Letter from William H. Gernert to Richard T. Gernert, November 12, 1942

-1- [centered] Thursday Nov 12 [top left]
Dear Son and Pal-
Haven't heard a word from you or Sally, but pressume you have reached your destination by this time.
Kind of a gloomy day around here today. Mom started in on the front room and has the ceiling all painted. Today is her day at Red Cross all day, so she won't get at the side walls before tomorrow or Saturday. I had to move the piano since you weren't here to help her. Mom says to me "get down under and raise it with your back, like Dick did the last time" - it did work alright.
Shirley is so busy - she is in a school play, also something [unsure leg] [underlined] in the Rainbow Girls, also the Girls Soroity is putting on a dance this Friday night And [written larger and bolded] she bowls. Yesterday she bowled 166 - Laugh that off! I doubt if I could beat that and I know you couldnt.
[unsure br] (you heard about the moron who had BO [underlined] so bad, they tipped him over, Halloween?) Then the moron who had worked for the city, polishing the cannon in the park, for a year and a half at 10 cents a week, to keep him out of mischief. Well he resigned and said he had saved enough money to buy his own cannon and was going in business for himself. Some of Shirley's latest.
Wish we could hear from Bill that Sally had arrived there with them.
Every thing moving along very quietly since our week end at Wooster which mother told you about in letter #4, Wooster won over Denison 26-"0". I sure rubbed it in to Herb Bowman. Love Pop
Dear "Rich", Pal- 2 [centered] Friday [top left]
Today is a beautiful cold day and no word about you as yet - but, "no news is good news" even if it is a bit hard to wait. Took mom + Shirley to Tontogany for chicken supper last night then went to Education Week school "doings" at high school later - then to Rothes for an hour - then home to bed - said prayers for you boys + wives and slept like a "Top".
I guess I forgot to tell you - I drove to Wooster and the car ran just swell - What a car, eh, boy? I often think of how happy I was to give the car to you and Eveline this summer - and it did come in handy didn't it [unsure leg] Boy?
Do you remember the Harold Rader that tried [underlined] to play end for the Bob Cats 2 or 3 years ago? You tied to show him how but he was too dumb to learn -Remember? Well he joined the marines and was reported yesterday in the paper, to have been wounded [underlined] in the Solomons.
Mom is working on her paint project today - Tonight we are invited to be chaperone to the Girls Sorority dance at the high school. We shall go, cause Shirley wants us to and she is our anchor since you boys left - a swell girl too, Dick. I guess she and Glenn are "off" for good, but it was tough going for her - she fell pretty hard. Reminds me when you fell for Elsbeth [unsure sp] and when Bill fell for the Kerrwich girl - during high school days. Funny how things work out, isn't it?
Remember, son, to send post cards to lots [underlined] of [underlined] people [underlined]. Tell uncle Bill Donahey about the Grass skirts, etc., - uncle Harry, too.
See you tomorrow, Buddy [bottom right]
Love. Pop [bottom right]