July 31, 1942 1:30 PM
Hi Honey:
Well, how are you? I’m sure I wouldn’t know. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. And no letter from you. What is the matter? Is something wrong or are you mad or what? It is no fun Harlan waiting for letters that never come. Maybe you haven’t received seen mine. This will be my fourth this week and the last one I received was last Saturday the 25th. I’m mad and hurt. It isn’t like you Harlan, if the big city is going to make you like this then I won’t plan to come out because I liked you the way you were.
I went out with the girls last night. We went to the Sun Set Swimming and had lots of fun. Then Peg and I got up this morning and went horseback riding at 9:00. We had fun, but we had a guide as it was our first try, so we will have more fun the next time. This afternoon Mary-Jane Hare, Daddy and I are going to play golf. So, I will be really pooped by tonight.
There isn’t much news. They (the plant) have checked out more of my references. So Peg says I will probably be called by the 10th of August. I hope so.
I called your Mom yesterday, but she wasn’t home, so tried today without access. I haven’t talked to her since you went away.
I guess that’s about all. I hope I get a letter by tomorrow because if I don’t, I will stop writing too. You can at least drop me a line telling it anything is wrong.
Love Your Janie
August 1, 42 11:45 am
Hi Honey:
I just received your letters, both of them. And now I’m happy again. I thought I’d better sit right down and write you because you may be mad about the letter I wrote yesterday, but I couldn’t help but Honey, I was worried.
Your Mom called this morning saying she had received your letter and she read it to me. Adrianna is getting married Sunday. Surprise.
Honey, that personal letter makes me very happy. It means a lot to me to know you love me. It helps on these nice summer nights when I’m all alone. I think of you constantly Harlan. Every time I look at the clock, I wonder what you are doing. I was wondering if some day you can call me, I looked it up and it would only cost $4.50 for 6 minutes for a station-to-station call. You could write me and tell me exactly when you will call, then I would answer the phone I would pay for half of it. If you would, maybe we could talk to each other once a month. Wouldn’t that be swell? Think it over, will you? “Please”
I am afraid my letters aren’t very interesting with all the things that are happening to you. My news is rather dull.
In your next letter, please tell me now if you are getting my letters. I am going to a show with the girls tonight, but I will be home early, and I never forget 10 o’clock and
If you think you miss me, I would like to have you by me for just one day and night. I am slowly going crazy for the want of seeing you just once more. Honey, I am convinced one thing, if I did not love you, I wouldn’t miss you like I do. Harlan, I never thought it would be like this. You’re the last thing I think of before I go to sleep and you were there in my dreams and I wake up in the morning and wonder what you’re doing. I can turn around but what I say to myself “Would Harlan want me to do this?” You’re there constantly, even when I go to a show, I can’t get you out of my mind. So “Please” write as often as you can. I’m glad you’re getting along O.K. and hope you can find a decent place to live. Say, where do you keep Herman and how does he like Frisco?
Listen Honey, I don’t care if you are Johnny to them. You’re Harlan to me and it’s too late to change. Johnny is someone I don’t know, and I don’t care to because I like Harlan and I will address you like wise. So there.
Well I guess that is all. Will write you Monday night. How long does it take a letter to arrive?
Love and Good Luck
Your Darlin’ Janie
August 2, 42 7:45 PM
Hi Honey:
Well I just guess I will write you another letter O.K.? I thought you would like it. How are you and Herman? Do you know what I’m listening to? “Crime Doctor” Remember when to listen to it together?
FUN FACT: Crime Doctor is a radio crime drama in the United States. Sponsored by Philip Morris cigarettes, it was broadcast on CBS August 4, 1940 – October 19, 1947.[1] ~ Reference Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. pp. 185-186. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3. Retrieved 2019-09-17. Crime Doctor, crime drama. (Credit Wikipedia)
There isn’t much news, so I’ll just talk shop. I’m taking care of the Werdell kids and miss your company. Remember how we used to end up in an argument when I took care of the kids, because I never thought we should neck, and you used to want to. As I look back, that was usually the base of all our arguments. Now I’m a little sorry because I would like nothing better than a good switching-in right now. And you’re only going to fit me. Remember that last night, when I said we just fit in each other’s arms? I meant it Honey.
