I'm Going to Have to Make Good

June 28, 1962
Fairbanks, Alaska

...continued...

Glad to hear you’ve taken a shower since I left.  I’ve got you beat; I’ve taken 3.  Another thing if I was there, you’d probably be asleep instead of writing.  You’d be too tired for anything else.  Wouldn’t you?

As far as I know Neil said he wrote her a letter and told her to get her fanny in gear and get rid of things as fast as she could.  Then he told me it’d probably be a month or more before he could get her up here.  He gets $3 hr., pays half the fuel bill and the other utilities but no rent.  Guess he’s getting stuff for his ownself first.  He’s the most important one in their family, you know.  I only see him about once a week and then he generally comes out here.  I don’t go looking for him.  You know I actually feel sorry for Irene.

Sweetheart, you and the kids don’t want to come any more than I want you to, but I just can’t make things happen fast like Neil does.  Bet you a dollar if I’d worked steady like he has and somebody wanted you here, sure bet it wouldn’t be long and you would be.  Don’t be jealous because I think you have more to look forward to than she does even if it does take longer.

You know it really makes me feel good that a little guy like Billy can have so much faith.  At this rate I’m going to have to make good or else I’d never live it down.  I know you have faith too, but a lot of kids his age wouldn’t even understand what was going on.  Pretty smart kid you got, lady.

Dick just came in and is ready to take off for Anchorage so I’ll finish when I get back.

...to be continued...

Note: This is a pretty long letter for Dad, he was really lonely and feeling down about not making enough money to get us up there. It didn't help that Neil kept bragging about how much money he was making and how he was going to have his family up there soon. It amazes me that they stayed friends for so many years after this.