The Trouble with Rosemary
One in a series of old Love Letters that I bought at the flea market and am now transcribing for my nosiest friends.
Every Friday I send out a real love letter that I’ve transcribed from a box I bought at the flea market. Missed one? Check the chronological list.
If love letters aren’t your thing, don’t fret. More View-Master and related content is coming soon!
November 6, 1960
Dearest Femme Fatale,
This is Sunday, after I called you. Beverly is really having trouble with Rosemary.
You may remember Rosemary as Bev's roommate. We met her in the second letter, and Russ didn't seem that impressed with her at the time. As usual, the parts of Elaine, Rosemary and Beverly will be played by Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable and Lauren Bacall.
I called Bev yesterday to find out if she’d heard from you and with only a little provocation to tell me how things were going she went into a complete account of Rosemary’s actions.
UGH, how dishy would that be?
Rosemary is psychotic, neurotic and just plain, everyday nuts.
Actually, Rosemary feels inferior to everyone and she needs constant and ultra-patient handling. She has such a desire to feel wanted that it takes a literal mountain of compliments, niceties, etc. to satisfy her. Rosemary is unstable and cannot stand criticism in any form, real or imagined, and she has a malignant imagination.
I sympathize completely with Bev. If I had a roommate like Rosemary I would ignore him or if he continued to be openly antagonistic, would have long ago broken him into little pieces and disposed of them around the dorm.
What Bev should do is get another room or, if that’s not possible, throw Rosemary out the window. I would gladly testify that Rosemary was nuts enough to commit suicide.
1960 was a different time, you guys, but we also talked like this in the 1980s (and probably the 1990s). The past is a terrible place!
Anyway, I tried to cheer Bev up, but she really ought to get out of that room if she intends to study and keep her peace of mind.
Yesterday was none too kind to me either. I was sick all day. Maybe this weekend was jinxed.
I don’t know what that means.
I feel pretty good today, however. I should be in fine shape for classes tomorrow. I wonder if that’s good or bad. Can’t really decide. It’s good, I guess.
Illinois lost a ridiculous game to Michigan yesterday. There was no reason why we shouldn’t have won the darn thing. Win ‘em and lose ‘em, I guess.
I don’t go out on weekends, so I can spend the time I used to lose there in writing letters to you.
And that’s how you stay faithful to your high school sweetheart when you go off to college, kids.
I don’t have any desire to go out with anyone else anyway, and I’d much rather write to you. Studying is important, naturally, but I must have some spare time and writing letters to you is a good way to spend it.
How have things been going with you? I mean St. Xav’s and all hasn’t made things too miserable. College life isn’t easy.
That’s not the way I remember it. But I knew what married men know.
It seems pretty bad at first, and it doesn’t get any better, but after awhile you just get used to it. A free hour never meant much to me before, but now a whole hour is a well-appreciated gift.
I worked full time and took classes in both undergrad and graduate school, and I don’t remember feeling this busy.
I even look forward to Sunday supper because it’s a break from the normal routine and is a chance to get away from the books. It’s a break I don’t begrudge myself because it is a necessity and something everybody does.
It’ll be no less than wonderful if I can see you this weekend. Bring books if you have to. We can combine pleasures with “business” in this case.
Listening to WLS, I hear Chicago has a possibility of snow coming. All bet that white sand’s going to come falling. Back to WPGU. They have inferior electricity down here. All radio stations come in better here on radio (I must be in bad shape) battery. There’s too much interference on AC. That’s Champaign for you. Maybe WPGU’s broadcasting over the power lines down here has something to do with it.
The announcer on WPGU’s in bad shape. He’s playing all kinds of WJJD-type music. One was entitled “Hi-Ho Silver.” No comment.
The song is … not great!
WJJD had a long and storied run in Chicago and was a Top 40 station in 1960.
Oh, well, I’ve got to go eat Sunday dinner, and then study a little math. Always math to do.
Auf Wiedersehen for a little while. Don’t study too hard and take care of yourself. You’re sweet!
For a while I thought this endless yearbook cliche sign-off was a little joke between them, but I think I just realized that this was written before that sign-off had become a yearbook cliche? He’s being sincere, maybe? Imagine that. It literally hadn’t occurred to me. Ha!
Love and kisses,
Ad infinitum,
Russ
P.S. Homer and Jethro have come out with a version of “Itsy-Bitsy Teeny-Weeny, Polka-Dot Bikini.” It is wild. Different anyway. They just played it on the radio.
Radio is terrible in 1960, but here's that song if you must listen to it.
Thank you SO MUCH for reading and subscribing and, in some cases, paying me to do this fun project! We’re taking a break for the holidays, but Russ and I will be back to posting a weekly love letter in January!
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