Tuesday, July 29, 1947

From: Alice in So. Lake Tahoe, CA

To: Bobby in Oakland

Hello Honey,

Tahoe is so lovely but not as nice as when you and I were here last winter. I miss you already so very much.

Oh yes—I’m tired already too.

My Love Dear, Alice

Tuesday, July 29, 1947

From: Alice in Winnemucca, NV

To: Bobby in Oakland

Hello My Bobby,

I’m here in a nice motel in Winnemucca, Nevada. I just had a nice cool shower and feel as if I lost 10 lbs.

The moon is shinning beautifully here tonite. I know it must be same there but it seems as if we came so darn far today.

My love—my darling—Alice

Wednesday, July 30, 1947

From: Alice in Great Salt Lake, Utah

To: Bob Friederichs

Hi Honey,

We’re in the middle of the Great Salt Lake desert roasting to death.

I don’t know how anyone can stand being here very long.

We’re now about 80 miles from Salt Lake City.

Love, Alice

Wednesday, July 30, 1947

From: Alice in Rock Springs, WY

To: Bobby in Oakland

Hello My Darling,

This has got to be just a short note because it’s been such a tiring day that I’m completely exhausted.

We’re in Evanston, Wyoming—you know, one of those small cowboy towns where all the men walk around bow-legged.

But we’re in a nice quiet motel which is very clean and swell. I just took a shower and changed clothes for be but I wanted to write you, honey, before I lay my little “headie” down to dream about you.

The trip this far has been extremely scenic but the trouble is that for hundreds of miles the scenery is the same.

(This writing is going uphill—it’s hard to write in bed).

California was lovely, especially the Lake. Of course I don’t have to tell you that. Nevada was nice—in places—very few places.

Oh I guess it’s lovely to look at but it gets terribly boring and terribly hot.

Utah was disappointing at first with just mile after mile of Salt flats but Salt Lake City is very pretty and in a lovely location.

We weren’t in Utah very long—nor Wyoming. We’re still here.

Darling—I miss you so much already. Every time I look at the beautiful full moon I feel like crying.

I suppose I bored you with most of this letter but honey I love you so very, very much. I can hardly wait till I get back to you.

My love, my sweetheart,

Alice

Friday, August 1, 1947

From: Oakland, CA

To: Alice Buttyan, 117 West Street, East Pittsburgh, PA

My Darling Alice,

I had a surprise when I came home from work. I got two cards from you. I was sure glad to hear from you. It seems like so long since I’ve seen or heard from you (or talked to you). It makes me sick to think I even let you go back. Oh honey I miss you so very much. Yes there has been a full moon these past nights and I wished so many times that you were in my arms again.

Nothing new except I got a hair cut which should make you happy.

Oh yeah, there won’t be any more night work for awhile so I guess we don’t have to worry about that anymore either.

Hope you can read this. I have a terrific headache. Went to bed early again last night as usual.

Guess I’ll close for awhile my dear. I love you with all my heart. Please hurry home to me.

Your Loving Husband,

Bobby

(XOXOXOXOXOXOX)

PS Tahoe sure looked great. Wish I were there with you. It’s just as beautiful in the winter though but it guess everything is beautiful when you’re with the one you love.

Saturday, August 2, 1947

From: Oakland, CA

To: Alice Buttyan, 117 West Street, East Pittsburgh, PA

My Dearest,

Received a card and letter today. Both from you. I guess by now you should be in Chicago. I have been trying to follow your route on the map. I guess I have it about right.

Yea darling, I know how you feel when you look at that big full moon. I feel exactly the same way. I want to take you in my arms and hold you and kiss you and tell you all the little things I know you want me to say; I love you so very much and miss you so. I dream and dream and dream some more but it still doesn’t make the time go any faster. I wish I were with you honey.

Well today, Saturday, my dad and I painted the two rooms. It was quite a job—for my dad. We got finished about seven, around two hours ago, as it’s nine o’clock on the nose right now (that’s what the man on the radio said). About all I did was hang up the canvas and wipe off spots but I was here anyway.

