My dearest Patricia:
You must be the “dearest” because you are the dearest young woman I know and so it would not matter what your name might be, you’d still be dearest. But I love the name Patricia. I’ve always liked it but strangely you are the first “Patricia” I have ever personally known. Patricia’s I have had as students, primarily as names to call from a roll book, but you are “my” Patricia and I c couldn’t love you more if you were my own “flesh and blood” daughter.
As you may have guessed my little “tiger”, I am writing to you for no other reason than I want to. I love my little valentine especially because you know how to touch my heart by addressing it “to my Carl”. Certainly you possess me as a personality in a way that no one else does! And you made me supremely happy this morning at “tea” when you told me that I need never concern myself about anyone ever taking my place - that no one else ever possibly could. That told me more than anything else you have ever said to me that I mean as much to you as you do to me. No one could ask or hope for more. I shouldn’t need this said to me - and really I didn’t - for you have been consistently sweet, appreciative, and understanding to me, but somehow your saying it gave an added emphasis to our relationship and the trust and confidence between us. I have no greater desire than to do everything possible for your happiness. Knowing that you can tell me [page 2] anything you wish in confidence and ask of me anything you wish or need. Nothing that you tell me in confidence will ever be repeated to another living soul - that I can assure. My pleasure is to protect the confidence of those who are near and dear to me. I have no shred of desire to “spill everything I know” as soon as I learn it, as do a few persons of my acquaintance. Your trusting smiling face is all the reward I need for being as close mouthed as a stone Buddha or an Egyptian sphinx.
I hope that you and Herb have the most enjoyable of week-ends whatever you do, wherever you go, and whomever you see. Of course, I hope to learn something about your week end but of anything you do not choose to tell me I will not even ask.
I hope the vibrator turns out to be all that you have hoped. It really looks as if it should. I’ll look forward to hosting a group of our foreign students with you as we discussed and on a share and share alike basis. Also, to get a lot in the space I have left on this sheet, I plan to begin right away on the study of Spanish so that in the forma pura or a la Mexicana we can progress together on that road to knowledge.
And there’s something else I’m saving my curiosity for - whatever it is your said you had to tell me but there wasn’t time for a couple of days ago. I gather that it is something interesting and exciting and perhaps involved or complex. And now, with more love than I reserve for anyone else, I am yours always. - Carl
[3.5 X 6 envelope]
Patricia
Something to read now, if you are free to do so or to take with you on the week end and read when you have a bit of leisure.
Dr. Carl Duncan and Patricia Whiting Collection (SJSU)