Excuse me a minute, Donna just came in.
Hi! Donna is getting more friendly every day. She was over to the house practically all day today and treated me to two cakes. All she can talk about is Frank. You see, when she was in Cheyenne, she had a fight with the Webbs and now they refuse to accept her into the family. So, it is one mell of a hess.
And have you thought it over about of calling me on the phone? I was thinking instead of talking once a month for 6 min. I would rather talk every two weeks for only 3 min. I could pay for one call and you could pay for the next O.K. “Please” say yes.
I haven’t had any further word from the plant, but I am waiting patiently. Tomorrow I’m going to put my application in at the telephone company for that comptometer course, just in case I don’t get call. Then if that don’t pan out, I will have to go to school. And I am writing this letter I have not yet had your reply to my request for advice.
FUN FACT: (“Comptometer ~ The comptometer was the first commercially successful key-driven mechanical calculator, patented in the United States by Dorr E. … It was primarily an adding machine, it could also do subtractions, multiplication and division. Its keyboard consisted of eight or more columns of nine keys each. Operators were specially trained to enter each complete number by pressing multiple keys in different columns in one go using separate fingers. In other words the digits were entered in parallel, the mechanism being able to cope with this. (Wikipedia))
Say, you why didn’t you tell me that you were sick in Salt Lake City? Please try and tell me everything that happens to you. It helps a lot.
Have you made any new friends outside of your work??? Are the people out there friendly?
When I last talk to your Mom, she said she didn’t think Opal was coming back, but Max said he was going to make sure by going after her while on his vacation.
Oh Honey, I forgot to tell you. About those two chances I had to go out while in Minneapolis… I didn’t go out. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t, if you want to.
Honey, when I didn’t get your letters for six days, I didn’t send my pin, but I will send it tomorrow, I promise. Aunt Jenny gave me a china ring-box for your ring. I don’t wear it all the time for fear of losing it.
Remember Mr. Anthony, the man who gives advice on the radio from 9:00 until 10:00 PM on Sunday. He is on now.
FUN FACT: Mr. Anthony’s program is probably best remembered for its opening line, “Mr. Anthony, I have a problem.” He was a marriage counselor who offered advice to couples over the air. enthralled 20 million radio listeners each week with his speedy solutions to marital problems, on the “Good Will Hour”. His advice program was on the air from the early 1930’s— it went nationwide in 193. In 1939, more than 700 stations carried the program. In 2020 US dollars, he was making about $3 million a year. The program went off the air in 1953.
Well, I am afraid my letter is getting boring, so guess I will close.
I miss you terribly but know you miss me too, so it’s not so bad. But I still haven’t gotten used to the idea of not having you near me.
Remember write as often as you can, and I will write oftener
Love and Good Luck
Your Darlin’ Janie
3:30 PM Monday, August 3, 1942
Hi Honey:
Well I received two letters today, one in the morning and your Special this afternoon. Darn you! You haven’t answered any of my questions. I want to know what you want to do about going steady. Do you want to stop or not?
Honey, about your test you took Sunday. I know that you do your very best but if you don’t pass it, it isn’t because you didn’t try with all of your ability, but if anything should happen, don’t feel too bad. You have been lucky. After all, you went clear to Frisco without any means or car trouble. Then you were able to pass all of your tests and go to work at once. So, please, if you don’t pass don’t be too discouraged because you can try again.
In your last letter you said you were going out and buy some Special Delivery stamps and such. Well don’t, I don’t care if you don’t send all of your letters Special. In fact, it isn’t necessary at all. The only time I would like to get a Special is on Sunday. O.K.? O.K.! And I’ll try to send you one on Sunday too. O.K.? O.K.!
I think the skiing deal is wonderful. Do you want yours skies?
I see you have a new address. Is this place nicer? If so, do you intend to stay there permanently? Are you rooming alone? Now you answer all of these questions “Please.”
