Letters: May 19, 1951

Praise the Lawd and Hallelulah (How in hell do you spell Hal--oh well). I finally received some mail. Seven letters in all and two from you. One dated April 10 and the other May 8, 5PM. And quite real good letters too. You know something...you continue to amaze me. You have amazed me in the past with something you have written--I’ve forgotten now--and the time we went out--your personality amazed me because it’s rare to find a personality like yours. Be sure to keep it. Anyway you have amazed me and your recent letters continue to amaze me. Reason? Well, it’s how mature you sounded in your last two or three letters. I won’t go into detail on what you said but you wondered what was happening in this crazy old world of ours and what of the future. I honestly didn’t think you thought of things like that. Now forgive me for seeming to be harsh but I thought your world amounted to the next guy you met or the party you were going to--the fun you could have. The future to you, it seemed to me, amounted to nothing more than struggling through college and then more fun. That’s the picture I had, Baby, but I’m wrong and feel good about being wrong. There’s an old saying that says: the future belongs to those who build for it. Nice saying but what does it mean in this topsy-turvy world. I guess I wonder like you although like you I had a definite objective or goal toward which I was working. Trying to buy a future four or five years of work but now I believe it’s a hell of a lot more than that. A future can’t be bought--it has to be dreamed for, analyzed, torn apart and put back together--all before the step is made. Of this I’m sure. Maybe it’s contrary to the accepted mores but the way things go now when nobody is quite sure which is which or what is what leads me to believe that that way is best. Then again there is nothing definite to go on--which way will the war go? After the war which way will I go? To do what? I still want to finish what I started but can I? Am I capable? How about yourself, hon? Sit down and analyze it from every aspect, every angle. I’ve tried it a hundred times and still I’m not sure.

Maybe I’ve confused you proper but I could tell you a hell of a lot better than write it. So all for now.Give my love to the cat and please write often.

P.S. whoinhell is whatshisname where you went for the weekend?

P.S.S. Got some ack ack through the tail of the plane today--close.