still a little beyond!
E: Harvard’s failing grade.
W. Saroyan: William Saroyan (1908–81), American short-story writer, novelist, and playwright, at the peak of his fame in 1942.
G Stein: Gertrude Stein (1874–1946), American writer and art patron.
To Edith Gaddis
Eliot House
11 January [1943]
Dear Mom—
Everything is fine and thanks for the check.
The work has been rather lax recently but only because the finals are coming up—@!!/* brother—then we get it! My first exam is next Monday—English I—my last one Monday the 25th in psychology. I think I shall be home Monday (25th) evening—OK? And say, how do you think the $ situation will be about then—I’d like to try to erase that mess I made of Christmas week if it’s possible and try to see some shows—plan ahead I mean and work it out like you have always said—[...]
Charles Gardiner is going to be in town over the weekend too, and wants me to see a show or two with him—more complications. He is just 18 but mature—well read etc.—good mind etc.—remembers Dead End—Winterset etc. Quite a guy.
Got a card from Francis this AM—he’s gone for good I guess—I am to send his last box out to him—‘end of an era!—’
Say, I hear you’re having gasoline trouble!! How are you coming out with the coupons? I suppose we did unnecessary driving, but I think it came out the same as if I hadn’t come home at all—and hadn’t got the 4 ‘A’ trickets from Granga.
We have been living quite a life this past week but now everyone is going into seclusion for midyear preparation—me too—it now being 1 AM and am starting She Stoops to Conquer for Eng I—wonderful course.
Love
Bill
P.S.—Tue AM—just got inductment papers—to report here the 14th—Thursday—so my next letter I’ll either be 4F or in His Majesty’s Army!
Charles Gardiner: unidentified.
Dead End—Winterset: movies that came out in 1937 and 1936, respectively.
She Stoops to Conquer: classic comedy by Oliver Goldsmith (1773).
To Edith Gaddis
Cambridge, Massachusetts
[16 January 1943]
Dear Mom—
Tried to get into Merchant Marine—couldn’t because of albumin; had draft board changed to Cambridge—will probably be inducted in early February but think I shan’t be drafted.
Thanks for Sak’s letter—since it looks like I’ll be here and do need a suit—well what do you think? I need it and they have my measurements—couldn’t they send it up?
Well everything under control, and except for owing Weidner library a small fortune and wanting to get a newspaper job immediately, having just seen Cary Grant in Once Upon a Honeymoon, I guess things will stay under control—
Love
Bill
Once Upon a Honeymoon: 1942 film in which Grant plays a radio correspondent in Europe during World War II.
To Edith Gaddis
Cambridge, Massachusetts
[11 February 1943]
Dear Mom—
Just about able to sit up and write after my first fencing—first physical ed. I’ve had in years—and it was wild! Exercises I never knew existed. My right leg is sore from them and practicing lunges etc. I do hope I can stay with it. It is some sport.
Thanks for the watch—it’s good to have it again—and the gloves are beautiful thanks so much for both—and the checks. I paid 22.75 on the Coop’s bill and got $8 change—now I can charge until March 10th. That bill is right I guess and will check up some more. Now I can pay Callahan—and get a ticket to the ballet—the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo is going to be up here next week—Scherherezade Thursday night—the Afternoon of a Faun Saturday night—I don’t know which—those are the ones I want to see—
Last evening my roommate and I and some others (one fellow from India, one from Puerto Rico,—Afghanistan etc.) were invited to dinner at Mr. Finlay’s—the house master’s—quarters—quite an affair—beautiful furniture, silver service etc.—an Australian flier was here and did a great deal of talking but otherwise it was quite an event—
Right now it’s time to stop—Stanley Gould just came over—from ‘Watch Hill’ in Conncticut—who practiced drums for 6 years—and my room mate—and a record named Chasin’ with Chase are all going at once—so—I’d better get to work
Love
Bill
Stanley Gould: (1926–85), later became a well-known Greenwich Village hipster/junkie in the ’40s and ’50s. He was the model for Anatole Broyard’s “Portrait of a Hipster” (Partisan Review, June 1948) and for Ross Wallenstein in Kerouac’s novel The Subterraneans (1958, in which WG appears as Harold Sand).
“Chasin’ with Chase”: a jazz tune recorded by vibraphonist Lionel Hampton.
To Edith Gaddis
Cambridge, Massachusetts
[19 February 1943]
Dear Mom—
We did see the ballet last night and it was beautiful—we had wonderful seats—middle of back, orchestra circle, 1st row, Scheherazade was—well just — — — don’t have the right words. We’re going again tomorrow night—Afternoon of a Faun (Callahan cashed a check!).
I have been quite busy all week, and waiting around for George, who I thot might show up. He set out the 17th and I wanted him to stop here on
