittsfield Road and being only a few miles from Nassau I drove down there to see if my sister had arrived yet.1 Maybe I would be nearer the truth if I said I went down to see if she had brought Mother home, at least I felt a small degree of relief when I found she had. Just to show you how much attention my back seat passengers had been taking of the road and where we were, get a load of this. When I drove into the bright lights of Nassau (two small street lights) Fran woke up and said, “Well, Pat, here we are back in Rensselaer.” Boy was he surprised when he took a second look and found out where we were. He said he couldn’t understand how I got way down there without his knowing it. We only stayed there about ten minutes and then I drove back to Albany and New Scotland Avenue. I saw you at the window and nearly ran into the car ahead of me, stretching my neck to do so. It was 12:45 when we left Lydia and I got home about 2:30.
Have you been giving Lydia lessons in the art of tie pulling? I noticed his tie was out when he came back to the car.
Here is something I forgot to mention last night. Maybe Lydia has already told you. Anyway on March 15 there is to be a shindig or hog wrestle (sometimes called a dance) to be held out here in the sticks and sponsored by the Preston Hollow Legion. Brother Sprague, being a business man of the fore mentioned metropolis, feels it is his duty to purchase tickets to all such affairs whether he attends or not. Lydia doesn’t know yet if she can go but she is hoping to. I don’t suppose that there is more than one chance in a million for you to be free that night, but if such a miracle should happen, you will have to get your sea legs under you and help to make the affair a success.
Let’s see, what is next. I’m having some difficulty trying to remember all the things I was going to write about. Lydia and Francis are supposed to come to Middleburg either this Sunday or next to pay a social visit to the Wheelers. If it happens to be this Sunday, there may be some doubt as to whether or not I can get to Albany. I don’t know if I can get Leaping Lena in action again by then or not. In order to save a nice little garage bill Fran and I are going to turn amateur mechanics and tear the old boat apart ourselves. I went down there today but for some unknown reason he failed to appear. If we can get the old clutch out, I’ll hook a ride into the city and get a new one and then the fun will commence, trying to get it together again.
I’m sorry I was in such an ill mood last night. I probably am not very entertaining when I am like that. I couldn’t think of anything to talk about except a lot of woe and I don’t like to burden other people with my troubles especially when they are so inconsequential as compared to the troubles of other people. If I didn’t talk much last night, I’m making up for it now. You’ll have a headache when you get thru all of this.
About this letter writing business, you had better drop your resolution to do all the reading from now on. As I told you, there will only be one to read if you don’t do your share of writing. However, I know you won’t be as mean as that. After all, you know I enjoy reading letters as much as you do.
Speaking of resolutions, I think I had better make one myself. It just occurred to me that I have been delivering quite a few undeserved wise cracks in your direction and me thinks I had better let up. I guess I have succeeded so far in keeping this letter free of slams. Please chalk up another credit mark for me.
How was the patient Sunday night? Did you have any more trouble with her? It must be quite discouraging to care for a person and get them to a point where you can see they are getting better and then have someone come in and undo it all in a few minutes. You will have to go on day and night duty both I guess if you are going to get her well.
Did it seem good to sit down to a good meal today? I’ll say. I’m sure glad my Mother is back and I guess I’m not the only one.
Here is where this letter comes to an abrupt halt. My pen is just about dry and it is impossible for me to walk way downstairs and fill it.
Don’t forget I’m waiting for your letter, so until I receive it I’ll be standing by.
Dave
March 7, 1935
12:10 a.m.
70 Jay Street
Albany, N.Y.
Dear Dave,
Now who is being spoiled, this makes three letters in one week. Who is to blame for me writing letters for you to answer anyway? Me thinks it started something like this—on the twelfth day of November nineteen hundred and thirty-four I wrote a letter to the “Pie Face Brothers”, from that time until just before Christmas all I heard was, “When are you going to write to me?” You know the rest, so who started it?
Don’t be classing me with Florence either, because I wouldn’t even dare try some of the stuff she gets away with.
About the letters you write, I’m not so sure I should congratulate myself on making you write lengthy letters because the letter you wrote Lydia wasn’t very short. Incidentally, I knew you could write good letters long before I ever knew you, so what? How did I know so much? I happened to be among those present one day when Lydia received a letter from you. It was so long that it took a half day to read it.
Lydia told me Fran made an awful breach when he let on that he didn’t know where he was Sunday night. Gee, they must be a sociable pair. I wish someone could suggest some method by which we could bring them down to earth once again.
