Spitball Army

April 12, 1943

Dear Andy –

Had a letter from Sis tonite. telling that she had had a letter from you, and quoting it, in fact.  I must add that I had the good fortune to locate the magazine you referred to, and found the article as well – but as yet have not read it.  That I will do in the near future, as the copy will be brought to the office tomorrow, or I’ll go and get it.  I haven’t sent the paper as yet – though it may get to you in time if I did send it.  Such a thing has happened in several instances allready [sic], as but last week we have a letter from a local boy, Glen Hoberg, who wrote “Tell the boys to keep on sending the paper” and he went on to say how it inspired them whenever they did get the hometown paper, way out there…he wrote incidentally, that “now I can tell where we’ve been – on Guadalcanal.”  At present they been relieved and are away from that point for a well deserved rest.  Mayhap you may be near him.  Who knows.  Marge’s younger brother, in Australia, had the misfortune to break a vertebra in his neck before Christmas, diving into a stream, and has since been in a cast – guess he’s out of the first, and worst one now, as he’s able to write now.  She had a letter from him tonite, and he said that Joe E. Brown had autographed his cast, with news reel pictures being taken of the act…before I forget it, Happy Birthday, Keed, and the best of good luck.  Hope to see Bev sometime this spring, but don’t know exactly when.  Ev. and I plan on going in to the city to see if we can pick out some suitable living room suite, and a rug possibly, but don’t know as yet when it will be.  Whenever we do, we’ll make it a point to see her, – it won’t be for long however, as we’ll have to go in Friday note and return Sunday a.m….Things have surely been humming around here of late.  The Neales started on a little remodeling of their new house a week ago tonite – we worked there with them (Ev and I) three nites last week – they worked every nite, and then of course, work at the office Tuesday eve, and dug in the garden Saturday eve.  Can’t you see me as a gardener?  I know I won’t make the one you would Andy, but I’m going to make a slight effort anyway…At the moment, it’s no time to think about gardening, however, as it’s getting pretty cold out again tonite, after a few days very springlike.  Had a rain Sunday, which settled the dust considerably, and freshened things up a lot… Haven’t heard from Les and Dee for sometime, but have had several papers from them lately with numerous pix of the flood conditions there.  The old river really went on a rampage in that vicinity, swelled from the fast melting snows.  A man who lives there, told me today, that the snow, five feet of it, melted in one week’s time.  Is it any wonder that they had floods.  There was no loss of life, but damage will be considerable to homes and other properties… Aunt and Peter are fine, and send their best regards, and birthday wishes as well.  Wish that Peter could get away to help me with the few changes I’d like to make in the house, but that’s impossible as long as they’re alone.  Doubt if Sis will be coming home this summer, as she has been taking some defense schooling, which she, no doubt, has written and told you all about.  Goo’bye, and best of luck.  Hello from Ev.

Ted

April 12, ’43
Mon. 2100

Sweetheart Darling:  Love you –

Realized I haven’t been numbering the envelopes, so will start again calling this “20.”

This has been a busy day for me and will continue to be a very busy week,  As work at the blood bank tomorrow, club on Wed., Red Cross on Thurs., duty at N.W. Hosp. the next day, and then Winn is spending the weekend with me.  Yes, very busy, but never too busy, but what I am thinking of you constantly.  You’re always in my mind.  I do love you so much.  Just got out your Icelandic letters and was glancing thru them and then putting them in order in a notebook.  Your letters were all so romantically written and I’m looking for more of them from you one of these days.  You’re such a honey!

Yesterday, Dad and I went to church and then had our dinner at home together.  We picked up Inez and went over to the campus and went thru the Museum of Natural History.  We had never been thru the new bldg. and it was very interesting.  Reminded me of the bldg. at Balboa where you and I spent many entertaining hours together.  Inez has us over for supper later so it was a rather full, enjoyable day – you’re doing so many interesting things now, that imagine what I write about must be rather boring.

Take good care of yourself.  I do hope you’re safe and well and still having a good time.  I can hardly wait for the time to pass now ’till you’ll be coming home again.

All my deepest love,
Bev

April 11, 1943

Dear Hubert,

Greetings from Aunt Etta and myself.  We where [sic] out to Axel [illegible last name]’s last night and had a fun game of cards.  They are feeling about as usual.  Clarence is at Ft. Snelling, comes home evenings.  We have called on Beverly since she came back, and Aunt Etta has talked to her several times over the telephone.  We are feeling good now.  Aunt Etta has had a cold most of the winter, but has finally gotten rid of it.  We have had a long cold winter, but very nice weather last couple weeks, having a nice rain today.  Hope this will find you feeling well.