Russ Jiglem joined the Army Reserve Signal Corp.’s on Friday. He received his notice from the draft board Thursday to report for his physical today. So, he was pretty clever and getting out of that. Gabby says he gets $85 a month while in the West High School for his training. But I wouldn’t know. He has already quit his job, so it better be good.
Harlan, when your mustache grows full growth, will you please send me a close-up picture of your face so I might see it.
Honey, we share all our secrets with each other, don’t we? Well I’ll tell you one. I am crying right now, Honey, crying for you. Please don’t think me “silly”. This is the first time I have cried while writing a letter to you and I promise it won’t happen again. If you feel too tired when you get home from work nights, you can wait until the next day to write if you want. But please to ever wait too long. I will write every night.
Now remember no more Specials, except on Sundays and answer my questions I will see you tonight.
Love and Good Luck
Your Darlin’ Janie & T&T
P.S. You are my “Honey”, Harlan.
I am waiting for Chapter II on what you feel for me. When you finish, I write you the same.
P.S.S. I sent you a Special Saturday morning with a couple of dollars, thinking it might help. But I sent it to the old address. So, write and let me know if you get it. Honey, we want to know all about the place you’re staying at so don’t leave anything out. Daddy went back to work today and won’t be home until Friday or maybe Saturday, so we are more lonesome than ever.
Honey, be careful of the kind of people you make friends of.
Love & XXXXXXXXXXXX’s Janie
I miss you & I Think I Love You Darling
P.S.S.S. Do you drive Herman to work or what?
8:45 PM Thursday August 4, 42
Hi Honey,
Well Sweets, that last letter was a humdinger. I think I was being just plain “told off”, Right!
I don’t want to stop going steady either and I definitely am not mad at you. I love you for it. You big :_ _ : _ _ :
Well, Joyce left for California Sunday night and will pass through Frisco Wednesday if everything goes well. Eleanor is going to move to Omaha in two weeks and Pegs is leaving Sunday for Oregon to live with her folks. Joyce will be back in two weeks so that will only leave Barbie, Joyce, and myself. Pegs, Barbie and I went to the movie today. We saw that Henry Aldrich picture. I felt funny with no one holding my hand or no one to snuggle up to.
I forgot to tell you; I bought your birthday present while I was in Minneapolis. I hope you like it, and I have already paid down on your Christmas present. Your Christmas present is something I was going to buy you last year, but you wouldn’t let me. Remember how you used to tell me when you bought me something about a month before I got it? Well you have 4 months in which to wonder and guess about it. So there!
Just think Honey, a week from tomorrow we will have been going together three years. The happiest years of my life. It will be the first anniversary we have not been together. But in a way, I’ll be with you as I will think of you every minute. As far as that goes, I’m with you always, regardless of the many miles between us.
Honey, Momie misses you almost as much as I do, and someone is always asking me about you. I went to I went to Plumbs today to get my wristwatch and Lesly waited on me. He asked about you and when I told him about you, he was very envious of you and sent all his best wishes. (There was an awful lot of you-s there wasn’t there). But you are all that matters to me.
Well that’s about all for now as I want to get this in by tomorrow.
Love and xxxxxxxxx’s
“Your” Darlin’ Janie
PS I miss you more instead of less every day.
11:30 AM Wednesday, August 5, 42
Hi Honey,
I just saw you last night, do you want to know what happened? O.K. You see, you came home by surprise. It was on Saturday morning and I was getting my hair fixed at the beauty parlor. Well, you came to the house first and then when Momie told you where I was, you came up. You didn’t want to come in, so you waited outside. Well, by the time I came out you were asleep. I saw the car and I felt like I had been hit with lightning because I didn’t know you were home. Well, I looked, and I looked but you were asleep I couldn’t see your face. I finally got up the courage to look inside Herman and my picture was on the dashboard. Well, I opened the car door and jumped on you like I don’t know what and we sat out there in the plain daylight and necked for a solid hour. No kidding! I really felt your soft lips and your arms around me. Then we came home, and I went upstairs to change my clothes. When I came down you were telling the folks all about the ships and the ocean and just everything. Well, I sat down on your lap and gave you a great big kiss. And do you know what you said? You said, “I have the sweetest thing in the world right on my lap, A candy bar.” Then you got up and we left. Then I woke up. Damn. What I would like to know is how the candy bar got in there. I saw the Big Dipper last night; the stars were unusually bright. I was over to Dick’s, sitting on the front steps, smoking a cigarette, looking at the
and thinking of you especially at exactly 10 o’clock sharp.
