Letter # 44

"March 5, 1952

Hello Darling,
   Guess where I am at present.  Since it would take approximately 18 days to receive an answer to this query I'll tell you.  I'm in the 16th Field Hospital in Nurnburg.  Question two, guess what I'm being treated for.  Answer, "the mumps"...Now ain't that a shame? A twenty two year old self professed man lying in bed with the mumps.  Sounds slightly degrading doesn't it?"

(It turns out he ended up spending 20 days in the hospital, with ice packs between his legs.....that's right...the mumps dropped to his testicles...which could have made him sterile...we lucked out...it did not...proff, we had 5 children together)


"If I'm not mistaken, it has been a month since I've written.  I hope you don't think it's because I've forgotten you.  How could I when those eleven days in paradise were spent with you .I've often wondered if that wasn't as near heaven as I'll get."   (I'm not sure that I totally believed that  at that time...his letters has become so infrequent. ) " I sometimes think that I'm living too much in the past and not giving much thought to the future. You'll have to excuse this penmanship as I'm writing while lying in bed.


Kitten, take some good advice.  Have as much fun as possible while you're in high school.  Date every available, decent male that you can because you'll miss those good times after you're out of school.  Believe it or not, I didn't date anyone while I was in high school.   During the last 4 years I've tried to make up for all the time  I lost though,. " (A ha ! is he trying to tell me something? just kidding......he never had a problem saying exactly what was on his mind...not with me anyway.)
"I want you to be sure in your own mind that you're ready to settle down before I get back. I hope that I'm not taking too much for granted in talking to you this way.


Know something, I wish that you and I could take a weeks vacation in Florida about Feb. '53, but there are those social conventionalities that prohibit things of that nature. I don't mean to be vulgar or obscene,but we  could have heaps of fun, couldn't we."  (Ah..the good 'ol days...when that was considered vulgar and obscene!)   


"I've been admiring this latest photo I have of you and you look much older than when I left Prettier too, if that's possible.


You keep asking if I'm coming home in June.  Sorry honey, it's impossible.  It'll be sometime in Feb. of '53.  There's one consolation though, ..I'll be home for good then.  Remember this darling, we'll be together again someday.  That's a promise.


I love you, Kitten,
Bob"


I would receive only one more letter from him...a month later.  Maybe he was still trying to make up for all those "good times" he lost out on during high school :)   ...He loved me though...and he proved it when he came home and for the next 57years ...