30 Mar March 30, 1944

Letter
from: Alice Shonkwiler
to: Pvt George W. Shonkwiler
March 30th, 1944
Thursday, 12:00 midnight.
Noteworthy: Mom takes Dad down a notch.

Darling,

Rec’d your scathing letter saying that I haven’t been writing to you, etc.  Boy,
can you lay it on!  And here I’m entirely innocent, as I try to write every day.
I also rec’d the letter written last Sunday saying you rec’d 3 letters at once.
I hope you feel pretty bad about bawling me out again!  Sometimes I think you
have no faith in me what-so-ever, and my thinking that isn’t exactly conducive
to my having faith in you, now is it?  After all faith and trust should be
mutual or we might as well give up.  I also rec’d your card at the same time as
the two letters, so you see I haven’t had any mail for 4 days, until today.
Guess you know by now that air mail is 8 cents.  You have to put a regular 2-
cent stamp on besides the 6-cent air mail.  Costs me a dollar a week - almost
to write you.  Aren’t you flattered?

I will call Billings in the

page 2
morning and find out about your tablets.  I doubt if they’ll recommend them
without a blood count tho.  Do you want your salve for the itch?  The
prescription salve is what I mean!

I’m sorry you couldn’t get out last week-end, but maybe it was for the best, as
the date I’m coming may be changed.  If you still want me to come on April 22nd,
I s’pose I can take a chance, but I won’t feel so bad, I warn you, and I get
pretty crabby, too, and might pick a fight.

We all (Elinor, the Pages etc) get along fine here and I’m not fooling you one
bit.  Tonight Mrs. Page brought a fresh butter roll down for me to eat before I
went to bed.  She had bought some on her way home from work.  She’s been
working every day the past two weeks, so don’t see much of them except when
they come and leave.  They are very nice and seem very much interested in
Ronnie[,] and Elinor is winning him completely.  She says now she has taken
Ronnie away from me and when you get home she’ll win you away too.  I’m worried!
Guess I’ll have to throw her out.  Or should I let her have you?

I haven’t seen Ray or Sally as yet, altho he is home.  If they don’t come over,
I won’t let you go see Sally when you get home. - So there too!

It’s 1:10 A.M. already, so I’ll have

page 3
to hurry and get to bed quick!  I just had a nice Lux bath and brushed my hair
and fixed my nails etc., and brushed my teeth.  I just am awfully clean right
now.  I’m sitting here in my pajamas and robe and no one here to appreciate all
my efforts. - what a life!  Sure gets lonesome nites when Elinor is on the nite
shift.

I finished Ronnie’s coat and hat today.  Everyone seems to think it’s pretty
cute - even Ronnie.  Tomorrow I’m going to make a pr of short pants to match
as I have some material left.  He’ll be all decked out for Easter.  He sure can
pose when he gets something new.

I can’t seem to find any white shorts in your size anywhere either in cloth or
knit.  I’ll try again, tho.  Hope they’ll find your laundry for you real soon.

Rec’d income tax blanks today.  I’m sending them to you.  Do we have to

page 4
disclose the income I have from apt. upstairs and from Elinor?  Let me know!
I’m sending [an] article from [the] Tribune on income tax.  Don’t know if it
applies to us or not.

You asked if Ronnie is over his cold.  Yes, he’s fine now.  Couldn’t be better.
He eats like a pig.  I’m getting over my cold, too, at least I feel a lot
better.  I just can’t let it get me down.  Elinor is over her cold, too.

You asked about Judy.  She’s fine!  She sure barks too much, tho.  I’m sorry
she’s not on those pictures.  Guess I forgot all about her.

I was sitting sewing in the big chair today and all of a sudden I heard Ronnie
talking, and I listened.  He said, "Hello, Daddy, how are you, Daddy? - I’m
fine."  That was just out of a clear sky.  Made me want to cry.  This morning
he woke me up singing, "People will say we’re in love."  He was sitting up in
his crib.  Then he looked at me and sang, "No love, no nuthing."  He picks the
words up listening to Elinor singing and also the radio.  He’s a card!

Bye Darling and hope you’ll be very much alive even after this week.
Kisses Mom and Ronnie.

It’s 1:40 a.m.
P.S.
Would you want me to come on the 26th and take a chance, hoping I’ll be okay by
then?  Let me know!