September 1, 1942 Tuesday 12:00 noon
Hellow Harlan:
I will take it you’ve had a nice rest from writing. You didn’t write Friday, but you wrote one Saturday night then you evidently didn’t write Sunday because here it is Tuesday and no letter other than the Special which you wrote Saturday but didn’t mail until Sunday afternoon. It just arrived here, and it never took two days for a Special to get here before. So you see, you could have saved yourself 10 cents if you had mailed it when you should have. So there.
I’m glad however you told me about the deferment deal. Be sure and let me know when you find out for sure.
Neal Ashby was just over; it was the first time I’ve seen him since school was out. When he found out that you had been gone for six weeks, he was mad because I hadn’t let him know and the fact that he is going to college tomorrow didn’t help matters any. He said however he would be home in two weeks for the weekend.
Which reminds me, I only have two more weeks on this shift and then I’m on days for seven weeks. Boy I’ll be glad. This is my third week at work Honey, and I love it.
You know I really shouldn’t write you today because even when I’m going out at night, I always manage to write a line anyway and get it off. So you see, I should skip a day just to get even – but I won’t.
Again, there isn’t much news. I haven’t talked to your Mom for some time. Friday to be exact. How about the cookies?
Harlan what would you say if I said I would marry you tomorrow? Answer please.
Well look. I must go. I hate to but I must. I’m waiting for you Harlan, waiting and wondering about the deferment and what’s going to happen, waiting for your every letter and waiting for Christmas and next July. Waiting and hoping and Honey the first night we are together may we please go to a dance. It seems so long since I’ve been to one. You see you can go anytime you want to, but I can’t. Write often. All my love and Xxxxxxxxxx’s “Your” Darlin’ Janie
September 3, 1942 1:15 PM
Hi Honey,
Well here I am again, how are you, your Mom says you are swell. I finally got a hold of her last night about 11:00 and Johnnie wanted to come after me, but I said no. I didn’t think it would be very fair because I had talked to you three times already. But it sure was swell of them to think to asked me. It sure seemed funny I know that you were going to call Des Moines from out there and I wasn’t going to get even to say hi. Kind of selfish wasn’t it?
I told you about two weeks ago about that fellow out at the plant who kept asking me to go home with him, remember? Well Monday he bet Jimmy, my tool-setter, a dollar that I would ride home with him Tuesday and he said he would give me $.50 of it if I would but I said sorry, but the answer is no. Later Tuesday Jimmy asked me if I was going and I said no and he said he would give me 1/2 of his dollar he would win if I wouldn’t, so I said O.K. You see, I wasn’t going anyhow so I just made $.50 clear which comes in very handy as I am broke.
Say I don’t want to hear another thing about short letters from me after the one I received from you this morning. Only one page and a half and 1/3 of the half was drawing (which after much study I finally made it out).
Bob and Barbie have split up, that is a aren’t going steady now. She has another fellow who she likes very much. Whom she went to the ;Val Air’ last night with him. She said she had a lot of fun, but she still likes Bob the best. Personally I don’t think she knows what she wants.
Momie says hi and to keep your chin up and all good things come to those who wait.
This is only a note Honey because my rider wants to leave early, so will close. I’m very anxious to see your picture, so don’t hesitate a moment to send it. Did you have my pin on?? I will write again tomorrow.
All my Love and xxxxxxxxxxxxxx’s “Your” Darlin’ Janie
Friday 2:00 September 4, 1942
Hello Darlin’:
Well here I am again. This is my Special. I hope you get it on Sunday. How is everything with you and yours? My dear Janie, there is something I would like to explain to me. What is it that your job has that I don’t? You have worked there three weeks and now you say you love it. I go with you for more than 3 years and you still don’t know whether or not you love me. There’s something else to. What you mean by saying that I can go anytime I want to, but you can’t.
I phoned the folks last night and they gave me Opal’s address. I wrote her a letter this morning and I think I told her off a little too strong. I’m going to see just how long I have to wait for an answer. I went bowling last night 145, 94, and 187. I get kind of mixed up once in a while.
