Dearest Patricia:
I was so glad to see you today when you dropped in after having completed your finals and so pleased that you were happy about the two you took today. You are a delight when you are happy and bubbly about anything. Of course you weren’t happy over your glasses and it is too bad that you have to spend the time and effort necessary to get them adjusted. However, you were completely in the right and the “lady” with whom you dealt at the oculists was in the wrong to the point of being offensive. I’m glad you talked to John Rumsfeld and went back and stood up to the woman and made your point. By now I’m sure she knows she was wrong and would just as soon have “Bud” handle the adjustment. However, if anything that needs to be done is going to cost you more, please let me know. I’ll be more than happy to meet the expense. Don’t forget that, if I’m to play my proper role in relation to you I should meet the extra and incidental expenses that would tax your resources.
I’ll have a monthly allowance for you this week and I suspect that we should go over obligations so that we will be in agreement as to how much I should supply on a regular basis. As soon as my first regular check comes I shall start meeting your basic expenses for schooling whatever they are. I don’t want you having to worry about anything till your education is completed and you have your AB. I want you to feel free to put all your effort on your studies and important student commitments. This will require rent for your apartment and whatever is necessary beyond that $100.00 or more possibly. You will know better than I.
Then sometime within the week [page 2] following we should go down to your bank and establish the reserve (savings) fund that I mentioned to build up an amount that, if you need it, will enable you to pay out the balance due on the Los Padres place without jeopardizing the place at Menlo. I propose starting with $1000.00 it will not take long to do but it will require both of us to satisfy the bank. Then whatever happens, either you or I could use the money to meet the indebtedness. This will relieve your mind of any long range concern for your mom and the rest of the family. It makes me feel very good to contemplate this arrangement but I will feel better as soon as the arrangement can be consummated. Then - even if I live to be 150 - I’ll be sure that you and yours will be secure and my affection for you is such that nothing could make me happier.
When you took my arm as we walked toward the little restaurant where we had a sandwich and a shake, I felt supremely happy for I knew by this that our relationship is steadily improving and is marked by an ever greater measure of trust, which is as it should be.
I had a quite enjoyable evening at the ranch tonight. It was good to see Lindy again. She is so refreshing and like you, though quite different in many ways, fery much an inwardly secure individual. I think you two would find much in common and many grounds for mutual appreciation were circumstances such as to bring you together. Her tall fiancée, Mark Dawson, also is much an individual, too, though I think Lindy is better rounded impersonally. But, he’s getting there.
I’m looking forward, of course, to Vince’s coming tomorrow and to the three of us having dinner together. I’ll come back from Menlo early enough for the making of all arrangements when you phone. Probably, with a late dinner, I should reserve space for us at Plate at 7 - I’m running out of space again though not of esteem and effection for you. Love, Carl.
[5 X 3 card]
Speaking of finances, a story is told of a negro who appeared, gloom-faced, for work one day. His boss asked him, what’s the matter Leroy. The answer: “Well, it’s my wife. She’s always pesterin’ me for money, if it ain’t a quarter or a half a dollar, it’s a dollar she wants.”
“Well, what does she do with all this money, Leroy?”
“I duno, suh - I hain’t never give her none yit.”
Dr. Carl Duncan and Patricia Whiting Collection (SJSU)
