Dear Andrew and John,
You will no doubt be soon experiencing what we are now going through--rain. It's setting all sorts of records. Started last Wednesday noontime and hasn't let up; going strong right now, Monday afternoon. In these past five days more than 7 inches of rain has fallen which is really something for our location. The radio announced this morning that locally the road is closed through Ellicott City, 301 is impassable on the Old Annapolis Road, the bridge at Landsdowne on the Hammonds Ferry Road is out and one of the bridges is closed on Hanover Street. We have not been inconvenienced by leaks (up to the time I left this morning) but some are having a tough time.
Well, we did it, out to dinner together and alone for the first time since May 1949. But it didn't go off on the day as I planned. When I got home last Tuesday I learned that Arlene's spring bingo was on Wednesday night and she had to be with the eighth grade in some musical number. Friday I had to work at the doctor's from noontime till 5:30. I had the car and got home pretty tired, wet and disgusted. I said to Ann, "How about tonight." You know her. We whisked the kids into their pj's, got Cassie to stay with Arlene and were on our way by 6:45. We found a parking spot right in front of Pierre's. There was no waiting--only two tables taken--and you could see Ann was pleased when Pierre bustled up and asked about the babies and told Ann she didn't look a bit different in the 3 years since she had been in. In fact, he was so attentive, we were getting restless to order. We started off with a Martini and ordered crab imperial with french fries, a big chef's salad which they mix in front of you, my first cup of coffee in about four years and finished with biscuit tortoni ice cream. It was so darn good I couldn't even groan. From there we went down to the Century where Singin' In The Rain is on its 4th week; that seemed perfect, too. We were in the house by eleven and I gave Arlene the remaining 25¢ for baby sitting.
We received several letters from each of you last week and Ann says she sent you the letter from Sam French, John. I am sure they read it, as I looked over the manuscript again and you can tell each page has been fingered. I'm glad we included return postage so we can submit it to someone else now, if you have someone in mind. I wanted to make a copy of the letter for your file but Ann was a little too quick for me. I was also interested in your descriptions of living-working-sleeping accommodations, the illustrations and particularly the long walk to the latrine. Under present conditions this would be entirely out of the question for Mommy. Last week she learned from the doctor and from daily experience and stair climbing that she is the one in over a hundred on whom the taking of iron has a reverse effect. She would be talking to me or sitting at the table and disappear upstairs so fast it was unbelievable. She is down to one tablet a day now, still feels better and is less winded.
Saturday morning at 8 o'clock we left for Towson Catholic High School for Arlene to take the entrance examinations just in case. We found when we got there that it would take till 12:30 so Ann and I took the little ones over to see Mrs. Musselman and Family in Overlea, where Ann lived the few months before coming to Catonsville. The kids were rather boisterous so we didn't stay long but came back to the school and waited over an hour for Arlene, which made it about 12:20. Returning home about 1:15, feeding, cleaning and once again feeding the brood made Saturday a rather dull day. We settled down around eight to watch the All Star Review presenting Bob Hope from San Francisco. It was quite good and a bit unusual as I believe it was from Treasure Island and done out in the open on a makeshift stage. His main guests were Fred MacMurray, the Bell Sisters and a young girl star I can't seem to remember. Hope you run into the Show of Shows where Sid Cesare does a take-off on Marlon Brando. I haven't seen M.B. but Ann says it's identical.
They had a double feature on TV yesterday afternoon on WMAR which is unusual. I didn't see all of it but the first was Paulette Goddard and Ray Milland in "The Crystal Ball" and the second, "Murder on the Campus" with Charles Starrett and Shirley Grey. I thought Starrett was a cowboy but this fellow was tall and black wavy-haired. Last night Martin and Lewis were on for the last time till next fall, going to Europe. Perhaps you've read of it, also, but the FCC has approved the new high frequency TV set-up. It won't take the present stations off the air but will give the country about 2,000 new stations which won't overlap. Altogether there will be 70 channels on the new TV sets instead of the present 14 and to use present sets a converter will be needed together with another special antenna. Baltimore has been given three new stations and a fourth to be used as an educational outlet. They claim some of the new stationers, I mean stations will be in operation by September. I can't see that it means too much at present, though. The Wall Street Journal reports they have a new TV camera which they will use in the conventions this summer which can be carried by one man with a battery pack strapped on his back; also, that a new multi purpose tube series has been perfected which permits the production and sale of a 17" TV set for around $89. Bet they don't let this one get out.
I don't have my color prints yet though I took them in a week before Easter. Next time I'll try Pavelle.
Saturday I looked out the window where I had left the lawn mower after cutting the grass the Saturday before. The grass grew approximately four or five inches in one week almost hiding the wheels. About a week and a half ago the Bellis' planted a row of 12 or 14 poplar trees along the driveway; each is about ten foot high. The gas station is still open across the street with little business. The tenants move back and forth in and out and up and down, always with a batch of uncared for kids. Ann and Mrs. B. won't look out front any more for fear of a view of a little one leaning out a window or standing in the middle of the street. About once a month you see a big black Buick over there and a young fellow trying unsuccessfully (by the looks of him) to collect rents. One thing you'll find new on your return and I haven't mentioned is that you now (and for the past month) pay ten cents for a local 'phone call. Next thing they're putting in is a limiting arrangement to cut you off after three minutes, like New York. From the booklet I'm putting in one envelope I see you can save time coming back by catching a Northwest Airlines plane from Seoul or Pusan for some $700 or so.
I have to go over school now; first, want to call Father Hughes. I received a card from him to work on the Catholic Charities drive this year and they're having a meeting tonight but I can't attend.
END OF LETTER
Editor's notes:
Samuel French is a publishing house. John has been trying to get something published.
The Bellis' were next door neighbors.
Father Hughes is the parish priest at St. Mark's of Catonsville.
Some of the Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database.
Next posting: May 5, 1952
Copyright 2012 Stephen A Conner
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