Darlin’, I was just thinking, when I come home on Christmas why don’t we become engaged, and then be married in July. That’s if everything goes all right. Would you think it over a little while and let me know what you think about it? Or do you think were too young to know what real love is and that we should still be sensible and wait a while. I love you very much Janie, but this waiting for everything is driving me crazy. I had a chance to go on the day shift but didn’t take it. The shift I’m on is the best shift to save money on and that is what I want now. If we have to wait an awful long time, I think I might change to days. I could get around and meet a lot of people that, maybe go to a show once in a while. The way it is now, I don’t know anybody. I can’t go to the show and see all of it unless I go on Sunday. When I have someone like you to work for its worth it. In your letter this morning you asked me what I would say if you said you would marry me tomorrow. Don’t ever say anything like that unless you mean it. If you did say it and meant it, I think I’d take you up on it so fast that it would make your head swim. You see, what I’m doing now is not just for myself but for you and T&T. If the Navy takes over the yard it will be perfect. We could buy a little home just outside of San Francisco in the suburb. The houses there are very similar to the ones in Des Moines. In San Francisco, there is no such thing as a lawn. My work will last until way after the duration and then I would go into business for myself. Life couldn’t be sweeter if it was with you. I had better close before I ask you to marry me, then I couldn’t ask you on Christmas. Love and everything that I have belongs to you and you alone.
Love & xxxxxxxxxx’s Harlan
PS Are you going out with Neal. If you do, please be careful. He isn’t as helpless as people think he is.
PS Tell our folks hello
Bankbook tomorrow $115
September 4, 1942 Friday 11:30 PM
Hi Honey
Gee, it was nice to get to letters yesterday in the pictures were swell. You haven’t changed any as far as looks are concerned, but your physic seems more developed as far as your muscles go.
Aham….. Honey I hate to mention it, but did you buy those trunks for Timmy or you. They are sort of brief. They are very good-looking however and I like them, and that shirt is a honey, is it yours? But regardless of all of my criticism I liked the pictures very much and showed them to all the girls at the plant. I’m sure glad you haven’t had your hair cut short because you would sure look like a goon if you did. I have an idea, every Sunday when you go someplace why don’t you take the camera (not yours, the pictures are too small). And have Syd take at least one picture of you. It wouldn’t cost too much Honey and it would mean a lot to me. Or if you think that would be too much, at least once a month. Tomorrow Momie is going to buy a roll of film and she’s going to take some pictures of me in my uniform and I’ll send them only if you promise not to laugh.
I have Monday (Labor Day) off and we girls are all going horseback riding again and then I want to go see “Bambi”, you know that Walt Disney show, so we probably will go Monday night. Wish you were here so I could go with you instead.
Well Sweets, today’s another payday and tomorrow $7.00 goes in the bank which will make $13 in two weeks, how am I doing? By the way, how are you coming along?
Harlan, I would like to make a suggestion, when you called last Wednesday night you sounded awfully formal and I thought maybe it was because Syd was there, and since the next call is going to be kind of special (on my part anyway) why don’t you call from your place? It’s just as easy to use a pay phone. By the way, what is your phone number? You never can tell, I might call you sometime and surprise you and if something did come up and I had to call you, I wouldn’t know your number. So please let me know at once O.K? O.K!
I guess Frank isn’t coming home, so Donna is leaving Monday. I saw Bob Brewer last night and gosh he looks like he’s lost his last friend. I feel sort of sorry for him but it’s none of my business. I guess she just got tired of going out with him and when this other fellow popped up, she jumped at the chance to split up. I don’t think it’ll last long, however.
Well Sweets, that’s about all the news today and I must go. I am patiently waiting for next Wednesday and your picture. You should get mine by then, but mine will be half of what yours will be. I will write again tomorrow.
All my Love and xxxxxxxxxx’s “Your” Darlin’ Janie
PS My heart is aching for you.
