March 9, 1952
Fort Knox, KY
Dear Mom and Dad and All,
We finally got in off the field. We got in Fri. afternoon so I got a little time to write today. We had a lot of cleaning up to do this weekend, so we didn’t get any passes. It rained most of the week so it wasn’t too good out there. It was around 20 above in the mornings.
2 more weeks and you can be looking at me. I suppose Dad is too busy to drive down? I might get a ride to Chicago and hitch hike from there or else take a train. [1] It's hard to make good time between here and Chicago on a train.
If you want to you can take the money and pay my taxes. I hope I don’t have to pay too much extra.
Tell R_ not to get a car till I get home if he was thinking about getting one. [2]
[handwriting changes from pencil to pen]
I had to change pencils. I think we get more shots. Shoot a .45 machine gun and go through a gas chamber this week.
I thought sure Jr. would be home by April 1st. He wrote and told me he made Sgt. [3] I guess there’s not too much to write about. Maybe I will write again before the weeks out.
Love,
V.
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[1] A buddy and I once hitchhiked from Madison to Gainesville FL and back during college (blogpost alert).
[2] I wonder if his brother R ever got those fender skirts painted and put back on. :)
[2] I wonder if his brother R ever got those fender skirts painted and put back on. :)
Taxes. The one thing that ties us all together, through space and time.
ReplyDeletePete- it must be empowering for you to know that you could have been busy during tax season 58 years ago!
ReplyDeleteWhat an omnipresent force, past, present, and future: taxes!
It's hard to make good time...
ReplyDeleteOh, I love that phrase! "Make good time" It's a favorite in my family - we smile at it now, as my parents loved to ask the question after arriving from long drives to see them. "Did you make good time?" It was almost like a competition. "John made it here in 2 hours!" Hehehe.
I would finally end up fudging my time because I was never one to drive at break-neck speeds. And I don't think I ever won the prize of the best time to be touted.
Families. :)
Thanks for reminding me, and sorry for the digression, El Pollo.
Aww, thanks for making time to visit Darcy and for pointing out that phrase. The midwestern English of our parents is slowly fading away I think. Good to remember it and preserve a little bit of it I think.
ReplyDeleteTAXES!
ReplyDeleteYOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TAXES!!!!!
Or at least I can't. I am up to my neck in them and I hate it.
ReplyDeleteI only want to sell bloomers.