It certainly is a shame and I hate to see Lydia go on the rocks. She doesn’t know where all of this is leading her and she just can’t be told. I have tried my best to make her snap out of it but all my efforts are in vain, and she was such a nice girl. Oh well, some day she will have a sudden awakening and then when it is too late she will realize I was right. Nuff said!
Lydia also told me that you refused to let her stay in the car after you got up on Brookline. I guess she thinks you have changed a lot from what you used to be.
Nope, I don’t suppose I can get March 15th off any more than I have any other night for the last four weeks. I can’t dance anyway and me thinks I told you I wouldn’t go to another dance until I could.
I saw Jean Hatch Monday morning. She said she was just coming off a case and was going home for a while. I couldn’t go home if I didn’t work so I am better off working. Oh yes! I only saw her about two minutes during that time and she asked how you were. Gee whiz! They all go for you in a big way, but here is a little advice. The next time you had better get someone with a different profession.
Talk about sleepy, my eyes almost refuse to stay open. For the last two days I haven’t had so much sleep. The light company has been replacing a couple of poles on Jay Street, one of which is about eight feet from my window. I think the old pole was planted and the city was built around it. Anyway, they had to dig down through concrete in order to get it out and believe me I heard every move they made. The next time Mrs. Thorn tells me what a snap I have, I’m going to tell her any time she is ready I am more than willing to change shifts with her. The doctor told them Monday that he thought Mrs. Finklestien would be better off if her daughter didn’t come down for the weekend. I guess she nearly talked a leg off him Sunday. The Mrs. was up in a chair a few minutes today. She said Monday she was all ready to get up and take care of herself. She wanted me to be discharged, Miss Fulder to go home, and Mrs. Thorn to go back to New York. Today is the first day she has been anywhere near as well as she was last week.
The next time you remove my glasses would you mind replacing them. Of course Miss Fulder had to notice they were off. Holy cats, was my face red?
Did your pal the pup come home yet or has he found a permanent hang out? The darned little dog here had to park on my lap and I had to like it. I like dogs o.k. but not on my lap. I felt like getting up suddenly.
I haven’t heard Lydia say whether or not she is going to Middleburg this Sunday. She did say she was going to bring all my junk down Sunday and make me keep it. I suppose the Essex is all fixed and ready to go. If by chance you don’t come up Sunday, I think I should have a nice fat letter about next Tuesday which you will have written Sunday. How is that for planning ahead?
It certainly was a shame that we weren’t together Saturday night because we could have had a swell fight. I was surprised when you got down in the dumps. I knew the rest of the crowd had all had a turn at it, but I thought you were different. Probably waiting to go home until 12:45 didn’t help matters much. I’m sorry but it just can’t be helped. However, I don’t know but what if this case lasts much longer I’ll ask Miss Salisbury how I’ll go about getting a night off. The head nurses get a day off every week so why shouldn’t we?
You can cut down on the wise cracks any time you wish. However, I am inclined to believe we keep nearly even. Seems to be mostly a case of take and give. I don’t know much about Middleburg so I’ll have to quit slamming it. There isn’t anything wrong with Adams Center anyhow, so that lets you out.
Your climate sure has me puzzled. I think by the sound of the wind and the looks of the weather report that winter is just about to set in. The darned old March wind has my nose covered with freckles and does that burn me up!
After considerable thinking, I have decided that what ailed your disposition was not having a balanced diet last week. Something tells me that you didn’t have enough vitamin A and E. I bet this week after you have had lots of spinach, etc. your disposition will be very much improved.
I hate to have you get into bad habits, but if you won’t step on the dog’s toes or pull the cat’s tail, I will give you something nice. O.k. Remember that’s a promise. Now you can have a stick of gum which is to be chewed for at least one week. This is a new kind which has greater elasticity and the longer it is chewed, the better flavor it has.
Something tells me I have rambled on long enough so I think I will pull myself together and see if a little coffee will revise me. It is a shame Fran can’t be here to share my coffee.
“Stubby”
P.S. I have wasted nearly two hours and haven’t said anything yet.
Footnote
- Aside from Lula, Dave had two other older sisters shown in the photo, Florence (1895-1972), who was married to Walter Washburn (1885-1967; not to be confused with friends, “Florence and Ben”), and Emma (1899-1985), who was married to Howard Irwin. It’s unknown which of the Coffin sisters he would have been referring to.
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