Dickey Jr. is here today, and I asked him if he missed you. He said “Yup”. Then Momie asked him where you were and he said, “Harlan just is in the telephone, I thinks.” Can you imagine that he remembered?
Honey, you may not be very good at talking but I never read such interesting letters is yours. You make everything so clear. Do you have possession of a phone? Honey, if you think I talk too much about missing you and such, please say so.
Next Saturday night, Pegs, Barbie, Eleanor and I are going out to dinner at Babes, upstairs, then to the show. But I won’t have more than one Tom Collins.
FUN FACTS: Alphonse “Babe” Bisignano opened his infamous establishment “Babe’s Taproom” in the early 1940s after returning to Iowa from New York. It was located at 417 Sixth Ave., where Sixth Avenue and Grand Avenue meet. Babe started by selling booze illegally in coffee cups, and his business soared. “The biggest challenge was keeping the bar stocked. Babe smuggled in liquor from Minneapolis in trucks, hearses and any other conveyance he could think of,” The Des Moines Register published in 1989. It was a swanky place and became a hot spot for many of the service men who were stationed at Fort Des Moines during World War II. The Women’s Army Corp (WAC) made Babe’s its unofficial headquarters. This drove more of our boys into the bar as well. The place would be elbow to elbow. Years later, Babe would offer discounts to anyone who wore their service uniform in his place.
I haven’t and won’t break any of my promises. I’m not going to take the car as we will be later than usual. Starting two weeks from Saturday we are going to meet on Saturday night instead of Thursday. What night do you have off?
Say, may I make a suggestion about your insurance? Have you notified them about your change of address? If not, why don’t you have your Mom send you the statement the minute it arrives and then you can send it back telling them about it.
I read in the paper this morning about the blackouts out there. Are you in that district where they blacked out every night? You better be careful; someone will vamp you.
We have been having swell weather here ever since I arrived home. Say listen you Bum; I don’t like that name Johnny and never will. It just doesn’t suit you. When will you stop putting Johnny on your envelopes? I hope soon. If you don’t stop pretty soon, I will start going under the name of Nancy or even Nanny and you know how you hate that.
I didn’t get a letter this morning but will look for one this afternoon. Momie worries about you all the time. She is afraid something will happen to your money. She says to tell you that your you better put your money right in the bank as soon as you pay your bills and not to carry a lot with you and above all do not leave any in your room. Do you have a key? Momie isn’t being bossy Honey, she’s just so worried something will happen to you. She thinks a lot of you, and it would break her heart if anything ever happened to you.
Well I better close. I’ll write tomorrow and tell you what Daddy said about you and me after you left.
Love and xxxxxxxxx’s
“Your” Darlin’ Janie
8:26 PM Wednesday, August 5, 42
Hi Honey,
Well here I am again. Love me?
I didn’t get a letter today, but I know there will be one tomorrow.
Oh yes, I was going to tell you about what Daddy said. Well, Sunday morning we were sitting on the porch talking when Daddy said “Well Honey, what did Harlan say to you when he left? That he loved you and would be back someday after you or did you make different plans?” Well, I about fell over and I asked him if he would like to know our plans and he said yes. Well, I told him, and he said he was very glad that we were didn’t get married before you left. He said he liked and respected you very much and that if I loved you, he was glad because you were the kind of boy he wanted me to marry. He said he was a very glad we had plans because if we really love each other, it was worth waiting for and if we survive these next two years, we would be sure, not only of each other but of ourselves. So, Honey, we have both my folk’s blessings and good wishes. I sure was very happy when he said that. I heard a new piece the other day “I Wonder When My Baby’s Coming Home” and if you want to know how I feel just listen to it sometime. (Wonder When My Baby’s Coming Home (1942) – Helen O’Connell – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXtnYn2aeEg).
