February 2, 1969 – “what a pile of…”
Reader discretion: strong language.
February 2, 1969
Rudy,
How the fuck are ya? Goddamn I feel like an asshole for not writing you. Be sure to kick me in the ass when you get home. The fuckin’ draft is going to hang my ass in March. I haven’t heard from Thomas in two months.
Everything in A-town is alright. You know that beer warehouse on Columbus and 19th, it burnt down last week. Goddamn, what a mess. I’m working at Delco now, Plant 8, nights. I got a ’65 Mustang, what a pile of shit. Did you know Mountain Mac got married? The fucker was 15 minutes late because he had to shine the brass on his Marine uniform. Bill King is getting married, March 4.
Mad Dog, Dennis Connor and Herko are going to throw you a fuck of a party. We’ll have so much beer, even Rudy will say “no more.” I’ve had enough (bullshit), write me and let me know when the hell you expect to be home.
Herko Lunivitch
P.S. One up and over.
January 30, 1969
January 30, 1969
9:30 P.M.
Dear Larry:
Well, another month almost gone, and I am glad of that because it makes it that much sooner you will be getting home.
We went to a game which Karl played tonight. St. Mary’s beat St. Ambrose 32-12. They only have two more games to play yet and their [season] will be over. They play Madison Heights Wednesday and Alexandria on Thursday. Dad, Tresa and I went to about every game Karl played and really enjoyed them whether they won or not.
January 24, 1969
January, 24 1969
Time 9:23 P.M.
Hi Larry,
How are you? I’m not sure how you are this time because you haven’t been writing to us. At the Polish Club, we went because they had chili and hot dogs. Bratski is sitting here watching me, if you know who Bratski is. Schmulick and Karl are on the floor listening to the Elkhart vs. Anderson game. Schmulick wants me and Bratski to yell. Karl had basketball practice tonight. Their next game is with St. Mary’s. St. Mary’s hasn’t lost any games yet. I can’t wait to see that game. I have a feeling we’re going to be the first team to beat St. Mary’s during their basketball season.
January 22, 1969
January 22, 1969
Dear Larry:
Right now I am sitting in Dr. Neale’s office and waiting to be called in for my checkup. So, while waiting, I thought I would drop you few lines. I had to get here on the bus and will probably have to go home on the bus, but at least the weather isn’t too bad. It is cloudy but the temperature is in the 40′s.
January 19, 1969
Sunday, January 19, 2969
7:30 P.M.
Dear Larry:
Well, here it is, Sunday evening and we just got through with supper. We had steak which dad just bought at Matthews. Dad said, “Boy, if Larry was here, he sure would like to have one of those steaks.” I fixed the steaks so Dad made me sit down and Tresa and Carol are doing the dishes, so I thought I would write you a few lines.
January 10, 1969
Friday, January 10, 1969
9 A.M.
Dear Larry:
Well, here it is Friday morning. The sun is shining, but it is a very cold day. The temperature is 1 above zero this morning. The kids where not in school yesterday and again today because the roads are covered with ice and it is really slick. We went to one of Karl’s games at North Side Wednesday and it took about 30 minutes to get there because the traffic was so slow. This is Dad’s week off and he said he was glad because he had a few days of rough driving. He said his truck broke down two times yesterday so he had to work overtime and didn’t get home till almost 7 last night. I had hot vegetable soup for supper and then after supper, he went to work at the club.
January 9, 1969
Dear Larry,
Here it is January 9, 1969. It is Thursday and everybody is out of school because of the slick roads. It rained last night and the rain froze. The roads are too slick for the buses to pick us up. When I go to school, I have to get up at 7:00. The bus picks us up at twenty till eight.
I am sending a clipping of the basketball ratings [not included]. Anderson is doing pretty good. This is the first time they are rated this season. They’re record is 6-2. They lost their first two games of the season to the 2nd and 5th ranked teams this week. Anderson beat teams like Indianapolis Tech, East Chicago Washington, rated 18th, Muncie South and Muncie Central in the holiday tourney, Lafayette-Jeff, and Ft. Wayne-South. Sports writers all over the state say they have the toughest schedule in the state.
Our basketball team had a game last night and we lost 25-8. I have to go for now.
Your Brother,
Karl
Karol and Apolonia Rudolf’s Gravestone – 1960s
This photo was taken at Maplewood Cemetery in Anderson, IN. It shows Joanna, Carol and Larry in the back and Tresa and Karl in the front. They are standing behind the grave of their father Charlie’s parents and their grandparents, Karol and Apolonia Rudolf. We can only assume this photo was taken before 1963, which is when Apolonia passed away, because the date is not filled in yet. Most of them never met Karol as he passed away in 1948 when Larry, the second oldest, was only one year old.
January 1, 1969 – New Years Day
January 1, 1969
Wednesday 1 P.M.
New Years Day
Dear Larry,
Well, here it is a new year and is it ever cold outside. The windows are frosted from top to bottom. The temperature was below zero this morning and right now it is 11 degrees above zero, so it is not warming up much. This morning we went to the 10 o’clock mass and we about froze our fannies off. HA. It’s windy out and it makes it feel that much colder.
Well, in a way, I am glad that the holidays are over. Now things will be going back to normal. I can’t believe that in a couple of days you will be in the service a year already. Did the time go by quick for you? In a few months your time will be up in Vietnam and I am looking forward to that day.
December 30, 1968
Larry,
Hi, what’s happenin’? What did you do on Christmas? We all went to Charlene and Uncle Jack’s house. It was boring there. Believe me. I left about 5:30. Me, Carol Porter and a bunch of kids went bowling at Cooper’s that night and then went to this party. These two guys were giving it. Both of them were 1967 grads from Anderson High. I thought that party was going to be a drag, but it turned out great. With Pabst, a party can’t be bad. We had fun. Did I ever tell you what I got on my report card? I got one “A”, two “B’s” and one “C” and one and my first “D”. Isn’t that great? Still probably be a “F” the next time. Ask me if I care! Well I better go now. I’m tired and its about 12:00 A.M. now. I have to wake up early and do something with my hair. Write once in a lifetime to me, please…
Love ya,
Carol
