Dozing All Evening

Monday, February 27, 1950

20 Cooper Street

Southampton, NY

Dear June,

Here I am writing to you again, my darling.  I love you sweetheart.  Nothing much to tell you.  I had a busy day and didn’t go out tonight.  I’ve been dozing all evening and listening to the radio.

Art's De Soto, his first car.

Well, here’s some news. Bruno’s finally getting himself another car.  He got tired of walking.  It’s a 1941 De Soto convertible, the same make as my old car but a couple of years newer.  Now he can really go out and kill himself.

If you should come home this weekend I hope you can let me know ahead of time.  I’m supposed to go to a Men’s Club meeting at the Methodist Church on Friday night at 6:30, so if you’re coming, I’ll need to know.  If you should call Friday and not get anyone here, try the other number to get my mother (I hope you still have it – I’ve forgotten that number already myself).

I think I’ll make this a short letter.  Be careful of yourself, my precious darling.  I miss you and love you very, very much.  Be good sweetheart and I hope to see you soon.

Lots of love,

Art

(Later today – an invitation to a double date – but not with Art!)

© 2011 Lee Price

Life's That Way

Art sent this comic strip to June on February 26, 1950.  There was no accompanying letter.  Was there a precipitating incident?  Is there an implied threat?

UPDATE:  Mystery partially solved.  This clipping was not from Art!  Since it was included with all the other Art-penned letters, I assumed it was from him, too.  But the envelope above is postmarked "Lakewood, NJ," which is where Shirley Stahl's family lived.  I have no idea why Shirley's family sent this to June.

This explanation also accounts for another mystery that I didn't share.  The reverse side of the newsprint is entirely classified ads in Hebrew.  Since Shirl's family was Jewish, this isn't near as unusual as it first struck me.  So some of the pieces of this puzzle come together -- except for the pieces that would explain why it was sent to June and what precipitated sending it at all!

(Starting tomorrow – it'll be two letters a day for awhile as the correspondence heats up!)

© 2011 Lee Price

"As You Like It" with Kate Hepburn

Saturday, February 25, 1950

46 West 83rd Street, Apt. 7B

New York City, NY

Dear Art,

I just got in about midnight.  It was a wonderful night (except for one thing missing, of course).  The play was a merry little love story, and many a time as I watched them I thought about you and felt homesick.  But enough of that.  I’ll tell you about my night.

We all (seven of us) met in school at 4:00.  Since we had time to waste, we went to see the apartment where June and Betty live.  It’s very nice – not so nice as our old one but still nice.  At 6:00, we left to eat at the Brass Rail.  For dessert I had chocolate cream pie a la mode (my own invention).  It’s delicious.  Dinner broke me though!  I’ve decided it’s hopeless.  I’ll never catch up on my finances.

Seating at the
Cort Theatre.

From there we went to the Cort Theatre to see Kate Hepburn in Shakespeare’s “As You Like It.”  Art, I was really scared.  No one knows how close I came to leaving.  We were so high up – and I swear the stairs were the steepest I have ever seen.  I almost cried I was so frightened.  But I stayed – mind over matter.  My hands were just about cramped when the play was over from gripping the chair to keep from falling.  In spite of all this, the play was wonderful.  Katharine Hepburn is certainly a great actress.  As I told you before though, I was jealous when she could hold her love in her arms while mine was so far away.

I ate lunch at a different place yesterday – the Magpie instead of Jacks.  I certainly won’t make it a habit.  It took them 45 minutes to make a grilled cheese sandwich.  June, Joan Hart, Irving and I went there together.  It’s mostly a place to drink, which everyone did except me.  I sampled everyone’s drinks but I think I’ll stick to Rye and

ginger at night – preferably with you.

But Art, darling, all this and I haven’t told you the brightest spot of my day.  It was at midnight when I walked in the room to see your letter sparkling on the bureau.  I didn’t even take time off my coat before I opened your letter.  I can’t tell you how much I loved it.

Remember, just because I’m not coming home this weekend doesn’t give you leave to run around wild and pick up dates off the streets or calling women at their homes.  I have my brand on you in spirit and if that’s not enough, I’ll have to personally mark you

physically.  Please be careful, my darling, and behave yourself.

Love,

June

 (Tomorrow – a 1950 comic strip.)

© 2011 Lee Price

Home by the Phone

A duck, color pencil sketch by Art Price.

Friday, February 24, 1950

20 Cooper Street

Southampton, NY

Dear June,

I stayed home tonight and hoped for a phone call, but none came.  I’m not sure if I was really expecting one.  I can hope though.

I’ll talk to you on the phone before you get this so it won’t be very long.  I hope you enjoy Shakespeare and Katharine Hepburn.  I’m sure you will.

As to your questions in the letter:  I don’t know where Jane Hastings is.  I’ll try and remember to ask Bruno.  I worked on my course last night.  Tonight I didn’t do anything.  My folks went to the movies tonight but I’m waiting till tomorrow.  I’ll be thinking of you as always, and missing you so much.

