August 30, 1968
Friday, Aug. 30, 1968
9:00 A.M.
Hi Larry,
How are you? I hope you are getting along ok.
Everybody around here if just fine. I’m sitting here eating some rye bread that we got at Indianapolis yesterday. We went to the State Fair yesterday, too. We went to the building where the cows and chickens and the bulls [illegible]. Remember when you were about 9 years old and you went to the State Fair with Mommy and Daddy? Well, you were standing right next to a bull and the bull went moo-moo. You ran to Daddy and he had to pick you up because you were scared. Yesterday, a bull mooed at me, but I didn’t run to Daddy. I ran to Mommy. Last night, we filled 28 jars with green tomatoes.
August 27, 1968
Tuesday, August 27, 1968
9:15 A.M.
Dear Larry:
How are you doing? Tresa and I are sitting here in the kitchen watching Joanna put fingernail polish on. Today is her day off, so she and Tresa are going to clean her Mustang.
It is really cool here this morning. I almost turned the furnace on, but I didn’t because it will probably warm up during the day. It looks like we are beginning to have Autumn weather.
Karl just got up and is getting ready to eat a bowl of cereal. The kids are going to school next week, so we will have to start getting up early.
August 23, 1968
August 23, ’68
Larry,
Hi! This is Friday afternoon about 5:22 P.M. and I’m sitting under the dryer getting my hair dry so I thought I’d write to you.
Yesterday, down Barb’s house, I wrote you a letter and Barb also dropped you a few lines, but it’s hard telling when that letter will get sent out.
I met a couple guys you know at Aqua Gardens these past few days. They are Dave I—– and Bob C—–. Bob said you called him “BC Beer Drinker.” Everybody calls him BC. He is really nice.
Oh, guess who is getting married!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Bobbie B—–. Bet you never thought she’d get married, did ya?
The state fair started today. Mom and Dad may take the kids one day next week.
August 19, 1968
Monday
August 19, 1968
Dear Larry,
Hi! How’s everything going? Has it been raining there all the time lately? It’s been real nice around here for the last couple of days. I’ve been off Saturday, Sunday, and today and it’s been hot as hell.
Well, the mail just came and Mom got a letter from you, Carol got one from Larry T—–, and I got one from Tim C—–. We really hit the jackpot today.
Everyone around here sure does miss you. Gosh, it will be three months pretty soon. Time seems to be going by pretty fast. How about for you?
Mom’s worried a lot now because you’re up in that mountain. Is it very dangerous? Do you drink just beer? You aren’t really going to reenlist, are you? Just being over there in ‘Nam would scare me.
Not a whole lot has been happening around here, as usual. Same old shit as before. It seems as [if] everyone is gone in the service and there still isn’t anything to do.
August 18, 1968
Sunday, August 18, 1968
9:45 A.M.
Dear Larry:
I thought that I would start writing to you right now and if I don’t get it done, I’ll finish it when we get home from church. We are going to the 11:30 mass since Karl has to serve. Joanna just left for the 10 o’clock mass because she wants to lay out in the sun when she gets back. Tresa went to church with Sara because she is going with them to see The Sound of Music this afternoon.
We all went to confession yesterday (Sat.). Joanna didn’t want to go, but she did.
Do you ever attend mass where you are at? You never write about it so I just wondered. I hope that you have the opportunity to go to confession and mass and communion once in a while.
August 13, 1968
August 13, 1968
9:30 A.M.
Dear Larry:
Well, here I am again this morning. I thought that I would start this letter now and finish as the day goes by.
I got Karl up at 8 this morning because he had to go practice for his game tomorrow. They are going to play Madison. They won the game Saturday, so root for them to win tomorrow. If they win, then Saturday will be the City Championship game.
Today is Dad’s day off. He worked at the Club last night so he will probably be sleeping most of the day. Joanna just got up and is getting ready for work. As yet she hasn’t got her Mustang. They are supposed to get a new muffler for it and it seems like they are having trouble getting it. Joanna is about half ways disgusted because she bought the car 2 weeks ago and still doesn’t have it. They gave her a ’64 Chevy to drive while she is waiting for her Mustang.
August 7-8, 1968
8-7-68
Time 1535
Dear Larry,
Mother received your letter today, and it took 5 days. Of course you’re 13 hours ahead of us. May I suggest that you also mark the time that you write any future letters. May I also suggest that you write on both sides of your papers. That’s an old frugal instinct inherited from my parents.
Karl just came back from b-ball practice. Perfecto won the double-elimination tournament in the Meadowbrook League and it will pair off against Fairview on Saturday at 9 A.M. I have to work, but I’ll be there in my mail truck and take an extended lunch period. There are 7 teams in the City Tournament. Madison drew a bye. Karl’s team has to win 3 games to wrap up the City Championship for the 3rd year in a row.
July 29, 1968
July 29, 1968
Monday 9:40 P.M.
Dear Larry:
Received a letter from you today, and if I have to say so myself, it was a nice letter.
It is kind of late to be writing, but I just got through mine and Uncle Tommy’s ironing. I wanted to get it done tonight because tomorrow morning Karl is having a game, so Uncle Tommy is going to drive me and Tresa to Meadowbrook for the game that is supposed to start at 9:30, and then we are going to walk home. If they win tomorrow, they will be winners of the Meadowbrook league and then they will start playing in the city league. I sure hope they win. They have won two years straight, as you know.
Remember how embarrassed you were when I made you drive through town and blow the horn? Ha.
My Farewell (By: Cory Rudolf)
My Farewell
By: Cory Rudolf (2005)
You fell without a warning,
on the cold and misty earth.
Many were left in mourning
for you left us barely living a half-century.
I, along with others, was forced to bid you premature farewells.
“Goodbye,” we said. “Goodbye,” we cried.
I shed very few tears, the night I heard the news,
coming home from having a blast, only to hear that you had died.
I rejected the pain from entry,
as the rest of my family wept.
Defying God seemed to be my only safe haven,
“Why this!?” I pleaded. “Why now!?” I begged.
The decisions were up to me
as my brother was far from capable
“I choose this funerary casket!”
“I choose this graveyard headstone!”
I didn’t really care.
It isn’t like it matters anyway.
You are gone for good.
Funerals are only for the surviving to grieve.
July 22, 1968
Monday
July 22, 1968
10:26 P.M.
Larry,
Hi, how are things? We got your letter today. It only took 5 days to get here. That really isn’t too bad. Haven’t you gotten any mail at all until just the other day? Well, now you can start answering some of our questions!
I just got back from the show about 1 hour ago. I went to see The Odd Couple with Jack Lemmon. It wasn’t a very good show and certainly not worth the $1.50 we paid to see it. It was kinda funny though.
Joanna has been talking on the phone since I got home. She’s talking to John G—–. He’s a damn hillbilly.
