Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

L-R: Joe, Mary, Bob, and Steven

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

There were a number of things for me to do. So on Monday, we made arrangements to spend some time with the Arnolds. Mary had kept in contact with them while they were in Waltham and she visited them often. She and Doris hit it off very well. In fact on wee and Mary visited and they were to go out. Doris asked her to help get the house in shape  Mary went into the dining room, Charlie had a stack of papers lying here and there. She took them and shoved them in a drawer in a built-in cupboard off the dining room.

Charlie would go home on weekend from the Cape where he worked for the government in establishing recreation places for G.I.s. When he got home and went to the dining room to get his papers, he yelled for Doris in the kitchen. "What happened to my papers?" Doris looked at Mary. "What did you do?"

Mary told Charlie she put the papers in the drawer in the cupboard off the dining room. She said he messed up the dining room. And he shouldn't leave his papers lying around. That was your mother. Sticking her nose where it didn't belong. An attribute of her ethnic custom of her Arianesi. [ed: typical Dad 😹] It wasn't the first and it would not be the last. Any way Charlie took the lecture. And whenever Doris told him that Mary was going to visit from thereafter, he would gather his papers, run up to his room, and put the papers where they would still be in the same position. He just piled letters, paper, etc. one upon the other. And whatever paper he had to refer to  at a later date he could go the pile and pull it out.

I also kept in touch with them via mail while in the service. Mary to the date claims that she kept the friendship going. Because Skip and I were at odds. Yes, but it did not affect the friendship.

They invited us when they found out that I was coming home, to spend some time with them. {ed: Charlie and Doris had moved to Ohio] I called them and Skip gave me a number to call. It was to a man who worked for one of the aircraft companies at the airport.He told me to mention his name, that any time he needed to get a seat or seats to call him. I did and he too my number and about ten minutes later he called us and told me which airline and to give my name.The tickets would be waiting and he gave me the time to call for them so that we would be able to make the flight.

Although the war was over the nation was still in a war condition. Everything was rationed. One needed tickets for everything. Anyway in January we flew to Cleveland, Ohio. It was a nice trip. I did not need to be on the alert. Back in our war zones I flew a number of time to go to schools (Army) or to locate our positions to drop supplies during rough weather.

When we landed Charlie was waiting for us. As we told him when we were to take off from EB [ed: East Boston] our flight and arrival time.

Doris had three boys and she loved them. But when I was in Waltham, she had two boys and I asked if there would be more children. She said she would like to and have it be especially a girl. She also told me that they had had a girl but she died shortly after birth. She never mentioned the girl again. Except that she would like to try but was afraid. She did but it was a boy. Steven.

And as I note that she and Mary go along very well. Mary stood in the position of the daughter she yearned for. Even after they moved back to Massachusetts. And we visited, Doris just bloomed with Mary around and mentoring her on the short cuts to take while cooking new recipes, etc.

The move to Ohio resulted in the end of the war. In his job, Charlie moved to be in charge for New England. When the war ended , that job went to the person who had it. If they wanted it back. And most did.

I was asked if I wanted to go back to the Waltham Boys Club. I said no. So Charlie opted for the Cleveland job as it was open and had to do with housing.

Our time seemed to fly. Since most things were bought with ration tickets. Things to be plentiful in Cleveland and I bought a coat, suit, shirts which your mother said she bought. She seemed to shut her eyes that every month I was in service a percentage of my salary was sent home to her.

We got to see some of Cleveland. They had a nice city and nice stores. We had everything that we bought shipped home, no charge and no payment of taxes either. If we took the clothes they would add the taxes on the bill. We saved some money and we also took Steven with us one day and bought him a coat. He looked cute in it. Doris said we should not have done anything like that.

Like all good thing they must come to and end so we made arrangements to fly home. Mary enjoyed it. Her first and last flight.