31 May May 31, 1945

Letter
from: Mrs. G. Shonkwiler
to: Pvt George W. Shonkwiler
May 31, 1945
Thurs. 11:30 P.M.
Noteworthy: Mom describes much crime in the neighborhood. More convesation
about fidelity.

Darling,

How do you like the "snaps" of Ronnie?  Can you see a change in him?  He looks
more like a boy now, instead of a baby when you saw him, doesn’t he?  In fact
sometimes I think he has enough pep and vigor to be twins.  I haven’t seen
Chuck’s daughters for seven months, so I imagine I’ll see a change in them too,
if and when I get to see them this summer.

Ronnie sure likes to pose for pictures now.  He’s getting so he can turn his
smiles on and off for the camera.  Another thing he loves is to have a haircut.
He had one today just before we had these pictures taken.  He told the barber,
"I went to the show last night and saw pretty girls," -- the little dickens. --
Boy is he noticing them at an early age.  (Were you like that?)

I received your letter today, dated May 20th.  You mentioned getting pictures

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of Norma’s family.  I received a letter from her this week, but no pictures.

You mentioned Elinor’s letter and my having crossed out part of it.  Well,
s’pose I might as well tell you all about it, altho I didn’t want to because I
figured you had enough to worry about, without my adding more to your load.
You see while Elinor was here, (sometime last Fall) and she had gone to bed, I
was sitting up writing to you, (as I did every evening after she retired) when
the doorbell rang and 2 detectives told me a "peeping Tom" had been reported at
my living room window by passing workmen (going down 110th St.).  They looked
around, but didn’t find anyone.  That’s Chapter I.  A couple of months ago
Mr. Page’s car was ransacked and flashlight and all his gas siphoned.  A week
later I was at a show and the Pages were out and when they returned 20 minutes
before I did, they found the front door open.  They called me and when they
got no answer, were frightened and when they got inside they

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found burned matches all over the floors all over the house and drawers pulled
out, etc.  When I got home 2 squad cars were here and house all lit up.  I
didn’t know what happened and when I went in and saw what had occurred, I just
stood there shaking like a leaf.  I’m glad I didn’t get home first anyway.  The
thieves had broken in the basement door and evidently knocked Judy out as she
was in a daze when the Pages got here.  Anyway Mr. Page lost: 1 suit (coat,
vest and trousers, almost new), their radio, a clock, 1 pr. of pajamas, men’s
hankies, and three shirts.  We (you and I) lost your pocket watch (the small
gold one) and an airplane luggage wardrobe case and the lapel pin you sent from
Ft. Meade.  I haven’t missed anything else as yet that I know of now, altho
there might be more gone.

I guess the loot will never be recovered and the cops always blame it on the
colored people, and the detective said

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that when they arrest colored folks, when it gets to court downtown, the
detectives are put on trial.  They said if I’d known the serial no. of your
watch, it might have helped to locate the robbers.

I still wouldn’t have told you this and could kick myself for sending Elinor’s
letter, but gosh, honey, I don’t want you to suspect me of any wrongdoing and

especially as I’m innocent.  When I said I’d tell you after the war, I didn’t
stop to think you’d get angry and feel that I was keeping any evil secrets.  I
can see now of course that it would look suspicious, but it didn’t enter my
mind at the time.  I guess unless I find out differently about you, I always
will be true - you know that!!  My conscience is perfectly clear - that I know.
Jeepers, at this rate, we’ll be driving one another to doing things we
shouldn’t just because of doubts.  You and I both

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realize (or should) that if we can’t trust one another, that we might as well
cancel the whole thing, as after all mutual trust is the foundation of a good
marriage, or at least so my parents brought me up to believe, and I know it
must be true somehow.  Of course with all the stories you hear and see about
G.I. wives who go astray, I don’t blame you for wondering at times, but then
there are loads of people here, too, who are always "kidding me" (or so they
think) about the boys overseas having such a gay time, especially in Paris
and that how can I expect to compete with all that glamour, etc.  It’s all
done in fun, but seeds of doubt flourish all too quickly and sometimes I could
scream just hearing them go on and on.  I know it isn’t true in my husband’s
case, but it does get under your skin at times.  But we just can’t let these
things get us

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down, as it won’t be so very long before you’ll be home and I as well as you,
want nothing to spoil that great day.  I hope my crossing out the "robbery
episode remark" in Elinor’s letter didn’t cause you to do anything reckless.
Am I forgiven for being so thoughtless?  Anyway, now you probably understand a
little why I have been a little in favor of selling the house lately.  Don’t
let this change your decision, however, as we’re perfectly okay here, and it
may never happen again.  I guess I just got a bit scared at first because I am
alone so much.  This whole week the Pages are in Ottawa, but I’ve gotten over
it, so that their being away doesn’t bother me so much.  They say "lightning
never strikes twice in the same place."  I did take the service star out of the
window as I’ve been told it attracts hoodlums, as they know you’re alone.  I
bought a blue slack suit for Ronnie today on the Avenue.  Also washed all my
furniture slipcovers.  It’s been raining all day again.

Bye, and lots of love to you from
Mom and Ronnie.

P.S.
Was glad to hear you met Al Evers and finally got some ice cream after all
these months.  No Angel Food Cake?