My Dad had a very unique relationship with my Mother. What I do know, is that he truly and deeply loved her...
He was not around very much except for the holidays. And, every once in awhile, he would stop by for a visit, to hand my Mom a hundred dollar bill. Being a sailor, in the U.S. Navy, during the Korean War, retirement came early for him. He was diagnosed with narcolepsy and medically discharged. What he chose to do with his monthly pension involved living completely off the grid, using a generator once in awhile, and entertaining himself with talk radio. He was an avid Art Bell listener.
Letter 1: Stamped (20 cents) - Nov 1, 1983
This letter is the first in the series, written October 31, 1983. It starts off tragically, I warn you. It seems their meeting could have only ended one way, though I am sure it began with a passion. My Father was 22 years older than my Mother, after all.
Mon, Oct. 31. 83
Dear, sweet arlene
I miss you. I didn't know how lonely I
was until you came into my life, and
damn it was only a short time. now
I really suffer, that you are gone home
and I can't be sure you will be
waiting for me. I'll be back to
cedarville as soon as I can, however
it's slow diggen here and I may stay
the entire month of november. I am
only down about eight feet at [site]
two. it is a hard go. but to soon
to quit. I've been reading a lot
and takeing to much time off, but
it seems the thing to do. some
things you just can't hurry.
God I miss you so much. you can
never be replaced you are one
of a kind. so wait for me and
don't go back to the bud or the
Beer and the future will look
good for both of us.I love you turd
Nevada
He was a gambler, in his retirement years. But, he also had a couple other hobbies, too.
Namely gold digging and aliens; he had made himself an expert on the two subjects. When he came to visit, he would often stay for a cup of coffee, and to tell me and my siblings the most amazing stories. Much of his life was spent educating himself on historical legends of treasure. One of which was the elusive gold cannon, said to have spilt over the side of a boat, in Pyramid Lake, Nevada, in some ancient battle. It was in that same desert that I was conceived, miles away, in 1983, shortly before this first letter was written...My Mother had mentioned the conception, in a hushed conversation, to me as an adult, only a few years ago...(what really happened that is).
My Mom gave me these letters to me in a chocolate box.
She wanted to let go of them, but thought instead to give them to me. I was in my late 20's. These letters are written by my Dad (Charlie) to my Mom (Arlene). I assume they met on one of my Dad's monthly trips to town. She was a waitress at a small town diner, in Cedarville, CA. That was the closest town to his little trailer and plot, out there, in the Nevada desert; it was a forty mile trip, one way.
Next, are a couple of photos to verify that these letters are real. I, of course, enhanced them to not be too revealing, and could not resist adding my own graphic artists' touch...after all, nostalgia demands mystique.
Stay tuned for the rest of the story...
TO BE CONTINUED
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