Sunday, November 13, 2011

Letter 16, from Rosie

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the readers of Letters to Sal, and say that the best letters are yet to come. This letter will introduce you to Rosie, and I have to say that these are some dramatic writings. For maximum effect, read Rosie's letters aloud in the most enthusiastic Acting 101 voice you can muster!

[no envelope. Rose stationary.]
I
16 March 1950
Hello Kind Hearted,
Received your letter this morning and I was a bit shocked at some of the things you wrote, not that I blame you. I guess I never did do anything respectful to expect any respect from you. Honey what did you mean when you said my mom + dad had troubles when I was a kid + I was shipped out? And Hon I never let anyone take liberty of me, that's one thing I can control. When I did go out and met fellows, Sure they called again, but just too go out and have a swell time in a desent way. As far as Frankie is concerned he has made plenty of pass's but it never got him anywhere I just couldn't take to him.

II
And then there is Sonny I went steady with him for over 7 months he never laid a hand on me. He'll always be around to admit it too. I also have met plenty of other guys that were swell + I met guys that did try to make me put out, but they never did succeed. Sal I wouldn't put out for anyone unless I loved him + he loved me + I never met anyone I loved enough. Yes Sal I have one half decent girl chum that doesn't go in town or out with other guys she's going steady with a solder, who's away until June of 1951, so she and I are going to novena on Monday nights to the show Wed, Fri + Sun,. Monday after novena we come home to my house and watch telly, that's T.V. Tuse. Thurs. + Sat. the same. From now on I want to be a one man's girl

III
that's if you'll have me? Honey please send me a picture of yourself? So I can show her. By the way her name is Gloria. + she lives three streets down from me.

Tell me something Hon did you really mean it when you said as far as you were concerned it was me that was being fooled? + when you said you half expected to hear what I wrote you. Hon you say that all the guys in the navy are out for one thing, and you said you were the same, if so Sal why didn't you make a try at me? I know why because your not like the rest of them and there all not alike, am I not right?

IIII
Sal it seems as though I'm always the one who ever says how much I miss you and how I feel about you. You never once wrote telling me how you felt about me. Please Hon do in your next letter so's that I know where I stand + don't say on my feet.

Honey Eleanor received some coupons in the mail from Kays, its to have pictures taken, if you still want one. I'll send it but its a large one 9x5. Well Hon that's just about all I can think of right now so until tomorrow when I write my second dayly letter I remain.

I love you
Rosie
p.s. Please write every day this is my first letter

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Letter 15, the last letter from Joan aka "Dusty"

As I post this last letter from Joan "Dusty" Marin, I want to make an appeal to anyone in the Waltham area. Help me find Dusty! All that's known about her aside from her name comes from these letters: She lived in Waltham and graduated in 1949 from Waltham High School, which means she was born in about 1931 or so, making her about 80 years old today. Google searches have not produced any results, but given the fact that she likely got married and changed her surname, that's not surprising. But I'd love to find Dusty! So all you Waltham-ites, ask around!


June 9, 1949
Thursday Nite

Hi Sal:
Well, I'd just about given you up for lost when I got your letter. It was good to hear from you again.

I guess I expected to see you more than I did too, but, you know how the saying goes, every man to his own taste. (that goes for sailors too)

Last Thursday was a big day “Graduation.” It was really nice to see. Too bad

II
you couldn't have been here. Yesterday was another big day (yep I'm now 18) quiet, I am not getting old. Here I am the inefficient office secretary (I mean efficient).

Say Sal, we never did get to take our walk did we? It's been kinda cold here the last coupla days. I don't think it will ever warm up enough so I can go swimming. Ya know what? Sometimes I get so disgusted.

III
I got lotsa nice stuffs for graduation. Beautiful pearls, a pendant and bracelet set, money and other things.

Woolworth's is coming along pretty good. They have most of the skeleton put up. They say it won't be done till around November though.

By the way it wasn't Mr. Huff I shook hands with it was The Mayor.
Before I fergi, have fun at the dance. Now, now, don't give me that. You

IV
can dance a little can't you?
Too bad I won't be there to see Louis Prima. I've never seen him. Oh well he don't interest me much anyhoo. Well Sal, guess that's all for now.
As Ever
Joany
alias
Dusty

It's no surprise that this is the last letter from Dusty. The spark just seems to have gone out! It looks like Sal got leave for a bit to visit home, but the flirtatious tone in their letters just didn't translate to real life. And it appears that they don't have a whole lot in common, what with Sal's interest in "hillbilly" music like Louis Prima, which I can tell my readers he held for the rest of his life (with good reason). To the question, "You can dance a little, can't you?" In the 70s, he took Disco dancing lessons with his wife. They practiced in the living room to 45s like "Beethoven's 5th Symphony" and "If you want my body and you think I'm sexy" and let me tell you the practice paid off. But then disco, as we all know, had its demise. Sal later said in his dry tone, "The only dance I ever learned how to do, and it went out of style."

As a side note, the Mayor of Waltham in 1949 was John F. Devane.