Uncle & Aunt

Sun: 1 A.M.

April 11, ’43

Dearest:  I love you still with all my heart.  Just a note before dreamland – witnessed a splendid view of the No. Lights to-night on our way home.  They were beautiful, reminding me of your lovely “Aurora Borealis.”  Dad and I were over to Max’s.  I went early in the afternoon and hiked with Max.  Then Dad joined us later.

Forgot to tell you that I was given a smallpox vaccination at N.W. Hosp.  They asked me if I wanted one so took advantage of their offer; also got a free lunch.  Saw the ass’t staff worker’s uniform today and it was darling.  Hope I’ll pass the exam so I can see what it’s like to wear one.

Sweetheart, I think you’d like my new red beret (hat) and the cute, but practical, black shoes I bought.  They’re very comfortable and attractive too – a lower heel also.

Had your two overcoats, tuxedo, and other black suit out in the sun today, airing them out – brushed them and then put them in moth proof bags; so they’re set now until you come back.  Hurry back, won’t you, Sweetheart.  I’m so anxious to see and be with you again.  You’re a wonderful lover – so thoughtful and kind – affectionate and romantic.  I love you and miss you more than I can ever say.

With all my love,
Bev

This, of course, is the Capitol One TV commercial.  It’s inescapable.  But, despite the number of times I’ve seen it, I just realized that the fiery-eyed intergalactic warmonger at 0:16 says “war kittens!!!” and not “more kittens!!!”  I laugh out loud every time I hear this.  Maybe you will, too.

Speaking of laughing out loud, I got the entire waiting room at my doctor’s office doing just that this morning by telling this silly riddle.  It was prompted by the talkative woman in the corner who was knitting a baby shawl and talking about her cats (she said she was acting “hyper” because of the medication she is taking for her narcolepsy…I tell you, it really pays to listen to what people have to say).  Here goes:

Q:  Do you know what happened to the cat that swallowed a ball of wool?
A:  She had mittens!

As they say in some circles, ROFL.

Let’s just assume that a polling population of 2,513 people is representative of the entirety of the United States.

OK.  That accomplished, take a look at what the entirety of the United States claims as its ten favorite books:

10.  The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
9.  Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
8.  Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
7.  To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
6.  The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
5.  The Stand by Stephen King
4.  Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling (I guess this means all of them)
3.  The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
2.  Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
1.  The Bible

The poll was conducted by the Harris Poll folks.

Who’s missing?  Mark Twain, for one.  Ask anyone you know which book they enjoyed more, Huckleberry Finn or Atlas Shrugged, and you are likely to get a unanimous choice favoring the former.  Or Tom Sawyer, for that matter.  How about the “Big E,” Ernest Hemingway?  John Steinbeck?  Charles Dickens?  Kurt Vonnegut?  Jane Austen?  This list is endless, of course.  Instead, we get Stephen King, plus Dan Brown twice.  Together, that’s 30% of America’s favorite literature, folks.  Why don’t we just penalize Dan Brown for having one past his limit, and then give that 10% to Robert Ludlum.

Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy reading Stephen King books.  But I can’t possibly make a claim that any of them represent the best books I’ve read in my near half-century of existence.  Here’s what I’d pick, if asked, and some from the above poll results are on my list:

[in no particular order, but numbered, nonetheless]
1.  To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
2.  Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow
3.  U.S.A. by John Dos Passos
4.  The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
5.  Fifth Business by Robertson Davies
6.  Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
7.  The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
8.  The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
9.  The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
10.  The Palace Thief by Ethan Canin

That is a very difficult thing to do, to list ten favorite anythings.  But I would put any of those up against any book by Dan Brown or Stephen King – that is, if we are talking about writing and not marketing.

As for Ayn Rand: I enjoy her books, but come on, Atlas Shrugged is poorly written propaganda and only seems GREAT in comparison to its modern-day analogues such as Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations by Al Franken.  Methinks that some bodies in that polling sample thought they were being impressive.

So what’s in your wallet on your list?

How true!  “Them’s my sentiments!”

4/8/43

Dearest Darling:

Just couldn’t resist sending this and along with it am sending oodles of love (perhaps should say gobs of love) and also best wishes for a wonderful birthday – in case the birthday greeting doesn’t reach you in time –

Will be writing a long letter tomorrow night –

“Flutes” of love,
Bev

This afternoon, I found myself driving on my errand round with no CDs or iPod to listen to, so I did the unspeakable.  I dug under the back seat, found the dusty case full of mix cassettes, and put one in the tape player.  You know what?…

IT SOUNDED GREAT!!

