27 August 1941 – Queens, New York

Dearest Marion,

I want to ask you a very serious question.  The circumstances of our companionship lately should help you answer this question.  Well in the “King’s English”, the question is: will you marry me, for better or worse (probably worse) until death do us part.  Presuming your answer is yes I think a very convenient and easy to remember day for our wedding would be your birthday. I could assassinate two winged creatures with one missile by giving you your wedding ring for birthday in conjunction with your wedding.  Then again you may want to be a June bride, so, we could get hitched on my birthday. Then you could save yourself by giving me all the wedding bills as a birthday present.  Of course, I’m under the impression that all the above could not take place unless I was earning eighty-five dollars per week.  But then again if you could live on twelve a week, why wait?

Incidentally, if Ethel is around tell her she can consider herself proposed to if you refuse.  (Here’s hoping you don’t refuse.)

But all kidding aside I really like you a great deal. I  hope I will for a long time.

Play it your way [with an arrow pointing to “like” in the above sentence].

Well now that you and your nosey sitser have read this letter I think I close.

Love & Kisses

Larry

P.S. Please excuse the writing.  I write bad enough as it is but this pen is new and makes my bad writing worse.  LR