easydoesnt - December 4, 1963

December 4, 1963

Dear Sally-

The apartment sounds wonderful. I assume that it is unfurnished? The price sounds more wonderful than anything. Does it have a garage? I fancy not or you would have mentioned it. The shower is no problem at all because we can fix one up but that hill does sound gruesome. However you are right about winter drawbacks not negating the entire year. It really is a comfortable price. However weren't those other apt's in Corralville $107 ? Come to think of it though, those apartments are kind of close living. Your place sounds just isolated enough. I think I do know the hill you mean. Is it near the Drama Department theatre? I used to have a class in that building and I remember a large hill near it. If that's not the one then I don't know which one you're talking about. I trust your judgement implicitly however. I am happy that you are going to try to climb the hill after a snow storm. Keep in mind when passing judgement on its accessibility that there are those fainter of heart than you have to use that hill even with snow tires. But I share your enthusiasm about finding a place. Nothing would make me happier than to know you've seen something certain. A duplex is the nearest thing to a house you can get. I love the isolation of a dead-end street too.

I don't care that you told the landlord about me. It's just that I hate having to give a series of lectures complete with slides to ladies clubs luncheons everytime I go out for a walk or a drink someplace. And nothing annoys me any more than to be sitting in a bar, especially a gay bar, trying to forget my troubles and to have someone say, "This is Carolyn, she etc., etc, etc." Stop after Carolyn please. But in the case of a landlord whom I'll probably not meet very often anyway, I don't mind. I would have kicked you in the shins had I been present though. They never shut up. I hate to take 5 hours for something that can be done in 5 minutes.

Really, maybe we had better stick to the $90 a month things when we are getting 2 bedrooms for it. My natural propensity to blow money doesn’t often allow me to say things like that but I know it is the smart thing to do as long as we are not really making a large sacrifice in space or distance. This apartment sounds well located and even if the hill is bad, I could park my car at the bottom of it and run home and cry and maybe you would go bring it up for me.

Our Christmas cocktail party is before the end of the school term (Dec. 12). I leave for Teheran and the dentist chair on Dec. 18. My appointment is Dec. 19. I will leave Teheran to return to Agha Jari on Jan 1st in the evening. School resumes Jan 4th. We then start phase 2, eleven weeks, until the middle of March when we get another 19 days off for the Iranian new year festivities. Then phase 3, 12 weeks until June 24th. I sympathize with those dreams of yours. We are approaching the 13th week of school. That means I've been dreaming for almost 15 1/2 weeks about you making love to me. 15 weeks! Jesus, I used to think the end of this world had come after 15 days of chastity. That just goes to show you that one never realizes the depths of suffering one is capable of when it is demanded of one. Well the first 1/2 of 1964 may be a total loss but the 2nd half will more than compensate. Talk about famine to feast in one short week. I'll not only have physical and emotional feast, but intellectual as well. What I wouldn't give to be around a crowd of affable intelligent raccoons now is just unimaginable.

It is Wednesday afternoon here and we face another abysmal endless weekend. But this is the last one until Jan 8th because next weekend is our Christmas cocktail party and then we blow for Christmas. I'm more anxious to get started on phase 2 than I am to go to Teheran for Christmas. I'll really feel as though time is passing once I begin writing 1964.

After Byron leaves, it will really be the marking of passing time. He leaves Jan 28th and although I hate to see him go, I'll be happy to see that much time gone. Keep looking for an apartment or a house darling. You don't know how much joy it gives me to read about the things you've seen. It will be a real joy to go shopping with you for furniture. I can't wait with any graciousness or aplomb but I do know intellectually that this too shall pass so please don't let me depress you with my letters. I've started Jane Austin again. Only I know the depths of nothingness that indicates. I've read the collected works of Jane Austin (the same ones) 8 times in the last 9 years.

I love you Sally.

Carolyn

Advertisement

Advertisement