Only Side A was labelled, and it contained that rarest of rare Jonathan Richman albums, It’s Time for Jonathan and the Modern Lovers.  More about that later (most likely).  But what snagged my curiousity was Side B – it was not labelled.  Now, I know me, and I have never, ever, left a blank spot on a recordable tape for want of music.  My tapes have always been filled, from start to finish.  So, I rewound Side B and listened.  First song by the Jayhawks.  Okay.  Then, the second song.

[audio:Live___Supernatural.mp3]
My Mystery Mix Cassette, Side B: Song Two

Oh my God, I didn’t know it!  Did I make this tape or not?  I am the proud, and proudly annoyed, owner of a helluva lot of music, and I have never thought that my library’s contents would ever overrun my memory.  I could not, for the life of me, figure out what this song was.  And I liked it quite a lot.  The three and a half minutes passed and the song ended.  Then came song #3.

[audio:Soul_Coughing___Brooklynites.mp3]
MMMC, Side B: Song Three

It was such a groovy song, but, again, I COULDN’T IDENTIFY IT!  I knew that I’d heard it, and the memory of liking it and the feeling of liking it now were palpable.  But I would never have known who the artist was.  It was a kickass song for driving, though.  I did know that.  Elisa M will be reminded of G. Love, as I was, but we’re only geographically correct.

Then, Song Number Four.  Same damn thing.

[audio:La_Casa___Mi_Barrio.mp3]
MMMC, Side B: Song Four. (Check out that hilarious “chicken bone” spoken intro!)

Was I having a stroke?  I’m the guy who’s supposed to know this stuff inside and out.  Did I lose access to that part of my brain since leaving the protected confines of my music store?  Was I finally on the music geek downslope?  I feared that I had exposed my Achilles Heel.

By the time Song Five came on, I was in a cold sweat.  And by the time Song Five ended – by the slimmest of time margins – I had identified it.  But I was shaken, and badly.

Thank God, the next song on the tape was “Love Shack.”  What a totally awesome song.  Whew!  It made me feel that the past 15 minutes had just been a bad dream.

I got home and did some music sleuthing, and identified the mystery tracks. And, well…

You’ve got to be nuts if you think I’m going to just tell you what those songs are!  Suffer a little yourself!  Today I’m feeling like sharing the pain.  Or identify them yourself on the first listen and gloat at me!! ( I won’t care; I’ll be really proud of ya.)

Oh, by the way, Song Five was “I Die a Little More Each Day” by Gino Vannelli.  Who knew that I had that guilty pleasure in my collection?  Major flashback shockwave.

[audio:Gino_Vannelli___I_Die_a_Little_More_Each_Day.mp3]
MMMC, Side B: Song Five (“I Die a Little More Each Day” by Gino Vannelli)

Addendum:
[audio:Soul_Asylum___When_I_Ran_Off_and_Left_Her.mp3]
MMMC, Side B: Song One (“When I Ran Off & Left Her” by Soul Asylum)

Can’t nothing make you forget it.

Each time, you start from scratch.

War don’t ennoble men.  It turns ’em into dogs.  Poisons the soul.

My dear wife,

You get something twisted out of your insides by all this blood, filth, and noise.

I want to stay changeless for you.

I want to come back to you the man I was before.

How do we get to those other shores?  To those blue hills.

Love.  Where does it come from?

Who lit this flame in us?

No war can put it out, conquer it.

I was a prisoner.

You set me free.

– From the screenplay by Terrence Malick (1998)

We.

We together.

One being.

Flow together like water, till I can’t tell you from me.

I drink you.

Now.

Now.

– From the screenplay by Terrence Malick (1998)

This great evil.

Where’s it come from?

How’d it steal into the world?

What seed, what root did it grow from?

Who’s doing this?

Who’s killing us?  Robbing us of life and light.  Mocking us with the sight of what we might have known.

Does our ruin benefit the earth?  Does it help the grass to grow or the sun to shine?

Is this darkness in you, too?  Have you passed through this night?

– From the screenplay by Terrence Malick (1998)

The video clip for this scene from The Thin Red Line is also viewable on the website of The Auteurs.

[audio:Explosions_in_the_Sky___Have_You_Passed_Through_This_Night.mp3]
“Have You Passed Through This Night?” by Explosions in the Sky
This song incorporates part of the soundtrack from the film clip shown above.