I Don't Ever Want To Read My Letters

July 7, 1953

San Diego, Calif.

American soldiers teach Korean children to
play baseball, ca. 1952

Hi Doll,

There is a guy sitting along side of me reading some of his old love letters. Some of them are pretty humorous. If my letters sound like the ones he has gotten, I don't ever want to read any of them. 

Honey, I have a confession to make. After I called you and you weren't home and I was waiting for your phone number, I went out a few times and now I'm broke, so I can't call until after the 15th, that's payday. HA 

[Editor's Note: At the time Jim wrote this letter, long distance phone calls were very expensive for the average consumer and the use of credit cards was rare.  Phone calls for someone in Jim's situation would have been placed from a "pay phone," a phone for public use that allowed callers to insert change in the main unit of the phone. An AT&T operator would tell the caller how much it cost to call from his location to another party, per minute. The operator had access to the unit to insure that the correct amount of change was placed for a specific number of minutes of use. If the caller didn't insert enough money to pay for the length of the call, the operator terminated the connection.  There were no answering machines in homes at this time, so people often made arrangements to be at a specific place in order to receive a call, especially if  they expected one from a loved one. Click on this link to a Wikipedia article that explains how phone calls have changed over time.]

If the fishing gear has arrived, your bed jacket should have been with it because I mailed them both at the same time. Also, I mailed a housecoat about two weeks later. You should be getting them pretty soon.

I sure hope so. I'm worried about them.

We have been practicing baseball a lot lately and we have three games this week, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. I hope to pitch one of the games. 

I've drunk about 4 cups of coffee while writing this letter and still can't think of anything to say.

How much notice do you have to give M.B.T. [Michigan Bell Telephone] before you go on vacation?

I want you to take it while I'm home, but I still don't know exactly when my leave will start.

"Oh, yes," I'll send the keys to the suitcase in this letter, if I don't forget it. If I do, I'll send them in the next one.

Guess what, as usual I had duty the 4th of July and couldn't even get off this tub and the way it stacks up, I'll have duty Christmas Day. I never make out at anything. 

I didn't mention it lately, but I love you, Norma, more every day.

That's why I want you to take a vacation while I'm home. I want to be with you all I can.

Sweet thing, us athletes - HA - must get our rest and it is close to midnight.

Answer soon.

I love you,

Jim

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