Rosie) are leaving and I want this to get in. I will write again tomorrow.
Love and xxxxxxxxxx’s
“Your” Darlin’ Janie
Thursday 8:45 PM August 6, 1942
Hi Honey,
Just a line for tonight. I’m over to Dick’s. I just finished the cleaning, tomorrow I’m going to clean Chuck’s house for $2.50. O.K. Huh?
Well, nothing much has happened since this morning. All I can think about is next Wednesday and talking to you Honey. I can hardly wait. Just think Honey, you have been gone three weeks? Are you lonesome Sweets?
I called your Mom but as she wasn’t home. I will call again tomorrow. Gee Honey, I miss you. It’s at night that it hurts. It’s different with you, you’re busy during the night hours but me, I’m just sitting around. About that certain letter. I will write it after I talk to you next week.
Well this isn’t much but I will write again tomorrow morning.
Love & XXXXXXXXs All I have
“Your” Darlin’ Janie
P.S. Be careful
1:00 PM Thursday, August 6, 42
Hi Honey,
I just received your letter saying you are going to call. Honey, I’m so thrilled I don’t know what to do. Just to think of talking to you is enough to knock me for a loop but to have it come true. I’ll be walking on a little pink cloud from now on just waiting to hear your voice. I looked up the rates and you can catch the night rate if you call me after you get home from work. If you call and ask the operator for number 7 – 2178 in Des Moines (that the station-to-station call) and don’t ask to speak to Nancy Hare, you can call for $2.25 for 3 min. But if you ask for Nancy Hare at Des Moines it will cost $3.25 for 3 minutes (that’s a person-to-person call). That will save you a dollar right there. You see, I will be waiting right at the phone thus you will get me at once not wasting any time or money. So, you will make a station-to-station call.
Please don’t apologize for that letter. You showed a lot of gumption and get in that and if you are sorry, I will think you didn’t mean it.
I’m sorry about the pin, but when I found out you had changed your address from your Mom, I thought I better wait. I’m sending it today with this letter. It is coming registered so you will have to sign for it. Therefore, if you were not there when it arrives and someone else should take it, they might forget to give it to you. You see, this way you are the only one who can sign for it. Thus, if you aren’t home when it comes, you will have to go get it at the post office. It’s kind of confusing but I think you’ll understand.
You asked about that certain letter I promised to write you. I will Honey, but up until now I had so many other things to ask you and write about, I thought I would wait. Besides, the longer I wait, the more sure I will be about what I write.
Don’t ever think you are being mushy. I love it—-. I’ve changed Honey.
I don’t quite understand about the skiing deal. Are you going to go on a trip some weekend or what? Please explain more clearly.
Look, maybe I’m jumping at conclusions, but the weeks’ vacation which you are going to try to get in December. That doesn’t possibly mean you may be able to come home does it? I won’t say anymore because I don’t want to get my hopes up and then be let down. Answer this at once!
Listen you, in one of your letters you said you had no right to give me advice or tell me what you thought I should do. Just what do you mean? After all, we are still going steady and you are still my boyfriend and I am your girlfriend. Then why should you not have the right to tell me what you think. I still intend to tell you, unless you say to stop, and I don’t want you to feel that way. You will make me think you don’t care what I do.
Have you written to the boys at Herman M Brown? There isn’t much news. Donna was over here last night, most of the evening. I get so darned sick and tired of hearing about Frank I could scream. She has a chance to go out to Cheyenne in September with a girl whose husband works with Frank. If she does, she will stay out there and get a job. If asked, she is just plain running after him. Who do you suppose called me? Mrs. Webb. I wasn’t home. So, she said she would be home and for me to call her, but I forgot so I will wait for her to call again. I wonder what she wants. Momie talked to her a while and she said Frank is making $200 a month. I guess all she could talk about was Donna and Frank. She also wanted to know if Donna and I had patched up our quarrel. Momie told her we were on speaking terms but that was all, and that’s as far as it’s going to go as far as I’m concerned.
