Dearly Beloved S.O.B.!

Happy holidays! Today we’ve got a letter from the strange liminal week between Christmas and New Years.

This letter from Sylvia is great because it’s interrupted by some visiting neighbors (described by Sylvia as nice and dumb) who also jot down notes to Alex, whom they’ve never met. We also get a great rendition of Sylvia and Adrienne’s rehearsal for Alex’s return and what will happen. Sylvia is back to ribbing Alex about how he should know what a treasure she is – her imposter syndrome makes no appearance here.

There are also multiple mentions of a Christmas Tree! Since they’re Jewish and my grandpa and the grandma I knew, Sophie, never had a tree, I was surprised by this. The neighbor describes it, quite eloquently, “O.K.” (There’s also mention of Alex’s Don Juan Act at synagogue.) In our a-religious household my son loves our tree and each morning asks first thing for the lights to be turned on and asks if it needs water (and then crawls under it to check). He waves goodbye to it every morning and tries to give it lots of hugs. We can only decorate the top half where he can’t reach any fragile ornaments but I think he’ll be disappointed when it inevitably goes away. He is almost the same age as Adrienne is in this letter and I love the detail she puts into describing her daughter’s talents.

I enjoy how disrupted this letter is, with neighbors contributing and Sylvia adding her two cents after that – it feels like commotion. I also really enjoyed reading about the rehearsals that Sylvia and Adrienne are doing for Alex’s return. They’ve got the whole reunion down and I only wish there were some documentary evidence of the day of his actual homecoming.

Wishing love and peace to all of you reading these love and war letters with me over all these years.

Thursday Dece 28 1944

Dearly beloved s.o.b.!

So it’s only now you’ve begun to realize what a beautiful woman I am – after I’ve given you the best years of my life! Three years of being married to you and I might have become an old hag – but I didn’t! Guess it’s love that keeps me beautiful! But what got me was your claiming to discover just now what a treasure you have as a wife! You’ll have to keep telling me these things every minute of the day when you’re

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Home (remember when we were married – how long it took you to tell me this?) Darling, you were wise to have that explosive evening – being happily drunk is a great outlet and how I wish it were possible for me to do that too. But don’t worry! I’ll make up for it when you come home. Anyway, your suggestion about a buying spree for myself sounded wonderful, but I’m going to bank that $80.00 for an emergency. It’s going to be comforting to know that there is something to fall back on if I should ever need it. I’m certain you’ll agree – and if you still insist on my buying at

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Least one new dress – or even a pair of earrings – I won’t be stubborn. I’ll capitulate. (But dresses – good ones – are too expensive today.) It was wonderful to read that you’ve again met up with some people you knew – and it’s good you had xmas dinner with them. (Hope you had meat. There’s a meat strike here at home and it’s hard as hell to get meat – not even a chicken.) It’s sweet of them to think of sending me a gift – but what can they get there… I mean it might be a hardship for them to do this – anyway it’s a sweet thought.

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I’m also anxious to receive that soldier friend’s letter so I can see that somebody thinks you’re handsome! I’ll certainly get in touch with his relatives – but what’s the point? It sounds very dramatic and exciting.

What amused me very much was your Don Juan act at the synagogue. Pictured the girls swooning when Alex Rosner walks in – with you immediately reassuring the men present by pulling out Cookie’s picture and mine. (Secretly, dear, I felt very flattered when I read that.)

But what pleased me most about the letter was your

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Cheery tone. It was wonderful. It lifted my spirits up a lot too. Suddenly I grabbed Cookied and started dancing with her and singing and kissing her. The poor kid didn’t know what hit her. It was such a sudden change for my mood after your letter announcing that you would be home again.

Interruption

Well, darling – It’s 12:15AM now and my neighbors have just left so I can finish this letter

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They all scribbled hello to you and I’m enclosing their note. I had intended doing the laundry tonight – but as usual, something kept me from it. So – tomorrow night is laundry night.

The news in tonight’s paper is wonderful – those American boys trapped in the Nazi brig(?) have broken the ring – J?? reached the Garrison! But you probably know more about it than I do – you’re closer to it…

You take care of yourself,

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Husband, or I’ll punish you! Oh darling be safe – come home soon to your wife who’s madly in love with you (still can’t figure it out) and to your baby who has a wonderful little pantomime for you – or did I tell you.

ME	SHE
One day, daddy	“dada” (Big smile)
Will knock on the door	She pantomimes knocking
He’ll turn the knob	She runs and turns the knob
And will walk in
He’ll say “hello” what will you say?	She says “hiyo”
He’ll shake hands. What will you do?	She extends hand and shakes.
He’ll kiss baby. What will baby do?	She kisses the air.

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He’ll kiss mommy	She kisses me.
He’ll hug Adrienne and what will you do?	She runs to me and hugs me
Then what will daddy do?	She throws arms up and says “uppa” showing me that you’ll throw her up in the air.
He’ll take your hand and sing you to sleep What will you sing to him	She sings “happy happy happy” (her “happy birthday” song)
Do you love daddy?	A strong nodding of head, she looks at your picture on the —-[cut off]

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And now if anyone knocks at door she runs to tell me (if I’m in bed or in toilet) pantomimes knocking and says “Dada!” A pedlar came around today to sell “The Watchtower” and after I refused and shut the door, Adrienne ran to open it again crying bitterly “Dada Dada” and I had to say that that guy wasn’t daddy. She used to see a man (and man who passed by) and call him “man” – now she sees a man and calls him “dada”. It’s painful and embarrassing.

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Am very faithful, Alex, and you need not worry about that. There’s only one man for me and that’s you – nobody else even comes near you.

Darling – I got very little sleep last night. My girlfriend from camp was here and left about 1:30AM and then I wrote you a letter and Cookie woke up and I didn’t get to bed till 4AM – and up this morning. I must get some sleep. Goodnight, sweetheart, and dream of me. Your Sylvia

Notes from Neighbors:

Dear Neighbor,

I’d rather say hello friend. I feel I know you so well. Let me introduce myself. I am Shirley, living on the same floor on the righthand side of the hall and brother it’s a pleasure knowing your wife. She is a grand person. I guess I don’t have to tell you that. But I can say your farling daughter is just adorable, and getting smarter day by day. God Bless her. We are really very fond of her. By we, I mean my four children, yes eve. Daniel who is my pride and joy plays very nice with her. He is just six and seems to understand her.

            Try to concentrate on a letter with my twins, who are 12 ½ and my husband all talking in your house at the same time. I think I will have to give up and say I will attempt it when I can stop to think more clearly without interruptions. It’s nice knowing you [by looking at your picture in front of me on the Xmas Tree.) Here’s hoping to see you real soon and drop us a line.

Friendly Yours, Shirley Epstein

Hello, Alex –

Sorry you are not back here yet. I hear you play chess – and I am having trouble finding opposition. Sylvia has been helping me edit the Fort Greene Tenants’ Voice. Their Xmas tree is O.K. I hope to meet you soon. You will have plenty of friends in the Project.

Fraternally(?),

Dave Livingston

Hello Alex-

How do you do. I know of you, hope to see you real soon, Jack Epstein

P.S. It’s me again. I don’t know if I mentioned this but Jack Epstein and Shirley his wife (two nice dumb people) have been very good to Cookie and me. They put up our curtains – fixed little things around the house they fixed Adrienne’s little table and chair – that I couldn’t do and I told them I wrote you about them so they’re very honored. Throw them a hello in one of your letters. Love – Sylvia.

Did you write your mother?