01 Nov November 1, 1944

Letter
from: Mrs. G. Shonkwiler
to: Pvt George W. Shonkwiler
Nov. 1, 1944
Wednesday, 9:40 P.M.

Hello, honey,

Here I am dinner over, dishes, done, Ronnie had his bath, and has been in bed
for an hour and sound asleep - I hope!

I’ve been listening to your friend Dewey, but still can’t seem to understand
his conflicting speeches.  Seems all he does is "smear" and repeats the same
thing every time he speaks.

I didn’t write last night as Marge and I went to cooking school and after that
she asked me to come up to the apt and she and Murray and I had ice cream,
cookies and coffee.  Anyway by the time I got home it was midnight, and as you
have given me strict instructions to go to bed early, I did.

Night before last after I had written your letter, Ernest Hayes and a
Dr. Schyl (Schuyl?, Slpile?), who claims an acquaintance or friendship with
you[,]

page 2
<?He> was visiting at the Hayes[es], and has a 4 yr old son.  Said he’s from
Missouri and went to U of Chicago.  He is also a Democrat and told me to tell
you this is a free country and you couldn’t dictate my vote.  (So there, too!)
He also said that is what we’re fighting for, and also said he didn’t think you
were the type who would browbeat your wife.  Aha!  A man after my own heart,
that Dr. Sckyl (or whatever his name was).  Just about this time I think I must
have met all of the Hayes’ friends, and every time they either ask me to come
over, or they bring them here.  This Dr. asked me to say "hello" to you and
hopes you will be home soon etc.

I worked on my jumper yesterday and today, and just as I was trying it on,
Mrs. Hayes stopped in and asked about you, etc. and mentioned that

page 3
she was bring[ing] the material for a skirt (that Mary bought for Joan) to a
dressmaker, as she didn’t know how to make it.  She was hinting, I s’pose, that
I should make it, but I just didn’t catch on.  I finished my jumper today, and
it looks pretty nice.  It’s a small black and white check, and I’m wearing it
with a white long-sleeved blouse.  I look very young in it.  I can hear you
laughing.  Marge is making one just like it, altho I doubt if we’ll be wearing
them to the same places, so it’s O.K., I guess.  You see I had 2 pcs.
of material (this is the material Vy sent me from Rockford last spring and which
I used the brown and white check to make my suit.) in the black and white, so
I needed only half of it, I’m selling 1/2 of it to Marge.  Don’t know how much
to charge her for it, as it cost me only $1.00 per yd., but retail it is $4.98
per yard.  Some

page 4
problem, isn’t it?  [I] Don’t imagine all this interests you, but you want
letters, so I’m trying to comply even without much to write about.

At supper last night, Ronnie said, "Elinor! Mommie! I have to go to toilet -
know that?"  Elinor said, "No, we didn’t know that!"  He replied, "Well, I gotta
go!"  It was so funny we almost split our sides laughing.  After saying this he
got down from his chair and headed for the bathroom saying, "I’ll be back to
eat my dinner."

Tonight he kissed your big picture on the mantel, and said, "Good night, Daddy,

thank you for the picture books!"  Then he scrambled out of my arms[,] ran for
the table, and out of 1/2 dozen picture books[,] picked out the ones you sent
from England, then hurried back to the fireplace,

page 5
looked up at your photo, and said, "Thank you, Daddy, for the two picture
books." and held them up for you to see.

This morning at breakfast he said, "Daddy be back after awhile to play with
Ronnie’s train?"  How would you answer that one?

Gene Gallacini came over this morning and stayed for an hour talking to Ronnie
and me too, of course.  I asked him if he wanted any money, and he said "no," as
he had $11.21 dividend check for me to sign, which would pay me up to Dec. 1st.
Of course I got $1.55 in cash, too, as I paid two payments.  He also told me
his dad (who is 80 yrs. old) is making some toy tanks and carving them out of
wood by hand.  Gene said he’d give Ronnie one for Xmas.  Do you think I

page 6
[should] get something for his daughter or not?  He said he got a letter from
you the other day.  He said he had written you a letter some time ago, which
you evidently hadn’t received.  He also said he wrote another a couple days ago.

Murray let me read the letter he got from you Sept. 30th, last night.  Still
talking about the women - oh me!  (And also their "prices.")  Such talk from a
married man.  Murray said he understood you spent 10 lbs [sterling] in London.
Is that right?  Better not be!

Well, I got myself a pair of black shoes the other night (and no shoe stamp,
either).   You see Elinor had a nice pair of black pumps that she couldn’t wear,
as they hurt her feet, so she traded them for a pair of

page 7
my old work slacks.  I think I got the best of the bargain, as my slacks were
sort of worn at the knee.  Now I can use my new shoe stamp for some brown low
heeled shoes, which I need badly for shopping etc.  I’m going to buy them
tomorrow night, as Elinor and I are going shopping on the Avenue then. Ronnie,
too, of course!

I ordered 2 more boxes of your powders and got them today.  I sent you one box
today, first class mail, and will send the other later.  Today’s box is the
second box<?,> I’ve sent.  The last box I sent the day after you requested them
which was in August, I believe.  Hope you get the one I sent today.  I’m
enclosing a clipping concerning "duodenal ulcers," which is the type you have,
isn’t it?  Now take heed!  Fibrous foods are such

page 8
things as whole grain cereals, dark bread (rye, whole wheat etc.) beans,
lettuce, celery, radishes, apples (with peelings on) and also fresh fruits and
juices and tomatoes.  Of course the fruits and juices aren’t fibrous, but they
are acid and they’re not good for you either.  Now take care of yourself or
your ulcers will turn into cancer, and that is incurable you know.

I’m taking cod liver oil now with Ronnie, so if you have a chubby wife when you
get home, you’ll know the reason.  I weigh 111 [lbs] now.

I still can’t get that film for you.  In fact Dixon’s can’t even get movie film
anymore, at least Madsens haven’t had either movie or other film since August.
I’ll keep trying though.

Good night, honey, and lots and lots of love from Mommie, Ronnie (and Elinor?)
Still waiting for the day I can meet you in the N. Y. harbor.

Goodnite, love,
Mom

[P.S.] I’m sending this regular mail, also the one I wrote Oct. 30th.  Please
compare it with my airmail letters.