Missing You Is a Chronic Condition

Quick sketches by June Anderson.

Thursday, May 25, 1950

112 West 86th Street

New York City, NY

Dear Art,

Quick sketch by
June Anderson.

I feel much better tonight, darling.  We all went to the movies and saw a couple of revivals.  Evie bought a lot of clothes so she felt better.  I’ve been working very hard at school and I’m feeling very tired.

Shirl’s going out tonight.  A friend of mine might come over.  If she does, we’ll do homework together.  I have plenty but I’m not going to worry about it.  I should be able to finish everything on time.

Seriously, there’s nothing much to tell you.  I guess nothing happens to me except when I’m with you.  Then there’s too much, and all too wonderful to tell.  Missing you is becoming a chronic condition with me.  It’s because I love you so much.  What more can I say?

I hope you have my compact and comb with you on Friday night.  I’m sure I left them with you.  Look through your pockets.  Maybe we’d better start tying strings around our fingers on Sunday nights – I didn’t expect that you’d be just as forgetful as I am!

I’ll be seeing you very soon.  I hope the time flies till then.

All my love,

June

(For Saturday – Unveiling the cape.)
 

© 2011 Lee Price

No One Knows But Us

Wednesday, May 24, 1950

20 Cooper Street

Southampton, NY

Dear June,

I’ve been waiting for the mail to come before I write to you.  Now I’m sitting here with your letter beside me.  I love you very much, darling.

I’m certainly sorry you had such a bad time with Shirl’s sister!  I imagine she’s gone by now.  For your sake, I hope so.  Do you think it’s largely jealousy of Shirl?

I have your compact and comb.  I forgot to mention them in Monday’s letter.  I hope I remember them Friday night.  By the way, if I do send a painting to the Metropolitan it still has to be painted.  I haven’t a thing here that seems right.

Photo tentatively identified as Roulston's.

About the store:  We haven’t heard from the company but if their asking price is halfway decent, Rod has a good backer lined up.  He’s a local man and a friend of Rod’s.  I’m the only one who knows about this.  Not even Bruno knows.  I think everything is going to work out pretty good.  I hope so anyway.

I had a good art lesson last night.  It lasted till eleven.  As usual, it’s raining today on my day off.  I’ve got to go out and mail this now.  I love you so very very much, sweetheart.

Lots of love,

Art

(Tomorrow – the last letter from Traphagen.)

© 2011 Lee Price

Clothes Shopping With Evie

Monday, May 22, 1950

112 West 86th Street

New York City, NY

Dear Art,

Fashion illustration by June Anderson.

I guess this will be a complaining letter again.  I had an awful night.  Shirl, her sister Evie, and I went shopping for Evie today.  When Evie couldn’t find what she wanted, she got very mad, and acted nasty to all of us.  She cried, yelled, threw tantrums and everything.  It was terrible.  After she calmed down she still acted mean and kept whining.  If I had half as many clothes as she has, I’d be in heaven!

Then, right in the middle of everything, Shirl made a date with Ted and that started Evie off again.  Well, I wasn’t going to stay alone with Evie and her whining all night.  I was very upset, wishing you here more than anything in the world.  I told Shirl I was afraid her sister and I might have a fight if she left us alone.  So it ended up with all of us going for a ride with Ted.  We just got back.

I hated this place today – I really did.  After our wonderful time this weekend, I had to come back to this!

I’m very upset, as you may have gathered, but maybe a good night’s sleep will fix me up.  Darling, please take care of yourself, and don’t worry about me.

All my love,

June

Darling, this is a P.S. now.  It’s about 10:15 on Tuesday morning.  I’m here in school.  I just wanted to tell you I feel better now.  I’ve already done a little work and I’ll do more after this.  With Evie here, I doubt I’ll be able to work in the apartment tonight.  Maybe we should all go to a movie.

