January 22, 1968

Posted on July 6th, 2010

Monday
January 22, 1968
9 A.M.

Dear Larry:

Here it is, Monday morning, a foggy day. Dad is at work, the kids at school and Joanna went to work also, and I am going to get busy with my washing in a few minutes.

We got home from Gen and Ray’s about 7 o’clock last night. You know how Gen is, she made us stay there for supper. Mark and Cinda, Lana and her boyfriend were there also, they all asked about you. I gave uncle Ray your address, he wanted it. I guess I am going to have to fix a big batch of spaghetti and meat balls one of these days and invite Mark and Cinda. Mark is about as bad as Larry T—–, he raves about my spaghetti.

Well, I did it again, I wasn’t home when you called yesterday. I guess I am going to have to start staying home on Sundays. I guess you were lucky to talk to Joanna because usually, she is the one that is hard to get a hold of. I am sorry to hear that they are rough on you, I guess that is part of your training. Are they as rough on you as your Dad was?

Joanna said you were starting on the rifle range this morning. What ever you do, be careful. I can’t think of anything else to write so I will have to sign off till tomorrow. I wish you would find time to write us more often. We only got one letter and we hope you got that book of stamps.

Love Mom

P.S. Dad will probably write a few lines tonight.

Mon. 1-22-68 3:15

Hi Dog Face,

Just got home about 2:20. Just got through shaving and taking a bath. I look out of the bedroom window and saw a pile of B.M. that Doxie left. Chipper goes somewhere else for his toilet. I’m sitting by the kitchen window with roll [your] own and a can of Falstaff and thought I’d drop you a line.

Karl, Tresa and Debbie just got home from school and mother complained about Karl have 4 papers left. Tresa and Debbie went down to the basement to play and Karl’s getting ready to deliver. Excuse me, I got to get another brew.

Back again. That sure was a nice meal we had yesterday at Ray’s. Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, dinner rolls, 2 kinds of pie, green beans, whole corn and [ rutabaga]. Boy, I’m getting kinda tired of all that rich food. Here I don’t have any teeth but I sure ain’t starving. Well, this little beer I drink now and then fortifies my diet somewhat I guess.

Larry, I read that Army information that you left in your pants. I notice a recruit starts out at $90 a month. Back in ’38 I started out at $21. You know, I think you oughta have them hold back some of your money when you get paid, and just draw enough to get by on, because if you don’t have it, you wont spend it or lose it. That was you’ll have a nice wad when you do come home on leave. Another thing, I noticed you can get $10,000 of life insurance for only $2.00. You can’t beat that anywhere. If you haven’t already done so, you oughta sign up for it.

Well Larry, I have to eat hot dogs and chili, take an hour nap and go to work at the club [The Polish Club] at 5:30 to 2 A.M. Have to be at work at the P.O. [Post Office] at 5:30 A.M. nowadays. When in the hell are you going to write and tell us about some of your routine!!!? Now, dammit, write.

See ya. Dad.

Posted in Letters | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments »

  • http://jeffrudolf.com Jeff

    I sure hope Doxie was someone’s pet!

    What I would give to sit down and have many beers with Charlie! “Hi Dog Face.” I am guessing Charlie also used to roll his own cigarettes.

  • Cory

    This letter is hilarious! I wish I would have known grandpa. He seems as light-hearted and stupid-acting as Larry, Jeff, and me.

    I am also kind of in awe of how much he worked to support his family. It must have been difficult working delivering mail all day only to come home for a few hours to go to The Polish Club. Did he work at the club a lot, or was it just part-time?

  • Luke

    I’m confused as to what B.M. is. Bile Matter?

    • Cory

      Bowel movement, maybe?

  • http://www.stalemem.com Mark

    I could go for a beer, hotdog, & chili myself right now.

  • Tresa

    1) Grandma’s washing was a big ordeal … a wringer-type washing machine, she had to hand feed the clothes through the wringer, and hang the clothes on the clothesline outside to dry. I loved running through the rows of clean laundry hanging on the line! Then she ironed everything, even the sheets, and she usually did this during the day while watching her “stories.”

    2) Don’t know who Doxie was, but nowadays you have to pick up your dog’s “doings” out of someone elses yard (B.M.’s happen!), and Chipper was our dog after Rusty.

    3) Roll and Falstaff — can’t envision Daddy without either. I used to run down to the neighborhood drug store (Mary’s on Forrest Terrace across from Uncle Tommy’s house … he would give me 5 cents extra to get myself some penny candy from the glass candy display) to get him Sir Walter Raleigh tobacco and OCB papers.

    4) Daddy was always frugal with his money and encouraged us to save, live within our means, and instilled in us that you have to “scratch shit with the chickens.” I used to wonder when I was a kid what that meant, but I’ve sure learned what it means throughout my life. I think about that statement and live by it daily.

  • http://letterstolarry.com Aunt Carol

    Love all the letters! Couldn’t wait to get home from vacation to read more. Tresa is right on in describing Daddy’s money habits. He worked very hard to “make ends meet”. Also, Mother had to stay home to keep the household up and running for a family of 7. Aunt Gen was a great cook and very hospitable. Loved for people to eat every time they came for a visit. Her son is Mark & his wife is Cinda, not Linda, if they are mentioned again.

    • http://jeffrudolf.com Jeff

      I’ll fix the typo on Cinda’s name. I couldn’t really read what that said.

  • http://? Shawn Matejovich

    This was one of my favorite letters. Your grandpa would be a cool guy to hang out with for sure. Most of my family is from Nanty-Glo, PA. Coal mining / Steel Mill area mostly. I was raised with much of the same ‘Gotta Scratch Shit with the Chickens’ life lessons and it has served me well. Too bad 90% of American’s were not taught those same lessons, or perhaps they forgot or didn’t care. As a child I always knew we were close to grandma’s house when we saw Rusty’s gas station and ‘The Polish Club’ sign. :O) My grandfather died when I was very young from Black Lung and she NEVER remarried. I actually never went into the Polish Club in our town but I ALWAYS wanted to go in there.

  • Jessica Rudolf

    Grammy Rudolf and I are gonna have to have a spaghetti-off.

    Gosh, I wish I could have met Charlie. :)

  • Karl Rudolf

    Doxie was Andy and Pat Orbiks fat-assed doxin dog. The Orbiks lived accross the street andtheir dog would come over and eat all of our dogs food