3rd Letter from Texas -- account of first cocktail party!

June 29, 1954

1908 Elkins Ave.

Killeen, Texas

 

Dear Mother, Daddy, and Adolph,

 

This letter comes a few days late, because I’ve just sent Mr. Fairbank my first book report through the mails. I’m not entirely satisfied, but then I suppose I would never be. However, when reading over the finished copy I saw many places where my ideas needed to be more sharply expressed. Anyway, the paper is a “fait il complete” [sic] and there will be many more papers in which I can prove my worth.  My husband diligently typed up all fourteen pages for me. If you would like to see the first fruits of my labor from the soils of Texas, I have a copy I can send you.

 

I suppose Daddy is utterly exhausted by the heat of Texas. The heat was utterly out of our control. Killeen has taught me one thing about human beings, they can accustom themselves to anything!  Take the heat for example. When we first arrived, it was so hot that I couldn’t walk out of the house after eight o’clock in the morning till after seven o’clock at night. Now I can take long walks in the heat of noon without the least discomfort, But of course don’t do it. 

 

Maybe Daddy told you, but one Sunday evening we gave a cocktail party for Marshall’s friends. We had about twenty-five people, all of whom were most unusual in their own individual way. Everyone says the army serves one purpose at least, it introduces the individual to many different kinds of people.  Yet while this may be true, initially, boys of like interests and backgrounds immediately group together. it’s like an unconscious attraction. I’m sure Marshall didn’t say, well this boy has college education so I’ll become friendly with him. Yet most of his friends had college degrees, had special subjects in which they were most interested, and on the whole, they were an alert, sensitive group.  Naturally under these optimum conditions, the party was a huge success, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Also the young men were just so happy to walk into a home with a rug on the floor and lamps on the tables, that they’re all very anxious to come back again. But such parties in my house shall be the unusual not the usual. By the way, there were also a few wives.

 

Beside my husband’s success at lecturing, he is also becoming a journalist. An article he wrote for the army newspaper was sent into the Temple newspaper and he made the middle of the front page. To be truthful it wasn’t so much my husband’s journalistic ability as much as the subject matter that got it such spacing, but still we were happy. 

 

We went back to Austin last weekend. I haven’t yet been able to figure it out, but there is something about that city that makes our stays there very pleasant. I think, maybe it’s just the air, its very free and exhilarating. I hope Daddy told you of his return to his old alma mater.

 

I received a letter from Libby who seemed rather depressed. Marshall has a very unusual friend here, who plans to be in Cambridge this summer. We gave him Libby’s address as well as her life history.  I do hope they like each other. 

 

Tell Adolph I plan to write him his own special letter in a few days. Daddy I hope you’re not too worn out by your trip not to return. We’ve fixed our air conditioner and if you stay in the house, you never would know the sun was shining. Mother we enjoy your letters very much. They sound especially happy, we hope that’s true.

 

Our love to you all, Merle and Marshall

 

P.S. Please write – I’m studying my French for an hour each day.