Red Is the Color

Not mailed.  Personally delivered to Art on Sunday, December 4.

Saturday, December 3, 1949

46 West 83rd Street, Apt. 7B

New York City

Dear Art,

It’s Saturday night and all of a sudden I’m lonesome.  It just doesn’t seem right for Saturday night.  I wanna go out!

Shirl, Evie and I went shopping all day today.  Evie’s the only one who got anything.  Shirl went along to advise and I just tagged along for the pure enjoyment of looking at dresses.  Are you going to take me out New Year’s Eve?  If so, I could stand another dressy dress – you know, I could ask Santa

for it.  He’s a sweet man who would give me

Fashion illustration watercolor
by June Anderson.

the money, then I could have so much fun spending it.  I haven’t bought any clothes in a long time.  Well, to get back to this afternoon – we went to Lord & Taylor’s, Bonwitt Tellers, Peck & Peck, Macy’s, Sac’s, etc. – in other words, we tired ourselves out.  Shirl’s sister is a big girl and hard to fit, so she didn’t find much to buy.  Anyway, we were very tired when we finally returned to the apartment.  Guess what?  The elevator was out of order.  We had to walk up to the 7^th floor.

We bought a little scatter rug for our room today.  You’d never guess what color – bright red!  If nothing else, our room sure looks cheerful now.  Just cheerful?  Why, your eyes nearly pop out, first glance!  By the way, we’re not letting people walk on it yet – it might dull the color.  Should we rename our room “the snakepit”?

Red is the color this year.  Would you like me in a fire-engine red dress?  I have a feeling you would.  After all, men are supposed to like the color.  Will it arouse the animal instincts in you?  Or is that an improper question for a nice young woman to ask?

Evie finally got a boy on the phone.  She said she could get dates for all three of us, but Shirl and I vetoed the idea.

Boy, are the Kantors having an awful fight about who should keep the check we just gave them for the rent!  Whew – zo!  I don’t like big fights – just little fights like I might have with you someday.

All my love,

June

(On Monday, walking in the rain with Art.)

© 2010 Lee Price