My folks are fine.  My sister, also.  I hope yours are the same (and have you written to them lately?).  I thought we figured that you save more money by coming home.  Oh well, I suppose you really have to stay in the city once in awhile, much as I hate it.  This will be an awfully lonesome weekend without you, darling.

Don’t worry, I’ll take it easy over the weekend.  (I always do.)  Be good and take care of yourself, my precious sweetheart.

Lots of love,

Art

(Tomorrow – As You Like It.)

© 2011 Lee Price

June's Guiding and Calming Influence

Thursday, February 23, 1950

46 West 83rd Street, Apt. 7B

New York City, NY

Dear Art,

About seven of us girls are going to see Katie Hepburn in “As You Like It” on Broadway tomorrow night.  We’ll all eat together (at some nice place for a change) before going.  I’ll tell you in tomorrow’s letter how it was.  I still have to iron a dress tonight for tomorrow.  Honestly, Art, this room (and Shirl lying here reading a magazine) makes me feel so lazy.  Even getting up is an effort.  I keep reminding myself how energetic I am when I’m with you.  But it doesn’t help now.

I’m reclining here on the couch with wet hair streaming down my back.  Yes, I finally washed it.  I began to worry that maybe the girls wouldn’t let me come along with them tomorrow if I didn’t do something about it.

Since Shirl’s been going to the other school I’ve been getting to school on time.  That’s a phenomenon that never happened much before, I can tell you!  I think it’s mainly because I don’t bother having breakfast when I’m by myself.  I still say it’s lonesome going and coming back from school all by myself.  Eventually I suppose I’ll get used to it.

I don’t think Shirl likes the clothing course much.  Out of the eight days she’s supposed to have been there so far she’s only been there four days.

Something about it

Pencil sketch by June Anderson.

being boring, she says. Oh well, maybe when she gets deeper into the course she’ll enjoy it more.

I’m not coming home this weekend, much as I’d like to.  So don’t run around wild just because your guiding and calming influence (me) isn’t there.

All my love,

June

(Tomorrow – a lonesome weekend ahead.)

© 2011 Lee Price

A Stern Lecture

Pencil drawing by Art Price.

Wednesday, February 22, 1950

20 Cooper Street

Southampton, NY

Dear June,

What’s the idea of not writing just because a letter is a day late?  You can’t do that to me.  I love you, darling, but I’ll be angry if you do it again.  I’ll accept some excuses for not writing but not this one.  I look forward to your letters so much.  You know I wait for them just like you do.

It was wonderful to talk to you yesterday.  I would have liked to sit and listen to your voice all afternoon.  Of course, this will be a short letter.  Not much has happened since.  I washed my car this afternoon – first time in months.  Then I went to see Twelve O’Clock High tonight.  It was very good as you probably already know.  Then I came home right afterward.  I’m behaving myself.  No more beer for me.

I missed you very much last night, darling.  I miss you very much all the time.  Take good care of yourself and good night for now,

Love

Art

(Tomorrow – girls night out on Broadway.)

© 2011 Lee Price

"If You Like-A Me Like I Like-A You"

Tuesday, February 21, 1950

46 West 83rd Street, Apt. 7B

New York City, NY

Dear Art,

Fashion illustration by
June Anderson.

Please, darling, don’t be mad at me for not writing this weekend.  I don’t know what’s wrong with me – I should have realized your letters were held up by trains or something.  On Friday night, I waited and waited for your letter.  I thought it was just our landlord being slow about delivering the mail, as is usually the situation.  I hate to keep asking for my mail all the time so I waited and waited.  I worked up an awful temper.  I kicked a chair away so hard it almost knocked over the lamp.  It was miserable.  So I finally went downstairs and asked – only to find out that no letter had come for me.  After all that, do you blame me for not writing?  I’m sorry, darling, I’ll really try to behave better the next time.

Your phone call left me feeling so good last night.  I would have been very disappointed if you hadn’t called.  I don’t know what to say about your drinking Saturday night.  I like you to go out because I know you enjoy it and feel lost around the house doing nothing.  But please don’t drink too much.  After all, you’re the one that has to drive, and I don’t want anything happening to you.

Shirl and I just found out that Evie (her sister, you know) is coming here this week.  She’ll probably stay through the weekend.  Heaven knows what we’ll do while she’s here!

They just finished Henry Owens singing “Shadrack” over the radio.  I like that song!  Oh, I heard “Under the Bamboo Tree” today on the radio, too.  First time since I left college – we used to sing it so many times there.  You know the one – “I love-a you and love-a you true.”  It’s true, too.

I haven’t done a bit of homework here yet.  I really work harder at home than here.  Tomorrow I have to start though.  It’s terrible to get behind.

Do take care of yourself, darling, and keep writing.

All my love,

June

(Tomorrow – unacceptable excuses.)

© 2011 Lee Price