June 9, 1943 (Betty)

June 9, 1943

8:30pm

Dear Dip,

Please excuse pencil writing but if I wrote with pen you could never read my letter not saying you will be able to read this but here goes anyway.

Got home tonight from work at eight o’clock. (They are really working more since I got back). Came in to the house and before I could even say hello, mom said, “no there is no letters from your lieutenant” and again my face fell three feet. There I had been waiting impatiently Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.  Aren’t you ashamed of yourself making me go through all that misery?

Halfway through dinner, mom said isn’t your plate tipping slightly and there it was under my plate that long awaited letter. That little dickens of a mom of mine. Was I ever in seventh heaven then.  Laughed to see the line drawn under the East. Certainly sounded good to hear your voice in pen.

Hm-I am not even out of California and you are out with another woman. We’ll have none of that in our “little white cottage”. Remember we both agreed we had very jealous dispositions. Bet you write all the girls that they are good dancers while then and you happen to be with at the moment is “punk”. But at least I have one thing above the rest, I don’t talk while dancing and I don’t sing in your ear except when they play “why don’t you fall in love with me” or “Let’s Get Lost”. Please remember those are my pieces and nobody else is to sing them to you. Them’s order’s whether you wear the pants or not.

Seems to me that just about this time last week I was sitting with a certain army lieutenant the  “Top of the Mark” and could be I was just about interesting him in a cigarette as he had had our drink and a sip of the second.  Ah to have that night over, but quit day dreaming Betty.

Well let’s see Friday night Yvonne’s aunt took us out to dinner at a place called “Alfred’s” and we had the most marvelous dinner there-great big thick juicy charbroiled steak. You should go there sometime if you like steak- do you? with onions? It’s all off if you don’t. We then went to a cocktail bar called the “Rio” and oh Dip do go there before you leave Frisco. It’s about two blocks away from the Drake. They have a negro who plays the piano and sings. He is really wonderful. Yvonne’s aunt left us and we came back to the Drake and went down to the Persian Room and I got mixed up with the awfullest Navy man I positively loath the Navy now. I still have a black and blue mark on my face where he socked me with his fist. Believe me I am and always will be strictly Army.

Got up Saturday and thought I would try and surprise you. Put in a call to Pittsburgh, California and my lord, the San Francisco operator and I went all over that darn post on the telephone trying to locate you. They could call us by this extension and then call that local. I finally gave up and cancelled the call, but I tried hard hon.

At two o’clock we decided we didn’t want to go home. We called Southern Pacific and begged, pleaded, even threatened for reservations but earliest available was Wednesday and we couldn’t stay that long so very tearfully dragged ourselves down to ferryboat. Maybe just as well cause wouldn’t I have felt terrible to have walked into the Cirque Room on Saturday night and seen another girl in your arms and maybe hearing you say to her “will you wait for me”- ooh I just couldn’t take it. Well we didn’t stay so missed 3 o’clock ferry and just made the train in Oakland on time. It was a horrible trip home. Cold really caught up with me. Think instead of giving it to you, the darn thing boomeranged on me and had just twice as bad. Coughed all the way home. I think they were ready to throw us off the train before we even left California which wouldn’t have hurt my feelings at all. We didn’t talk much going home. Both of us were feeling so blue and downhearted. What has San Francisco got or could perhaps be the people we met there. We were a very sorry looking sight when we pulled into Seattle Sunday night. I didn’t go to work Monday. Was too tired and as the result was very much in the dog house at work the next day.

Keep daydreaming at my desk all day long wishing I was back there dancing at the Cirque with that certain lieutenant who really trips a mean foot and I do mean dancing. How about our extra special dip next time you’re out dancing and when you do think of me.

You probably are wondering if this gal is ever going to stop so before you get mad I’ll put a stop to this run away pencil of mine. Please write quicker than you did before.

Love,

Betty

P.S. Remember Thursday only is lodge night

P.S. in address you better add the 5 – example Seattle 5, Washington Now speedier delivery of mail. The “5” is our section of town. Don’t forget it. Bye hon.

Hi again,

Pencil said no so guess, as I like ‘em to be tough and be the boss, I will have to let it go on writing.

Say hello to Earle for me. Do hope his sunburn is better now. Has he had anymore pretty girls giving him rubdowns? You can tell him if he didn’t take $7.oo taxi cab rides he could go more often to San Francisco and then he could keep an eye on you and see that you didn’t get into mischief. Good idea, think I’ll appoint him as my watchdog. Will really stop now.-

Love, B.