- Date: Friday noon, very probably early May 1941, a few days after Joe III was born (date estimated; see the notes)
- Written at: Planada, California
- Stationery: Plain paper, in pencil
- From: Joseph “Joe” Sharmer, signing himself “Joe II”
- To: Ruby, in hospital with their baby son
- Condition: Complete — 2 pages
Each page of the original is shown beside its transcription. Click a page to enlarge it.
PAGE 1
Friday — Noon
My Sweethearts:—
Your box is on its way Spec Delivery with all we could find except the cookies like you wanted also a few in small box for you to treat the nurses if you like — I drew the cannery money.
| I drew the cannery money. | $485.59 |
| Paid on House | $248.53 |
| ” ” Jas. W. Wilson | 100.00 |
| ” ” Stove | 6.00 |
| In store safe (on hand) | 160.00 |
| In Pocket (on hand) | 15.67 |
| In Saving acct (on hand) | 75.00 |
| Phone Check To Come | 45.00 |
Not Bad — eh.
PAGE 2
Be sure & destroy this — I love you both so much — You are both worth more than all the money in the world
Hope Joe’s eyes are all OK & he is taking his dinner like a good boy — He loves his Mama. I know and so do I.
Wont be down today. Will let Hazel go early & will see you Sat P.M. & Sun P.M. If all is not OK. Call me — Brownie is sure a good dog & says he loves you both too. Will see you both tomorrow. Have to go see the beans & boys. Love to you both
Joe II
Notes & context
“My Sweethearts.” Plural: Ruby and the new baby. Ruby is in hospital, there are nurses to treat, and “Joe” is “taking his dinner like a good boy.” This is very probably the week Joseph Sharmer III was born, 30 April 1941, which would make this Friday 2 May (or, if Ruby stayed longer, 9 May). Joe signs himself “Joe II” now that there is a Joe III.
The family’s accounts. Joe sets out the money for Ruby like a ledger: the cannery pay he had drawn, $485.59; payments on the house, to Ruby’s father James W. Wilson and for a stove; and what was left on hand in the store safe, his pocket and the savings account, with a $45 phone check still to come. “Not Bad — eh.” Then: “Be sure & destroy this.” She didn’t.
The store. Joe and Ruby’s parents, the Wilsons, owned a general store together in Planada (family recollection). “In store safe” is the store’s safe. James W. Wilson was Ruby’s father, who had been Planada’s postmaster before her (The Postmaster of Planada).
“Will let Hazel go early.” Who Hazel was isn’t known.
“See the beans & boys.” The letter doesn’t say what or who these were.
Brownie. The family dog, who “says he loves you both too.”
“Spec Delivery.” Special Delivery: for an extra fee, the post office delivered the box to the hospital as soon as it arrived instead of with the regular mail.
Earlier and later. Three and a half years before, Joe had written to “Miss Ruby E. Wilson” from hotels across the East (The Letters). Their first baby, a little girl, had been stillborn in September 1939 (The Little Granddaughter). Their son Joe later wrote his own postcard to “Mommie” in hospital (Dear Mommie).
