Dear Bob,
Before I begin, I'd like to ask you to return at your earliest convenience the original of my letter to P. I want to see what I wrote before I write her again. I am enclosing the letter which she sent me in return. I shall now make observations on the answer she sent me.
First of all, it was sent me in an IC envelope, and as you can see, it is written on stenographer's paper. She uses "sincerely" at the conclusion and uses her full name.
This would indicate to me that she didn't put much thought into the letter, and her formal ending indicates that our relationship is just that - - formal. Of course, I also used my full name in my letter, but I was afraid she wouldn't remember my last name and be able to send her answer.
Also note the capital letter in "Stranger", as if I were the one stranger in her life.
The whole theme of her letter rather surprises me. Her answer might lead someone to believe that I had written a nice little hello note to her.
I expected her to write an answer that was either warmly passionate or painfully sarcastic. I find this one neither. It seems too innocent. There's still a chance that she is smarter than either of us thinks. Certainly the second paragraph of her letter should have resulted in the lowering of my defenses. I'm afraid that now I am the one who can't quite figure out her tactics. This should be quite an interesting summer, and I'm sort of glad our Brussels deal didn't materialize.
I would also appreciate it if you returned the enclosed letter, but there's no hurry. I'm not going to write her until I get the letter back, and I think my strategy calls for my leaving her hanging by her thumbs for a while. This has seemed to work all right in the past.
I'm glad your interest in MM has been revived, I always maintained that she has the cutest face I've ever seen. I feel I must warn you, however, that H has designs on her, and I'm sure unethical as he is, he won't hesitate to take advantage of his geographical proximity to her.
I've written S another letter. So far, she's accepted my invitation to go to the Dartmouth Glee Club Concert this spring. I made the letter fairly "snowy" and I'm anxiously awaiting her answer.
Events here at school have been much less interesting and intriguing. I got a 3.8 (on the 5-point system) last semester. This semester will be very difficult, and I'm worried about flunking out.
Winter Carnival came off last weekend, and I had a pretty wild time with the sister of one of my brothers. I'm afraid that's the last girl I'll see until spring vacation.
Potpourri:
Who said our habits are conservative?
Prediction.: H won't leave his books to take out MM.
Tom
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Jan. 30, 1958
Dear Thom,
There's a lot to be said in this letter. I'll probably forget most of it before I get through.
The fellow next door, inspired by your Ivy magazine about Frisbee which I showed him, brought 2 wimpleplots with him when he came back from Xmas. A couple of days later about seven revelers were cavorting with the wimpleplots in the 4th floor corridor. The were perceived by the 4th floor prefect and were unceremoniously ejected from the hall. This meant that they had to leave the hall at 6AM each morning and return at 12AM each night until further notice. They were in exile for two days. I don't think Frisbee is going to go over too big down here. Maybe we are deemphasizing sports, I don't know. At any rate, the exiled became ensanguine martyrs, and clandestine plans are being formed for springtime Frisbee meets with Lyons hall. What will come of this I don't know. It has already gotten beyond me.
My grades are about the same. I guess I've hit my peak. The Dean's list 88 is a good three points above my 85 ( a mark in which I am becoming entrenched with each passing semester).
At Carmel everything was 90. Here everything is 85. What a rut!
Your letter to P was quite (and here I am at a decided loss for an adequate word). It was expressive of fond emotion, unique, and a definite departure from our usual conservative habits or perhaps it wasn't. We both seem to be making severe departures from out usual conservative habits as of late; e,g, the fatal phone call.
If she's smart, she won't answer it. With this in mind, I am sure you have received an answer by now. I can't see how she can answer it and not place herself at a disadvantage in doing so; however, most girls, being mediocre logicians at best can't resist retorting to such a letter unless it frightened her, but then P doesn't scare easily. Your pointed reference to the abnormal and undesirable cell division and reorientation of her latter extremities should excite her curiosity if nothing else. The more I look at your letter the more sure I am that you will receive an answer, at least a summons. But enough of P for P has enough of butt.
I took MM out last Friday and had a reasonable time. As usual she was taciturn, but not as much as usual.
The evening was a debacle in some respects, but Bart....., you remember him and his cool music, pulled it out of the fire. He's a good organizer and I'm glad I doubled with him. Because of G, we were and hour late, and there were no tables when we finally arrived. Bart, somehow found one somewhere and bribed the waiter for another one. Our group on the whole was very lively and a good time was available to all who extended themselves a bit. As usual, I don't know if MM had a good time or not.
If you are still writing to S, you can probably find out more than I can. Those two are thick as thieves. That much I found out. The one point in the evening at which MM showed some definite interest in what I was saying occurred thusly.