Say Honey, if you would rather call on Sunday that’s up to you. Anything that is convenient for you because I’m home all the time. Well almost.
I don’t know what the matter is with me I’m down at 99 pounds and can’t get back up where I belong. Can you guess what is wrong?
Say, you haven’t mentioned Herman. Did you hock him or something? Poor Herman, he takes you clear out there and with no complaints and you don’t even give him honorable mention.
Well Sweets, must leave. Will write again tomorrow.
Love & XXXXXXX’s
“Your” Darlin’ Janie
P.S. Be sure and write when you are going to call Love.
I miss you Honey. I miss you terrible. Every night I look at your picture just before I go to bed and wish you were here or I was there then I throw you a kiss, say good night and jump into bed.
Love, All I have Janie
P.S.S. I don’t see how you could possibly get in 1200 hours by December. You work 48 hours a week not counting Sundays. 48 x 4 wks. in 1 month = 192 x 5 months to Christmas = 960 hrs. by Christmas. However, if you work 7 months, 48 x 4 wks. in months = 192 x 7 month to March = 1344 hours. See?
You would have to put in an awful lot of overtime to make it by Christmas. Honey, I’m sorry I said anything about you coming home on your week’s vacation. It was very selfish. You see, it was for the want of seeing you again that prompted it. It would cost a lot of money and time and when you got back you would be all tired out. If you should get the week, you should just plan on taking it and see all the things you would like to and do all the things you want to do but can’t while working.
Please forgive me for being so selfish.
Love Janie
6:30 PM Friday, August 7, 42
Hi Honey,
Well, by the time you get this, everything should be straightened out. O.K? O.K.!
Boy I am full. I just finished eating 1/3(honest) of a watermelon that Daddy brought home.
I haven’t much to write about. This is just a line saying good night and sending my love to you.
Gee, I can hardly wait until Wednesday night just to hear your voice. Tomorrow night (Saturday), I’m going out with the girls. Trinkie, Eleanor, Pegs, Barbie, Philias, Bev and myself are going, as I said before to “Babes” for dinner and then I think to a show. I’m going to stay all night at Eleanor’s. I will be out late Honey, but I will be good. Not more than one Tom Collins. I can fool them if they have more, by acting.
Well Sweets, it wasn’t much but I say Hi. I will write a real one tomorrow.
Sending all of my love & xxxxxxxxxx’s
“Your” Darlin’ Janie
2:30 Fri. August 7, 1942
Hi Sweetheart:
I’m very sorry you are mad. I don’t want to think of you as being mad at me. Honey, it hurts. You evidently haven’t received my letter saying I definitely did not want to stop going steady, when you wrote this one. Harlan, please don’t ask me to marry you yet. I can’t answer it. When you left, I said I would wait for you and keep the fire going and that the next time I saw you I would answer that question without any “Ifs, buts, or I thinks”. I’m almost sure Honey now, but I just have to be sure before I give the word. Harlan, it is for your sake as well as mine. You wouldn’t want me to say yes when I wasn’t sure, would you?
Honey, you are the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me and when I think of not seeing you for a whole year, it hurts, way down in the pit of my stomach. It hurts bad. I miss you just as bad as you miss me, even though I have my friends and folks here with me. But they never take the place of your arms, lips and person. I miss seeing Herman coming down the street and I missed going to Fisher’s and then to Union Park.
I know it’s hard for you too, but this is the road we picked and now it must be taken, like to or not. Honey, we will soon be together again and when we are, just think of the fun we will have. Next July we will go to all of the parks and you can show me your favorite places and they will be my favorites too, because everything you like, I like too. It is awful hard to write what I would say in person but please Darling, try to understand. Just think, three weeks is already gone, almost a month, 1/12 of the time. Next year at this time – right now – I’ll be with you and will have answered your question. It isn’t so long.
