You Had Better Be Ready

[Editor's note: The envelope for this letter had two paperclips on it, Norma's notation that it held special significance.]

July 12, 1953

San Diego, Calif.

When Jim had money to call Norma, he would have looked
for a phone booth, like this one
Esso Gas Winston-Salem, NC 1956 by Hank Walker

Hi Angel Face,

I don't know how long it will take me to finish this. We have two "odd balls" up here, gabbing all the time. You should meet these two, they would drive you nuts.

Now they are singing. It's so funny. I'll have to stop for awhile. Needless to say, they are both about "three sheets on the yardarm." One of them is supposed to come to Detroit when we get leave and wants me to drive with him.

The other said if we would tell him the night we were going out, he would fly up all the way from Colorado just to go out with us. HA  Do you think it will be O.K. if I go out with them?

I suppose you are "shook up" at me (since I haven't had a letter from you in three days). 

And I guess you have every right to be.

I wrote you about three days ago but forgot to mail the letter. I just found it in my locker tonight and dropped it in the [mail] box.

Norm. I can't say what I want to say in a letter. I want to apologize for not calling you again, but by now you should know the reason. I feel a little guilty about getting out and raising "hell" like we did the first week in the States, but in a way I'm not sorry. I had to get away from this ship for a while. I was about to go crazy seeing and doing the same thing for so long.

I know a guy should put the girl he loves before anything else, but you were so far away and I was so disgusted with everything. I hope you will forgive me although I can't promise I won't do it again because under the same circumstances, I would probably be tempted.

Honey, do you know what I would like more than anything right now? 

I would like to come home, marry you, and settle down. Now, it's nothing more than a daydream, but if you will let me, I'll make it come true. 

I'm tempted to ask you to marry me while I'm on leave but I know it's no good, not as long as I'm in the service. But when I get out, then I'm gonna ask you and you had better be ready.

I gotta sign off.

Answer soon

I love you, sweetheart,

Jim

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