Darling, I forgot to ask you – what picture (or is it more than one?) are you sending to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the contest?  By the way, you have my compact and comb.  That means you’ll have to come over Friday night to deliver them.  I love you.

Love,

June

(Tomorrow – plans for Roulston's.)

© 2011 Lee Price

Rumors about Roulston's

Monday, May 22, 1950

20 Cooper Street

Southampton, NY

Dear June,

We’re still waiting to hear more about Roulston’s closing.  I haven’t heard any definite news yet so I shouldn’t say anything more.  I could fill two pages with rumors, theories, and suggestions but you wouldn’t really know any more about it.

I went to see a Betty Grable movie tonight.  It was pretty good – just about what you’d expect.  I’ll be going to painting class both tomorrow and Wednesday.  Then I’ll spend a lonely Thursday night before I’m in heaven again with you on Friday. 

Should I keep these letters short so you can read them between 63rd and 52nd Streets?  (Those are the correct numbers, right?)

I guess I’ll go to bed now, darling.  I hope you’re writing tonight, too.  Don’t stay up too late doing

homework.  Good night for now my love.

Lots of love,

Art

(Tomorrow – Evie goes clothes shopping.)

© 2011 Lee Price

A Mystery Fashion Illustration

This fashion illustration by June was packed into storage along with all the Traphagen drawings from 1948-50.  Judging from the style, it’s almost certainly from the late 1960s or early to mid-70s.  But there are no other fashion illustrations from the 1960s forward in the collection so the origins of this particular piece remain a mystery.

(For Monday – rumors about Roulston's.)
 

© 2011 Lee Price

Long Distance Kisses

Thursday, May 18, 1950

112 West 86th Street

New York City, NY

Dear Art,

It’s awful to go several days without hearing from you.  I’ll certainly be looking for a letter tonight.  I hope you get my first letter soon.  I didn’t mail it till noon yesterday.  I had it in my pocketbook all morning, but had forgotten stamps for it.

They played “If I loved You”* over the radio earlier tonight.  It was a beautiful arrangement and put me in a romantic mood.  Darling, I do love you – and I guess that’s all that really matters.  If you were with me tonight, you might have to fight to tear yourself away from me!  Woof!!!

Shirl’s out with Ted and I’ve been doing homework all evening.  And that’s after working a long day at school, too.  I’m trying very hard to finish in time, but gee, I didn’t realize how much I had to do!  I’m afraid I may not be able to go out with you on Sunday afternoon, darling.  I may have too much to do.

Letterings by June Anderson.

I have to go back to work again now.  There’s nothing new to tell you anyway.  Just the same old thing – I love you and miss you very much.  Now I must go back to lettering.  I’ll be waiting for you Friday.  So, with long distance kisses I say –

All my love,

June

*The arrangement of "If I loved You" that June heard was probably the one released in May 1950 by Dinah Washington with Teddy Stewart's Orchestra.  I don't have a link to that, but here's Dinah Washington singing "What a Difference a Day Makes," her first top 10 pop hit from 1959.

(For Saturday – a mysterious picture by June.)
 

© 2011 Lee Price

A Painting for the Metropolitan

Oil painting by Art Price.  There is no record of which of his paintings
he did in preparation for the Metropolitan contest.

Wednesday, May 17, 1950

20 Cooper Street

Southampton, NY

Dear June,

Just two more evenings till I see you, darling.  I miss you, even if it’s only a few days between visits.

I’ve been quite busy today.  I worked in the morning and had the afternoon off.  I went out in the woods and painted for the Metropolitan Museum contest.  Then I came home and finished rotating my tires, washed the windows, and put on the screens for summer.

My folks went to the movies tonight.  I stayed home and put the finishing touches on my painting.  I think it’s finished now.  Soon I’ll head for bed.  I’m looking forward to your letter tomorrow.

I’ll say good night now darling.  I love you so much, sweetheart.  See you Friday.

Lots of love,

Art

(Tomorrow – homework overload.)

© 2011 Lee Price