Love Letter 19 – Bad Habit

Love Letter 19 – Bad Habit

The sun is swallowed whole by a cluster of nimbus clouds, immature herbs sway helplessly in their potted homes and tobacco smell lingers from a passer by. The overhead heater, soft outdoor lighting and subtle sounds of the 3-tiered water fountain welcome me back to the early summer evening. Bill Withers whispers in my ear as Mom fills my heart with the continuation of Love Letter 19, October, 1960:

Page 3
You should just see how much work I’ve done to-nite (nearly nil) – there are four R.N.s (translated for the non-medicinal category-) working on 3rd floor so I have all of 10 patients.
Have admitted one patient, gave out about 3 pills and read 2 magazines and now I’m doing my letter writing – then more coffee & cig. (This smoking just a bad habit – something to do while I’m on duty – never miss it otherwise – never had one cigarette while over at Pat & Frank’s).
What a great time!
Robert is just a dream – like I said honey we better get busy – you’ll want those girls soon, eh?!
You should have seen Pat & I last nite – while Frank was studying in the bedroom. We were watching T.V. w/ the sound turned down real low and I cut her hair and dyed it pitch black – looked very nice – Frank even admitted that, but you should have seen her hair the past week or so – she’d attempted to dye it blonde – and it had about 5 different shades of brown w/ black ends – really looked awful.
Pat has been doing a lot of swimming lately and is going to swim in a water show on the 7th of this month in Richmond – will probably drop over & see her.
That Frank is such a character – he teased poor Pat while she was cooking, etc. till nearly all her patience ran out – sounds like someone else I know – I can just see you after we’re married – great!
While you’re at work when I’m living w/ you – no, living at your home, I can visit w/ some of my buddies – classmates while you’re at work and get caught up on gossip.
About the final moving arrangements –
Joan decided definitely that she wanted to go back home – Ottawa – at the end of this month.
She has been rather moody & quiet lately – one day she complains that she doesn’t want to go back & live at home and the next minute she wants to stay, but definitely is leaving at the end of Oct.
Ernie not quite as bad, but said she’d want to stay until Nov. and possibly get up to the Grey Cup game in Vancouver –
Who knows – then she wanted me to stay until the middle of Dec. but no go – I want to be w/ you – and that’s that –
I don’t care what anyone else’s plans are.
I’d love nothing better than to be w/ you right now, but maybe these 2 months will pass quickly.
I love you so very much, honey and can hardly wait to be w/ you and make you happy.
It was so nice to hear you laugh on the phone to-nite – it seems like we’re so close together then – but not close enough.
Oh to be w/ you!
But I feel so much better since your letter and the phone call – I was so lonely this past week – but much better now – just thinking only 63 days at the most.
Have been on the trampoline and a balance bar several more times and am I stiff – age creeping on.
Always remember dear that I love you so very very much –
Bye now –
Yours always,
Bette xxxxxx
xxxxxxxx
Chopp-Chopp!!
P.S. The freeway isn’t going to destroy Snoopy’s home – until 1967 at least.
Bryan: I Love You!!

The sun is surely shining within the wards of Alta Bates – even at 3 a.m. – as Mom recalls recent sweet-talks with her lover . . . bad habit is nowhere in sight!

Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone.
It’s not warm when she’s away.