Spitball Army

Underfoot, the leafy mat crunches beside an earthtone river where silent sculls glide by, agile mudbugs flailing legs in unison.

Turn left at the second freckle, go straight on until the hairy mole, then make a right hairpin turn and stop immediately at the half-inch scar.

[Written to Alice in Acton, Indiana.  Return addressed: Richard, Ward 11, U.S.N.H., St. Albans, L.I., N.Y.  Postmarked at Jamaica, N.Y., on 28 Mar 1946 at 1 P.M.]

Mar. 28, 1946

Hello Sweetheart,

     This will be a quickie this morning.  I’m filthy and I’ve got to do something about it this morning.  I had planed planned to shave and take a shower last night but I didn’t get it done.  It’s all the night nurse’s fault.  The lights are supposed to be out at 9 o’clock.  We were playing pinochle and the nurse didn’t come on duty until 10:15 to make us turn out the light.  So you see, it’s all her fault or I would have been cleaned up before I went to bed last night.

     This is another of those nice Spring days.  I have my stomache full of good flap-jacks and everything would be fine if I was cleaned up.  Bob wants me to wheel him down to the Dentist at 8:30 so I won’t have too much time to spare.

     Sweetheart, believe it or not, I received two letters from you yesterday.  In one of them you were talking about your mothers visit.  You said that the folks did everything they could.  Just what did they do – what happened?

     What’s this about a dog?  Is that the surprise you had for me?  You have some explaining to do.  How about letting me in on some of the things that are going on?

     Looks like I will have to lay down the law!!  No more week-ends in New York; and if and as soon as I can get a furlough, I’m coming home.  Boy am I mean.  Whether you want me or not, I think you are going to have to put up with me for a couple of weeks.  Just as soon as they will let me, I’ll be there.  The way things look, it will be near the end of next month.  I love you Sweetheart.  I hope you don’t mind too much if I tell you what to do once in a while.  Do you?

     Good-night Sweetheart
          I love you with all my heart
               Pleasant dreams
                    Goodnight Sweetheart
                         x x     ‘Nite

The staff clears out the office, joking of its potential as a karaoke stage. At night, the cleaning lady waltzes across it with a mop.

Card is titled: “835  A Florida Home Surrounded by Tropical Foliage and Hedge of Flame Vine.  4A-H750.”

Publication information:  Asheville Post Card Co., Asheville, N.C.  C.T. Art-Colortone.

Card is addressed to Mrs. W.S. Rountree, Bush Blvd., Birmingham, Ala.  Stamped with a one-cent stamp and postmarked in Ormond Beach, Fla. on Oct. 8, 1935.

Written text on the back of postcard reads:

Drove down last week with Mother & Jack and having a wonderful rest, sleeping late in A.M. and enjoying the ocean.  This is the time to come after all mosquitoes are gone.  Love, Sarah.

Lounge. Exotica. Space-age pop. Easy listening. Call it what you like, but most of what we today collectively call retro lounge music is far in tone from what the name of its contemporary counterpart, chill out music, implies. I challenge you to sit still through even a small part of this short survey of leopard skin wearing, globe trotting, martini tipping, occasionally English-language singing grooves.

Approximate playing time: 69 minutes.

1. Nat Adderley  “Call Me”  (1966)
2. Roland Vincent  “L.S.D. Party”  (2004)
3. Prozak for Lovers  “Pump It Up”  (1998)
4. Nicola Conte  “Missione a Bombay”  (2002)
5. Wanda da Sah  “So Nice (Samba de Verao)”  (1964)
6. Cy Coleman  “Parisian Women”
7. Petula Clark  “Quelli Che Hanno un Cuore (Anyone Who Had a Heart)”
8. Walter Wanderley  “Que Sabe Voce de Mim”  (1962)
9. Tony Bennett  “With Plenty of Money and You”  (1959)
10. Ananda Shankar  “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”
11. Pizzicato Five  “The Girl from Ipanema”  (2004)
12. Nelson Riddle  “My Three Sons”  (1962)
13. Leroy Holmes  “Mah-Na, Mah-Na”  (1969)
14. Harold Johnson Sextet  “Sorry ‘Bout That, Part 1”  (1967)
15. John Buzon Trio  “Caravan”  (1958)
16. John La Salle Quartet  “Potluck”  (1959)
17. Martin Denny  “Stone God”  (1957)
18. Jimmie Haskell  “A Shot in the Dark”  (1964)
19. The Hollywood Studio Orchestra  “The Pink Panther Theme”  (1964)
20. Plas Johnson  “Pink Panther / It Had Better Be Tonight (Meglio Sta Sera)”  (1964)
21. Quincy Jones  “Happy Feet”  (1966)
22. Johnny Williams  “Come Live with Me”  (1967)
23. Si Zentner  “Walk on the Wild Side”  (1962)
24. Pizzicato Five  “Mon Amour Tokyo”  (1997)

[Written to Alice in Acton, Indiana.  Return addressed: Richard, Ward 11, U.S.N.H., St. Albans, L.I., N.Y.  Postmarked at Jamaica, N.Y., on 27 Mar 1946 at 1 P.M.]

Mar. 27, 1946

Hello Sweetheart,

     Letter-writing time again.  It’s 10 minutes till eight.  I had some good sunny-side eggs this morning and the weather outside is nice.  So, I’m feeling in high spirits this morning.  How are you doing?  I love you Sweetheart.  I’m all yours.  Now, how about a letter from you?  The postman forgot me yesterday for some reason.  Do you think he will do better today?

     I saw a fairly good show last night.  It was a spooky mystery named “Spiral Staircase.”

     I tried to listen the basket-ball game at Madison Square Garden last night to determine the tournament champions.  The game was between Oklahoma A.&M. and North Carolina.  Something happened – anyway I went to sleep about 15 minutes after the game started.  It was an exciting and close game, but I still don’t know who won.  Guess I’ll have to get my hands on this mornings paper and read all about it.  Pete went to the game last night.  He just woke up so I don’t have to hunt for a paper now.  Oklahoma won 43 to 40.  It must have been quite a game.  I had a chance to go but I couldn’t.  My blouse is at the cleaners.  One of the fellows wore it last week and so he is having it cleaned for me.  That reminds me of something else.  I thought I had lost my overcoat.  On two different days I went through the P-coat locker & I couldn’t find it.  I found it though.  Somebody had been wearing it.  That’s why I couldn’t find it.  Somebody stole one of the emblems from my coat.  As yet I haven’t been able to get one in its place.

     This is it for now Sweetheart.  I miss you and I love you with all my body and soul.

     Good-night Sweetheart
          I love you with all my heart
               Pleasant dreams
                    Goodnight Sweetheart
                         x x   ‘Nite
                                            Winkle

A scene from The Spiral Staircase (1945):

Much as his grandmother’s arthritis was a divining rod for storms, he knew the humidity would drop soon after his headache spiked.

The ski party enters Canada at the wrong checkpoint. Unmarked icy road, 1 a.m.: heater fails. Urine-filled water bottles warm hands.