Bob: "Tom told me in his last letter that he wrote S"
MM: "Yes, I know"
Bob: "He said that .. ah..ah... lets see..ah"
MM: !!! "Yes" !!!
Her interested tone startled me, and I immediatetly threw up my defenses and withdrew from the subject. I found out a little more about her and S too. They are both going to attend Clark College. Of course you know where that is. Just in case you might have forgotten, it is located in Dubuque, IA and is affiliated with Loras the same way that St. Mary's is affiliated with ND.
When I asked MM how long her Home Econ course would take she blatantly replied that you could stay as long as you wanted, and she didn't really care if she got a degree or not. She is then, a typical female college student taking her pre-marital course and the sooner she graduates the better.
I personally was not overly impressed; however, and this did surprise me, when I got back to ND about 15 of my close friends who were at the dance and who got a good look at MM questioned me as to where and how I found such a "pretty little number", and if I was "going steady" with her, and similar references. I put great store on public opinion of this type. this has never happened before, no other girls with whom I have wiled away an evening has ever been so singularly commented on, either favorably or unfavorably. the strange thing is that several of the fellows said what a nice personality she had, and yet I am positive that she spoke not a word to any of them. G who became very drunk and tried to engage her in conversation from time to time was quite dumfounded when she replied to his extensive sentences with only a word or two.
I'm getting a trifle sick of this letter. Suffice it to say that when I left her unravished on her doorstep Saturday morning I had resolved to terminate our passionate relationship. Now,
however, due to the very favorable comments by my fellow men and also having sufficient time to look back on the evening in retrospect, I have decided to try to extend our ardent friendship by asking her to the Chi. Club Easter Dance. I will ask her in an impromptu letter about 2 or 3 weeks before the dance. She should accept, but there is no telling what will happen by then, however we did part as the "best of friends".
H got 5 100s on 5 final exams. the 6th he isn't sure about. Wouldn't it be awful if he pulled a 98?
I see S discreetly failed to mention whether or not I was "drunk" in her letter. Her failure to mention my supposed condition doesn't leave much doubt as to their path of conjecture does it? Oh well, I always wanted to be notorious.
I've got to sell some sandwiches now, and I don't think I'll reread this. I've probably forgot a lot of what I was going to say, but I've already said enough.
Write me all the news.
Bob
There's a lot to be said in this letter. I'll probably forget most of it before I get through.
The fellow next door, inspired by your Ivy magazine about Frisbee which I showed him, brought 2 wimpleplots with him when he came back from Xmas. A couple of days later about seven revelers were cavorting with the wimpleplots in the 4th floor corridor. The were perceived by the 4th floor prefect and were unceremoniously ejected from the hall. This meant that they had to leave the hall at 6AM each morning and return at 12AM each night until further notice. They were in exile for two days. I don't think Frisbee is going to go over too big down here. Maybe we are deemphasizing sports, I don't know. At any rate, the exiled became ensanguine martyrs, and clandestine plans are being formed for springtime Frisbee meets with Lyons hall. What will come of this I don't know. It has already gotten beyond me.
My grades are about the same. I guess I've hit my peak. The Dean's list 88 is a good three points above my 85 ( a mark in which I am becoming entrenched with each passing semester).
At Carmel everything was 90. Here everything is 85. What a rut!
Your letter to P was quite (and here I am at a decided loss for an adequate word). It was expressive of fond emotion, unique, and a definite departure from our usual conservative habits or perhaps it wasn't. We both seem to be making severe departures from out usual conservative habits as of late; e,g, the fatal phone call.
If she's smart, she won't answer it. With this in mind, I am sure you have received an answer by now. I can't see how she can answer it and not place herself at a disadvantage in doing so; however, most girls, being mediocre logicians at best can't resist retorting to such a letter unless it frightened her, but then P doesn't scare easily. Your pointed reference to the abnormal and undesirable cell division and reorientation of her latter extremities should excite her curiosity if nothing else. The more I look at your letter the more sure I am that you will receive an answer, at least a summons. But enough of P for P has enough of butt.
I took MM out last Friday and had a reasonable time. As usual she was taciturn, but not as much as usual.
The evening was a debacle in some respects, but Bart....., you remember him and his cool music, pulled it out of the fire. He's a good organizer and I'm glad I doubled with him. Because of G, we were and hour late, and there were no tables when we finally arrived. Bart, somehow found one somewhere and bribed the waiter for another one. Our group on the whole was very lively and a good time was available to all who extended themselves a bit. As usual, I don't know if MM had a good time or not.