You said in your letters not to send the skis because you wouldn’t need them until December when you see me. Are you coming home or are you expecting me out there or what?
I’m very glad you like your room and are well fed. Try not to lose any weight, you were just right when you left.
I guess this is about all for now. I will write tomorrow tonight and get it in by 8:00 so you will get it by Saturday afternoon, if they have an afternoon delivery.
Mrs. Webb called just now, and did she rip Donna up and down. Boy, she sure did! She said she was the most hateful girl she had ever met and that she had ruined the Webb’s vacation, etc. etc. and on and on. She asked me for your address, saying she would send that to Frank and she would drop you a card soon.
Now I must go and get cleaned up. Daddy will be home tonight. I’m going out to the plant tomorrow morning and inquire about my references.
So, remember, you keep your chin up and remember I’m waiting and keeping that fire going.
Love & xxxxxxxxx’s
“Your” Darlin’ Janie
P.S. Don’t bother to send back the suitcase or the thermos bottle. We don’t need it and you can have. I will talk to you pretty soon Honey.
1:30 Aug. 8, 1942
Hello Darlin’,
I am really having to go some to beat your letter writing. I received 3 today. Two this morning and one this afternoon. To begin with I will answer them one at a time.
Letter #1 – I tried as well as I could to explain about the ‘telling off business’, but I will have to do a lot better explaining than I know how, so from now on I will try to keep my mouth shut more. In your letter you said you loved me. At the end you said, “I think I love you”. What’s the idea of changing your mind again? I’m glad you feel the way you do when you go to a show without me. It makes me feel good to know you really miss me that much. I love to read about how much you miss me no matter how mushy it gets. It looks like I’ll have to start doing some Christmas shopping.
Letter #2 – This dream of yours was some dream. I wish with all of my heart that it could come true (except the part about the candy bar). I’ll bet Dickie Jr. is getting cuter every day.
I’m glad my letters are interesting and I hope they are as interesting as yours (I hope you will excuse me for answering your letter this way but it’s it is easiest for me to answer all of your questions). The only phone we have here is a pay phone. The more you talk about missing me you the more I like it. Tell the girls hello for me, will you. I haven’t and won’t break any of my promises to you either. I haven’t had a drink since the last one you and I have I had at Babe’s. I have Monday night off starting the week beginning the 16th. They don’t have many blackouts here. Most of it is all talk. Everything is heavily guarded. Some stores have air raid shelters and sandbags in front of them. When they do have them, all the current is shut off and the lights go out in the yard. Everyone is supposed to get go to the bottom of the ships that they are working in or in special air raid shelters. Instead, we go up on the top deck and looked to see whether it’s real or practice. You never can tell. Not much chance of being vamped in the yard unless Syd would come over and we should start necking. I thought I stopped putting Johnny on the envelopes, if I didn’t, I’ll see that it doesn’t happen again. I’m glad your Mother is taking an interest in me.
Letter #3 – Yes, I love you. That day you didn’t get a letter was when I came home too tired to hardly walk. I’m very sorry. I have often wanted to talk to your father about us, but I was never quite positive I had the right to. Someday soon, (I hope) I will write him a long letter explaining everything, or don’t you think I had better. I’m very glad you told me about your talk. I think your Father is as perfect as anyone could be.
Love Harlan
2:15 AM Aug. 8, 1942
Hello Darlin’,
I’m sorry about not explaining to you about the skiing deal. Here’s my plan. In December sometime, you could take leave from your job. I will pay your expenses here and back and over the weekend we could go to Yosemite National Park or Norden’s Ski Lodge. We would leave San Francisco about Friday night sometime, getting there Saturday morning and ski all day. Saturday night we could stay in a hotel – two rooms (next to each other with the door between) then we could pass notes back and forth under the door. You could bring your Mother with you for a chaperone. She would love the trip. Sunday we could sleep till noon and then drive back. If you think that would be a little too expensive you could come here and we could go all over San Francisco, see Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz, Bay Bridge and everything there is to see.
Think it over and let me know what you think. I can’t wait until July to see you. I think I knew that when I left Des Moines.
