Spring Fever

Wednesday, April 19, 1950

46 West 83rd Street, Apt. 7B

New York City, NY

Dear Art,

I’m in one of those very rare lazy moods.  Well, maybe not so rare…  I didn’t feel like doing anything but writing a letter to you today.  It was such a beautiful day today.  I’m getting spring fever in more ways than one and I miss you, darling.

We may move soon even though it will only be for a short while.  I’d like to get in a place where you can pay by the week.  If we stay here, I’ll go home at the end of May and stay till mid-June.  Then I’d move into another apartment.  So I can’t see paying at least $30 for this place when I won’t be living here.  So maybe we’ll go to a woman’s residence for that last month, or something like that.  Of course, it won’t be too nice if you decide to come

Illustrations by
June Anderson.

in, but it will only be for a month.

Did Carol and Jimmy have a good time with us this weekend?  I like them both.  I was wondering because you said that she talked to Bruno afterward.  I think they enjoyed themselves, didn’t they?  Poor Carol – going into work so early on Monday morning!  Did everyone but you sleep on the way back?

Jane’s sore throat is much worse.  She thinks she might have to have her tonsils out.  By the way, how’s your cold?  I don’t have a trace of one yet.  Aren’t you lucky to go out with such a healthy girl? (Ha!)

Nine more days till I see you, darling.  I’ll be thinking of you all the time.  Good night for now.

All my love,

June

(Tomorrow – transmission trouble.)

                                © 2011 Lee Price

Gosh I Miss You So Much

Wednesday, April 19, 1950

20 Cooper Street

Southampton, NY

Dear June,

Boy and dog, charcoal sketch by Art Price.

Gosh I do miss you so much, my darling.  I’m certainly looking forward to your letter tomorrow.  You know how much I love you.

So much news from you!  I guess I’d better keep still about most of it.  Mary getting married, Jane’s crushes, etc.  I hope the four of you will be able to get a nice apartment.

I’m not too surprised you didn’t care too much for Mary.  I guess maybe Bruno is better off without her.  Actually I think they’re very much alike and that’s why they fought a lot.

I took the car to the garage today.  The clutch needed a little adjustment.  Then I went to the movies tonight and saw Three Came Home.  It was alright, but I don’t imagine you would have liked it.  I think you said you didn’t want to see it.  Then I dropped in and saw Joe and Bruno for a minute afterward but didn’t stay long.

I’m afraid I won’t see you this weekend but I’ll call you Sunday as usual.  I know I’ll see you the next weekend whether you come home or not.  Three weeks is too long without you.  Three days is too long, my darling.

It really feels like spring is here today.  I guess I’ll leave the blanket in my trunk from now on.

I love you very, very much, sweetheart.  You know that I do.

Lots of love,

Art

(Later today – spring fever.)

© 2011 Lee Price

The Big Kiss

Tuesday, April 18, 1950

46 West 83rd Street, Apt. 7B

New York City, NY

Dear Art,

Fashion illustration by June Anderson.

I’m still thinking about the dance.  I kind of shocked myself after the dance, kissing you in front of everybody like I did.  I never thought I would do anything like that.  But I wasn’t going to see you for such a long time.  And darling, I’m glad I did.  I had a wonderful time – I really did. 

Are you sure there were other people with us?  It seems like I just saw you.  But maybe that’s because you’re all I cared about seeing.  That must mean I’m really in love with you, mustn’t it?  And if you don’t believe it – well, darling, just come up and see me sometime.

We had a swell time at Jane’s house last night.  I love that living room of hers.  It’s so nice and cozy.  (Wouldn’t it be nice to have one like that all to ourselves?)  Anyway, while we were there, Shirl and I and June and Betty decided to take an apartment together this summer.  Their other roommate doesn’t finish school until June 18, so that means that Shirl and I will keep this place until that time and then we’ll all move together.  We ought to be able to

afford quite a nice place (or at least almost a nice place) with the money we chip in.  So there’ll be no room hunting this weekend.  I guess I’ll have to do some homework instead.

I still don’t like Mary though.  Helen seems very nice, but I couldn’t ever room with someone like Mary.  After you left, she came in and bawled us out for making so much noise.  Then when she woke us up in the morning, she scolded Jane again for the same thing.  Jane didn’t say anything but I wish she had.  I think she should have acted more courteous since we were guests.  By the way, Jane thinks Mary will marry within a year.  On the other hand, she doesn’t expect Helen to.

By the way, you were slightly right about Jane.  She had a (as she puts it) mad crush on Singer last year, but got over it during the summer.  When she came back to Southampton, she hadn’t seen Joe for so long that she developed a crush on him.  But it’s definitely gone now.  The dance ended that.

