Easter Monday
Aberdeen
Dearest,
It is now 11pm. I’m sitting in bed just waiting for Percy to put the finishing touches to his nightly toilet and then we’re off to sleep. We’ve been roaming the banks of the Dee and not a few hills today, but I’ll tell you about that again. The only thing is I’m tired out and will only write now until Percy is ready to sleep. I tried to phone you today – this before I received your letter telling me the phone had been cut off. It was impossible to get a line, they were mad busy when I reached civilisation because we seem to have spent the day losing ourselves and then getting back almost to where we began. That sentence is as rambling as the day has been, but you will see that your letter did save some disappointment after all, although I, too, feel another link with home has gone. I’ll send you the club phone number and let you know when I may be there. Don’t forget you’ll have to make it a personal call.
Tuesday
Now to try to answer your letters. On the question of your need of a holiday, I have felt very guilty some time. You do need a holiday, sweet, and you deserve something more than a week, too, but that seems as much as we will be able to manage just now. We will let the whole matter lie on the table for a time because there are so many things which cannot be sorted out until we get to Torry. There is the question of whether or not I can get permission to sleep out with you for a full week and that in itself depends on where I can find for you. I have already got someone working on that line and and may hear something in the next week or so. When I do get it properly sorted out I’ll let you know and the sooner you come up the better because neither of us will settle down properly until you have been up. Do your best to make it a week. Two nights would be such a short time that I think we would be tempted to stay in bed for the full 48 hours and I want you in other ways than sexually – I mean in addition to sexually of course! To be serious for a minute, I think one of the things which has helped to unsettle us both is the way we have shown in our letters how much we want each other. No wonder we cannot settle down! I know yours have been very, shall I say, “stimulating”, to me. That may have also been the case with some of my letters to you. Therefore, apart from an occasional word of endearment here and there perhaps, I don’t think I had better describe my biological urges too minutely.
I have only answered part of your letters but I am going to try the experiment of catching an earlier collection tonight – the 6.30pm – and see if that reaches you any sooner. It’s almost post time now so must go. Many thanks for the regular letters you write, darling. They mean ever so much to me. I got your Easter Monday – or rather the one post-marked 8pm 6 April – by this evening’s delivery. I was glad to hear May is well but sorry you had such a time with Mother. Eric seems to have had the rough edge of her tongue.
I had a letter from Harold today. Will send it on when I have answered it, but goodness knows when that will be. I don’t seem to get time to write to anyone except you these days. My arrears of correspondence are assuming gigantic proportions and I’ll have to do something about it. Sorry this is so short a note. Will try to do better tomorrow.
Goodbye, sweet. Biological urges or no, I only know I love you now and ever.
Ever yours,
Arthur X
P.S. Will you tell Wendy I tried to ring her up on her birthday and explain about the phone. Tell her how much I wanted to be at her party.
From Michael to Arthur
Home
Dear Daddy,
Uncle Eric gave me a shilling instead of an Easter egg and I went to Hilton’s and buyed an aeroplane and it’s got a thing that goes round. I saw Ronnie today and he said “Do you want to see my boat?” and when he came out he said I could keep it. It’s got a gun on the front and funnels and a thing that petrol goes in. I’m going to sale it in the bath. Uncle Eric brought the mirror for my dressing table in his motor car. The mirror moves. Mummy let me have a little clock in my bedroom. The aeroplane’s got wheels and nice things on the end and windows. It’s a fighter and it’s called a Defiant. When I saw it in Hiltons on the shelf I gave the shilling to the lady and I carried it home. I’ve got money in my pocket – a farthing, a halfpenny and a penny and a ha’penny with a boat on and a shilling. My trousers are nice and clean. Ronnie gave me a piece of clay. When I was in the garage the mudguard came off my bike. I have eaten all my meals up today. Ronnie has got a big yacht with a little man on. I took my bus and racing car out and I found a little car at the back of the cupboard. Mummy has got a sewing machine.
Love from Michael