Last night I bruised the back of my knees working and this morning I could hardly walk on. I went out to the beach and ran on it quite a bit. Tonight, I can’t feel it a bit. I think I will run again tomorrow morning. Excuse me for putting that in their but it leads up to something. After running, I drove up to our hill in San Francisco. The hill is a small mountain called Twin Peaks. There are two peaks on top. You can see all of San Francisco on a clear day. It was cloudy today and the peaks were right in the middle of the clouds. You couldn’t even see San Francisco. All I could see was you there with me in December. We could and would drive up about 8:00 and stay about all night, just by ourselves in each other’s arms. You would know for sure and I, well I, would know just what I know now, only more so. I sat up on the hill about a half an hour with nothing but memories, hopes, and clouds.
It’s getting pretty late and I had better get to bed. I will write again tomorrow night and I will see you again at 8:00 tomorrow night. So, I will say good night Sweetheart, sleep tight and dream of me. (And not a candy bar).
P.S. I will call Wednesday night after I get off work. It will be between 12:30 and 1:30 Pacific war time.
P.S. I’m working on chapter 2. (I am sending my check stub for a souvenir, show it to Donna, I’m making four times that every 28 days. $68 x 4 =$272 a month).
Love Harlan
Write soon. Tell your folks hello for me, and tell Dick and Rosie, Chuck and Mary Jane that I will try to write soon.
Aug. 8, 1942 Sat. Night 6 PM
Hi Honey:
Good morning Dear. (I hope it is morning when you get this) My isn’t it a lovely day. (I hope it isn’t raining) I received your letter. My but we make a lot of money. Having all that money, you better be careful of those insidious girls out there.
(Insidious means something negative or treacherous that proceeds in a subtle and gradual way. Insidious describes something that might not be recognized as negative or treacherous until it is firmly entrenched or has done its damage.)
I’m sure glad to hear that you were going out tomorrow night and hope you have lots of fun.
Honey, will you please let me know when you receive this. You see I want and think you will get it tomorrow (Sunday) morning but I want to know for sure as I know when it to send them so you will get them before you go to work.
If you get this tomorrow morning, then I can make a suggestion? Please? O.k. Don’t you think you should wear your brown tweed coat with your light tan summer trousers tomorrow night. I’m not being bossy, it’s just a suggestion.
Oh Honey, guess what? I went bowling with Mary Jane and we bowled five games. My high was 144 then I proved it wasn’t just luck, I bowled 143 the next time. You see we get to bowl for $.15 a game as I told them I worked at the plant and Mary Jean really does, so we get a rate. Then we went to a show “In This Our Life”. It was a very good.
I talked to Donna last night and I guess she is going to Cheyenne in September to stay. She plans on finding work and living out there. But when I talked to Mrs. Webb, she said she was going to hold Frank as long as she could so–. I don’t think they will be married very soon.
Well Sweets, I’m going out with the girls tonight, but I would give 10 years of my life if it was you instead. At 2:00 tonight you will have been gone exactly 3 weeks and it seems like a year since I‘ve seen you. Yet, I can see so clearly the night you left. The ride over from your house and raining like heck, then when you kissed me goodbye and all I could think of to say was, ‘Don’t get into any trouble that you can’t get out of’ and I tried so hard not to cry. I had held out for a whole week without breaking down and then at the last minute it, it just snapped, and I couldn’t help it. I hope you didn’t think I was too big of a baby. I’ve only broken down three times since, so if you want to, Honey, go ahead. It helps a lot, I know. It seems to ease up the pain in your stomach for a while.
Well I guess I said all there is to say except I never expect to let you down Honey. That’s why I haven’t built you up too high. Oh God, if only I could see you for a few minutes.
I’m sorry Honey, I shouldn’t have said that. It’s bad enough without making wishes that can’t come true.
See you Wednesday or rather I will talk to you. I can hardly wait.
All the love & xxxxxxxxxx’s I have.
“Your Darlin’ Janie
P.S. I miss you
Johnny & Jane 