If you are still writing to S, you can probably find out more than I can. Those two are thick as thieves. That much I found out. The one point in the evening at which MM showed some definite interest in what I was saying occurred thusly.
Bob: "Tom told me in his last letter that he wrote S"
MM: "Yes, I know"
Bob: "He said that .. ah..ah... lets see..ah"
MM: !!! "Yes" !!!
Her interested tone startled me, and I immediatetly threw up my defenses and withdrew from the subject. I found out a little more about her and S too. They are both going to attend Clark College. Of course you know where that is. Just in case you might have forgotten, it is located in Dubuque, IA and is affiliated with Loras the same way that St. Mary's is affiliated with ND.
When I asked MM how long her Home Econ course would take she blatantly replied that you could stay as long as you wanted, and she didn't really care if she got a degree or not. She is then, a typical female college student taking her pre-marital course and the sooner she graduates the better.
I personally was not overly impressed; however, and this did surprise me, when I got back to ND about 15 of my close friends who were at the dance and who got a good look at MM questioned me as to where and how I found such a "pretty little number", and if I was "going steady" with her, and similar references. I put great store on public opinion of this type. this has never happened before, no other girls with whom I have wiled away an evening has ever been so singularly commented on, either favorably or unfavorably. the strange thing is that several of the fellows said what a nice personality she had, and yet I am positive that she spoke not a word to any of them. G who became very drunk and tried to engage her in conversation from time to time was quite dumfounded when she replied to his extensive sentences with only a word or two.
I'm getting a trifle sick of this letter. Suffice it to say that when I left her unravished on her doorstep Saturday morning I had resolved to terminate our passionate relationship. Now,
however, due to the very favorable comments by my fellow men and also having sufficient time to look back on the evening in retrospect, I have decided to try to extend our ardent friendship by asking her to the Chi. Club Easter Dance. I will ask her in an impromptu letter about 2 or 3 weeks before the dance. She should accept, but there is no telling what will happen by then, however we did part as the "best of friends".
H got 5 100s on 5 final exams. the 6th he isn't sure about. Wouldn't it be awful if he pulled a 98?
I see S discreetly failed to mention whether or not I was "drunk" in her letter. Her failure to mention my supposed condition doesn't leave much doubt as to their path of conjecture does it? Oh well, I always wanted to be notorious.
I've got to sell some sandwiches now, and I don't think I'll reread this. I've probably forgot a lot of what I was going to say, but I've already said enough.
Write me all the news.
Bob
Monday, January 14, 2013
Jan. 22, 1958
Dear Thomb,
Your copy of The Dartmouth with the confirmation of Howard's existence in it was extremely well received. The Hard Core president said, and I quote: "That's the neatest piece of shit I seen in a long time." This is a compliment in case you're wondering. After I showed it to the H.C., I posted it on the bulletin board where it was viewed with rousing cheers, etc. Everyone now claims to remember seeing you while you were here. The Hall Council is considering making you an honorary hall member, a tribute which has never been made before. Let me know next time you intend to drop in and we'll have a testimonial dinner in your honor, or something fitting and suitable like that.
Last Friday (1-16-58) N.D. cancelled classes for the first time in 30 years on account of inclement weather. Not only that, but they cancelled classes Saturday also. Since then more of my professors have failed to show up then have shown up. Five of my last six classes were called off due to absent professors.
There is more that I could say but finals start tomorrow and I've go to start doing something.
I'm going to the semester dance in Chicago. Getting fixed up. Also going to a party on the following nite. Getting fixed up for that too. Different girls. It's about time too. I'm not too horny.
Das ist alles.
Bobo
Your copy of The Dartmouth with the confirmation of Howard's existence in it was extremely well received. The Hard Core president said, and I quote: "That's the neatest piece of shit I seen in a long time." This is a compliment in case you're wondering. After I showed it to the H.C., I posted it on the bulletin board where it was viewed with rousing cheers, etc. Everyone now claims to remember seeing you while you were here. The Hall Council is considering making you an honorary hall member, a tribute which has never been made before. Let me know next time you intend to drop in and we'll have a testimonial dinner in your honor, or something fitting and suitable like that.
Last Friday (1-16-58) N.D. cancelled classes for the first time in 30 years on account of inclement weather. Not only that, but they cancelled classes Saturday also. Since then more of my professors have failed to show up then have shown up. Five of my last six classes were called off due to absent professors.
There is more that I could say but finals start tomorrow and I've go to start doing something.
I'm going to the semester dance in Chicago. Getting fixed up. Also going to a party on the following nite. Getting fixed up for that too. Different girls. It's about time too. I'm not too horny.
Das ist alles.
Bobo
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