21 Mar March 21, 1944

Letter
from: Alice Shonkwiler
to:  Pvt George W. Shonkwiler
March 21st, 1944, Tuesday, 11:20 p.m.

Darling,

Gosh, no letter today either!  Guess my honey’s really deserted me now.  Are
you mad at me?  After all you can’t be angry long distance, ’cause then we
can’t kiss and make up.

How are you, by now?  Are all the aches and pains gone?  Including the sinus
headaches, cold, and so on?  Sure hope so!  Did the Vicks I sent you help any,
or didn’t you want it?

I put a third coat on those two kitchen chairs today.  They look almost OK
now, if you don’t inspect them very closely.

Ronnie has a slight cold.

Page two.
[and] Is coughing a little bit. It’s a wonder he isn’t really ill, as everyone
around here has a cold  (except me so far) it seems.  Bobby Dixon, Mrs. Dixon’s
father, Ernest Hayes, Joan Hayes, and even Eleanor all have colds.  Of course
he’s been around all of these people.  I put Vicks on his chest and back last
night and gave him warm milk, and he had a lot of rest today. He hasn’t coughed
all day, but a couple times tonight.  Don’t worry a bit about him, as I’m not.
I suppose I shouldn’t even tell you, but I know you wouldn’t want me to keep
anything concerning him from you.  His colds only last a day, so he’ll be fine
tomorrow.

Murray stopped in tonight for about an hour.  He really wanted to see Eleanor
to ask

Page three.
if she’d drive a couple days this week, as his car’s gonna to be in the garage.
But she wasn’t home, so he talked to me and played with Ronnie for a while.
Ronnie really gets him fetching and carrying for him.

He told me he may go to Indianapolis over the week-end as he has an influential
uncle there who might know someone in the Navy, who could help him to get in.
He’s still afraid he’ll have to go in the Army August 19th, unless he does
something drastic before then.  Too bad you’re not here so you could ride to
Indianapolis with him and see Claude.  Did you ever hear from Claude since you
wrote and told him we couldn’t come in there before you left?  If not, you
better write. That

page four.
reminds me, you told me he wrote since you went to Florida.  I forgot -- I’m
sorry.

Eleanor went to a roller derby tonight with some girls.  Same as a walkathon,
only on skates. (I think.)  I stayed home, of course.  Mrs. Dixon came over
for a couple of minutes while Murray was here.  (Aha -- scandal!)

I made three prs of kitchen curtains tonight, too.  I’ve had the materials
since about three months before you left, but just now made them.  They’re
yellow chintk with red apples and green leaves printed on it.  Sure are
cheerful looking!  Murray said, "Wes won’t know the place when he gets back."

(Ronnie crying -- just a minute.) He just wanted to go "toily".  You know I
don’t.

page five.
think he’s wet the bed more than a couple times since you left.  He either
cries, or if I’m bed he calls me, when he has to go during the night.  Then
after he goes, he falls right asleep again.  Sure saves on the laundry, when
he doesn’t wet the bed anymore.  I’m so proud of him!

Mr. and Mrs. Page came home while I was sewing curtains tonight and after a
while she came down with a piece of cake and some chocolate candy for me to
nibble on.  Guess they like me or else it’s because they like the apt. so
well that they’re nice to me for that reason.  Ronnie sure goes for them in a
big way, he’s always calling up the stairs at them or else walks up and

page six.
knocks on their door.  Even Judy likes it up there.  Guess it’s cause they
give her eats.  Ronnie also knows just where they keep their candy dish and
heads for it every time.  Such a family I have!

It’s 12:00 midnight, so I guess I’d better hike to bed and get some sleep.  I
haven’t been able to sleep the last couple of nights.  Too much coffee I guess.

We’re  (Ronnie and I) counting each day until we see you, so be a good "Daddy"
and don’t misbehave.

Forever yours,
Ronnie and Mommy