I’ll miss you this weekend, dear.  Take good care of yourself when it comes rolling around.  Don’t go off on too much of a rampage with the boys.  Darling, I love you.

All my love,

June

(Tomorrow – so much news.)

© 2011 Lee Price

A Lovely Time at the Dance

Tuesday, April 18, 1950

46 West 83rd Street, Apt. 7B

New York City, NY

Dear Art,

June Anderson, circa 1950.

Just a short note, darling, because it’s already after midnight.  June O’Neal, Betty Neverling, Shirl, and I visited Jane tonight.  Now it’s late and I still have to get washed, dressed for bed and so on.

I had such a lovely time at the dance.  I loved just to sit there and be near you, but best I loved dancing with you.  That was wonderful.  I won’t mention the stage show because you know I enjoyed that.  Words can’t express how much I love you.

There’s a lot I could tell you – different things that happened today.  But I’m so sleepy now...  So I’ll just say thank you for taking me to the dance, thank you very much for being as nice as you are, and I love you so much.  I’ll write a longer letter tomorrow.

All my love,

June

P.S.  It’s about 9:30 Tuesday morning now.  I’m in school.  Do you realize that I’ve had a total of about eight hours sleep in the last two nights?  Wait till tonight, though!  I’ll sure make up for that.

I’m not going room hunting this weekend, but I am staying in the city.  For Shirl’s sake.

Tonight I’ll write you about the room situation and Jane and more, etc. – if I don’t forget about them.

Sometime when I’m home I’ll tell you about Shirl and her boyfriend, too.

Till then,

Love,

June

(Later today – June and the girls.)

© 2011 Lee Price

Safely Home from Brooklyn

Monday, April 17, 1950

20 Cooper Street

Southampton, NY

Dear June,

As you can see, I had no trouble getting out of Brooklyn.  I stopped for breakfast in Smithtown and was home before 8:00 this morning.  Then I slept till noon.



I hope everything went all right with you today and hope Shirl wasn’t too mad at you.  I guess I’m the one she should be mad at.  When I walked into work

this afternoon, Bruno

Main Street, Southampton, from a period postcard.

already knew what time I’d gotten home and all about the trip.  (Not quite everything though.)  I couldn’t figure out how he knew but then found out he had talked to Carol in the drugstore that morning.  She went to work at 10.

Everybody down here seems to have survived all right.  I saw Jimmy this afternoon and Joe Cerullo for a minute tonight when I went for the paper.

I’m about ready to head for bed now.  I can’t imagine why I should be tired, can you?

So long now, sweetheart, and remember me to everybody.  I love you so much.  ’night for now, my darling.

Lots of love,

Art

(Tomorrow – thinking about the dance.)

© 2011 Lee Price

Unusual Artwork for Art

Although Art rarely expressed any criticisms in his letters to June, he seems to have been somewhat frustrated with his evening art lessons at the Partida School of Arts, located at 18 Cameron Street in Southampton.  His natural style was realistic and his palette tended to be muted.  His favorite subjects were landscapes and seascapes.

It appears that his teachers at the Partida School of Arts pushed him to try new approaches in his art.  Today’s entry highlights two artworks that are unlike any of his other surviving pieces.

The first is this allegorical oil painting that comments upon war and culture.

Oil painting by Art Price.

The second is this dramatic pencil sketch that suggests a man’s death at sea.

Pencil sketch by Art Price, homework for the Partida School of Art.

Both may indeed be personal reflections upon Art’s Navy experiences as a quartermaster third class on minesweepers in the South Pacific.  But they represent styles and approaches that he tried once, and never returned to.

(For Monday – safely home from Brooklyn.)
 

© 2011 Lee Price

Blame the Post Office

Thursday, April 13, 1950

20 Cooper Street

Southampton, NY

Dear June,

I waited until now to write in hopes I could tell you how the picture turned out and answer your morning letter.  Well, I didn’t get a letter this morning and the picture won’t be finished till this afternoon.

I’ll blame not getting a letter on the post office department for now.  I’d better get one this afternoon though!  If you don’t write to me ---- !!!!

Anyway I still love you very much, darling.  This has been my morning off.  I slept late then went out and got a haircut.  Yesterday, I put the car in the garage to get tuned up, greased etc. – all ready for this weekend.  I finished John Hersey’s The Wall last night then went to bed fairly early.

Pencil sketch by Art Price.

As far as I know Joe hasn’t made that phone call yet.  If I see him tonight maybe I’ll drag him into the phone booth.

I think I’ll go across the street now and see how the baby is.  Remember me to Shirl.  See you Friday night, sweetheart.  Till then I love you very much.

Lots of love,

Art

(For Monday – safely home from Brooklyn.)
 

© 2011 Lee Price