Amateur Radio Station
WIKKG
Watertown, Conn.
Telephone 3-12
April 20, 1941
Dear Bessie:-
Your letter of April 6th (the last one) left me practically speechless until now, as I didn't know there were that many adjectives. However, checking with the Webster dictionary I find that there are, so will make an attempt to return a few of them.
At the moment, I'm fresh out of alibis for my explaining my failure to answer your previous letter which did arrive here rather than in Antartica [sic], as you very kindly suggested. Of course, I'm always busy, but I don't know that I have been more particularly busy recently than before. Probably I'm getting out of the habit of writing, (except until the last two or three weeks, since which time I've been trying to keep up with correspondence from two Army Camps). Yes, I've got two friends in the service, one in Camp Blanding, Fla. and the other in Fort Constitution, Portsmouth New Hampshire! As for me, I'm in hiding, have changed my name & address & wear a beard to prevent detection. Seriously, though, Uncle Sam hasn't quite got the range, but one of these days he probably will. somehow, I don't much care, as I sincerely believe that I'd have a good rest in almost any army camp compared to the present, as I don't think many of the Soldiers have to get up at 5 a.m. every morning. At least I hope not. And anyway, they don't have cows, I also hope.
It happens I read the article in question concerning the immediate execution of an urge, desire, or impulse, also. It seems to have some good arguments, and yet I can find a few flaws with the reasoning. Suppose Noah had followed his first impulse to bar Skunks from the ark. Where then would all your fur coats be?
We've had some beautiful weather of late. Very warm and dry. My complexion at present is red - from Sunburn, not blushing! And my neck; ouch. This afternoon I gathered some arbutus. I suppose you have heard of that. The trailing-stuff that people write poems about.
I imagine that super collos colossal snow has super-vanished even at this early date as a result of the super heat.
Did you mention Stamps? You mean those funny punched edged, stick-backed, oblong things saying "gimme three cents" on 'em? Seems like I heard something about them once, but haven't done anything with them lately. Movies are too expensive. I can't even afford heroines. They have to offer their photographic services gratis, and it's such a strain, being snapped that way. I've got some nice snow pictures and some local scenes which were of interest until I ran them off the first hundred times, or so. I'm making a separate film of the Telephone Co. which is still in existence, thank you, In spite of the lack of civilization in these parts.
Back to the army for a moment. A third friend & neighbor of mine - I thik think I have three friends left. - took his physical exam for the army last week. Chances are pretty good that he will go, and then I'll be left alone here in the neighborhood. However, I have decided that in case of actual declaration of war by this country, I shall enlist immediately, and get as good a job as possible, perhaps something in radio in the Signal Corps. That is, of course, if they accept me. I still don't much care.
Well, Tempus Fidgets, as my old Latin teacher never said, because I never had one, and I've got to get up early tomorrow morning, and I've got to lead a discussion on war at YTC tomorrow night, and wednesday [sic] night I've got tickets for an operetta at church given by the youth choir and orchestra, and I don't know what comes after that until next monday [sic] when I start a nice full week of Grange, Telephone Employees Council, Boy Scout Committee meeting, etc, etc, world without end, amen.
Sincerely yours.
Sperry