March 16th, 1942 - A Letter From Grace Bauer

March 16th, 1942

About This Letter:

From: Grace Bauer

To: Private George F. Lutz

6th Training Battalion

Camp Wheeler, GA.

Letter Transcription:

March 16th, 1942

Hello Honey!

All week I've been waiting for a letter and was so disappointed. At last I was so worried I asked Mother to go up with me Saturday night to your house to see if your family had heard from you. I was imagining you in the hospital with Sal. It rained all that day and was still raining when we went up,
and alas, no one was home. It seems Gene took your Mother to the movies to see "Remember the Day" and "Confirm or Deny". Your dad was out at Mastic. Well, Sunday morning I went to church and made up my mind to make an attempt again that afternoon. Well about 2 o'clock I rang the bell and your Mother answered. She was all alone as Gene had gone to a broadcast with a few fellows to see Fred Wavering and Dinah Shore.

Your Mom let me read your letter telling about the insignia. I was delighted to hear of it and can't wait until you're a corporal. I told Mary about it and she said of course you have a few months on her husband, but he'll be catching up with you and you'll both be colonels before you're out, and I don't doubt it. All kidding aside, I'm glad to hear you're still doing drafting work and keeping in practice. Getting back to my Sunday afternoon's chat -- we sure did talk. It became quite warm in the living room, so we sat on the porch. It was about 6 o'clock when Charlie (the Peiter's son-in-law) dropped in. He had been on inspection. I had never met him so your mother introduced me. She said, "This is George's intended wife" and I can't tell you the grand feeling that came over me. That's the first time I ever heard her say it, and my heart skipped quite a few beats. Oh, darling, how wonderful it will be when the day comes! I can hardly wait.

Well, we had quite a chat with Charlie and he again said what a good place you have on the list, and there are already 500 vacancies to be filled, but the Mayor is not appointing men on account of them being drafted and taken out of the department right away. He was telling us funny stories about his two children and the time passed very quickly. He left at 7 and I started to get ready to go home. Your mother wanted me to stay for supper, but I promised Mother that I'd be home for supper as we were going up to Aunt Nana's in the evening.

We got up to Auntie's about 8:30 and played bunco. We had lots of fun and left about 12 because we all had to get up early the next morning. They were all asking for you. Ray is now in the office, they tell us and they're all pepped up about it.

This morning (March 16th) I received your letter of March 9th. It seems the letter carrier must of left it in someone else's letter box and they only dropped it in ours about 7:30 this morning. I don't know what we'll have to of with our mail-man. He must be in love.

What did you mean two in a room? No bridal suite? I don't know yet who will be going down because every time I ask your family they don't seem to know wether it will be the train or auto because of the tire shortage. And I have to find out when I can get my vacation. I want to take the first 2 weeks in June if I can. If we do decide to stay at the guest house we'll make reservations way in advance.

Did you and Al have a good time?

Tonight there was your letter of Wed March 11th waiting for me. "One Foot in Heaven" is a story of a minister's family and the struggle they have to build a church along with complications of their family life. I think you'd like it. I did.

Honestly I really like sweet potatoes now:

Friday we had some fun! I went with the girls from the office to dinner and then to a show. First we went to a Chinese restaurant on 34th st and I had a delicious meal. Then we went to Radio City and saw "Woman Of The Year". They had a grand stage show too and it was very colorful. You ought to see that picture dear, it is a riot! The funniest part is the day they get married and all the happenings of that "day". We had quite a bit of excitement. Lucy was sitting in the next to the last seat in the aisle and a Chinese man sat along side of her. He kept edging over toward her and she thought he got a bit excited over the picture and didn't realize what he was doing. It happened again and she turned and said to him, "I'll give you one minute to get out of here before I call an usher." Well, boy did he take it on a run! We didn't know anything about it until it was all over. She didn't want to cause any excitement. I got home about 11:15 and practically ran home from the subway cause the streets seemed so deserted. All in all it was a very successful day spent.

Enclosed is the picture we took at Jone's Beach. I took it home to show my folks and we had a laugh over it and I promised your Mom I'de send it to you so you could see it. It's Gene's picture. It was too bad it was cloudy and getting dark.

That's about all the news for now. Thursday is Dad's birthday and we're going to see "The Man Who Came To Dinner". Tomorrow is my knitting club at Jeannie's and I'll probably have more "dirt" to tell you when I write next.

Be good, darling and I love you more and more. Oh how I wish I was in Georgia with you. It won't be long now. I forgot to tell you this. A friend of Aunt Dorothy's cam to visit Mother and told her fortune by cards. She said a blonde young man Mother knew was going to be married in June. The only one Mom can think of is you, so you'r better watch out!

So long honey,

Love,

Grace