September 5 Saturday 12:00
Hi Honey,
Harlan this is the way your letters came this week. Saturday a Special (that was supposed to be my Sunday Special) Sunday no letter, Monday no letter, Tuesday one letter, Wednesday one letter, Thursday no letter, Friday two letters, Saturday two letters (one was supposed to be my Sunday Special). Now what is wrong? I can’t see why you can’t get my Sunday Special to me on Sunday. I get yours to you on Sunday. I like you a lot Honey but sometimes you make me awful mad. You know it only takes one day for Special to go from San Francisco to Des Moines or vice versa. When I get a Special on Saturday that means I won’t get a letter on Sunday and I never get one on Monday. I write a letter to you every day and on Saturday I try to write two, one Special, so you will get one on Sunday and Monday, so if you would write my Special on Saturday instead of Friday and mail it in time for the 5:00 plane, I will get it before I go to work. Enough said about that but I expect a letter, my Special on Sunday next week. And if I don’t, I’m not going to write you for a week. After all Harlan, I work all day Sunday while you are out playing around.
This isn’t a very nice start for your Sunday, but I can’t help but and I’m in a bad mood.
And don’t be silly, which you are being in comparing my job with you. I like it very much, is that better?
If the waiting is driving you crazy, then I suggest you change to the day shift. Then you can have more fun and meet more people. However it’s entirely up to you. It sounds to me like you are feeling very sorry for yourself. You picked this road Harlan and if you don’t like it, you better change your course.
About you going out to a dance, whenever you like it, is true, regardless of the fact you work late, you still can go and on your days off you can go but I can’t unless I have an invitation. You know I won’t stag it.
I’ll send the cookies with Monday or Tuesday. No, I’m not going out with Neal.
There I think I’ve answered all of your questions. Harlan, when I started to write this letter I was very mad but now I have cooled down a little but I’m not going to apologize for what I wrote because I meant every word I said, and I hope it hits home and makes an impression. You can’t imagine what those Sunday letters mean to me and I don’t believe I’m been unreasonable. Do you?
There isn’t any news, everyone here is fine but the weather is terrible. I hope it’s nice Monday. I was able to put $8 instead of $7 in the bank this week. I kind of hate to mention my savings account after seeing yours, mine is so little. I must close now. I may write tomorrow.
Love and xxxxxxxxxxxxxx’s “Your” Darlin’ Janie
Saturday September 5, 1942 1 AM
Hello Darlin’:
You’ll probably get this one on Sunday so it will be my Special instead of the other one. Although almost every letter I write is for a special person. Have you thought about what I told you in one of my letters? Please do and let me know what you think of it as soon as you can. I don’t have any more news than what I told you this afternoon in my letter. Herman had a flat tire this morning. There were two small tacks in it. Otherwise he just looks and runs swell. Sunday, Syd and I are going out to the beach and do a little more working out, mostly running. We will be lucky if there’s a little sun. Sunday night we are going to a show and see Abbott and Costello in “Pardon My Sarong. “ I wish you were going with me instead; remember how we always used to go and see them. We would get such a big kick out of them we would almost laugh ourselves sick. Then we would go and see about getting a maid right and a Pepsi-Cola at Frisker’s. Then I would pretend to take you home and Herman would always turn towards Union Park – argument. Sometimes you would win and sometimes I would. If I did win, there would always be a limit on the time, usually 10 minutes. I sure used to get disgusted. Right now I would be glad to get about 2 minutes. When we would go home, I always wanted to carry you up to the house and you always try to run out of the car and beat me. I used to like that because I would pretend I was carrying you over the threshold, and I’d like to have you in that position because you had to sort of cuddle up to me or fall out of my arms. Then I would kiss you good night until you finally went in. I never could get filled up on good night kisses. Then I would drive home go to bed and pretend I was kissing you good night. I would take my pillow (I still do) and layup against it and pretend it was you. I had better close because it’s getting rather late.
Love & XXXXXXXX’s & OOOOOOOOOOO Harlan
Johnny & Jane 