Last night Don came down so I went over to his house for awhile and fooled around on his car and then he brought me home so I got to bed early. Tonight I will go to bed as soon as I finish writing this to you my darling.

It wasn’t such a pleasant day as my folks were kind of disagreeable. My dad warned me about my disposition. He told me that I had better not hurt you in any way. I told him that if I got away from here it would probably be better for everyone concerned. But I don’t think we have to worry about anything after we are married and you don’t have to worry about my hurting you.

Well my darling I had so much to say but I guess I’ve forgotten most of it. I didn’t forget the important thing anyway—I love you with all my heart sweetheart.

I’ll be dreaming of you.

Goodnight Dearest.

Your loving Husband,

Bobby

(xoxoxxoxoxox)

Gee Iove you—Goodnight Dear

Sunday, August 3, 1947

Location: Laramie Wyoming

From: Alice

To: Bobby in Oakland

Hi Bobby,

We just had to stop for a few minutes because we’re in the middle of a lovely hail storm about 10,000 ft in the mountains. Snow is in patches all around us. We made it, ahhh!

Love,

Alice

Sunday, August 3, 1947

From: Alice in Pittsburgh

To: Bob in Oakland

Hello My Darling,

We finally arrived her and as soon as we neared Pittsburgh and saw the smoke from the mills even my mother said “Isn’t it awful.”

It was about six when we arrived at Irene’s. It’s good to be home again after so long but it’s just the same—dirty, sooty and hot.

I went up to see Marion just before we ate dinner and she looks and acts just the same. I rang the bell, her mother came—and she just stood there with her mouth open—couldn’t say a word.

Everyone is trying to talk me into staying here for good. It’s nice to be with the people I’ve always known—but I’m not the same girl that left here though I imagine it wouldn’t take me long to get back into the old swing of things, that is, sitting on the front porch talking with Marion like we did before dinner. Boy, I’ll be all talked out before bedtime.

Will I ever get this letter finished—I keep getting interrupted by everyone, Donna especially. She’s the sweetest little girl and so smart.

I’m rather excited now so don’t mind the way this letter is written. It’s probably terrible.

As I said before, it’s swell here, but honey I miss you so very much. I hope I can get reservations soon. I have so many people to visit it would take me a month or two to see them all. But I just have to say hello to a few and forget about the rest. It won’t be too long honey.

I had two letters from you waiting for me when I arrived—which is wonderful.

But that accident honey, be careful—don’t hurt my Bobby—you be careful with him.

My dearest—I’ll have to get cleaned up now. I feel awful.

I love you so very much and miss you terribly. I’ll be with you soon baby.

Good night darling.

My love—sweetheart,

Alice

Wednesday, August 6, 1947

From: East Pittsburgh

To: Robert Friederichs, 2041 Damuth St, Oakland, CA

Dear Bob,

I just received your letter of Monday evening and you sound just like when you used to work nights. I won’t have it Bob—I just won’t have it. Whether we’re apart or together there’s absolutely no excuse for it. I told you in yesterday’s letter that I have reservations for Monday—that’s the best I can do. If you don’t care to wait until Tuesday for me, don’t bother—because—perhaps you’ll find someone you wouldn’t mind waiting months for; let alone weeks. Remember Bobby, I love you. But I’m a nervous wreck now from everyone telling me to stay; and telling my parents to make me stay. You think I don’t have time to think about us—oh honey, I cry myself to sleep every night—and half the day—wondering and waiting.

I’ll talk to you on the phone tonight baby and I hope everything will be all right.

Please honey don’t make me cry more than I have to. I just can’t stand it knowing you’re angry with something I do. Our marriage won’t work if it’s that way and you know it.

So have patience. We’ll have the rest of our lives together. One day more won’t hurt too much more.

My love to you, my darling,

Alice

PS I can hardly wait until I can talk to you tonite.

Thursday, August 7, 1947

To: Bob Friederichs in Oakland

From: Alice Buttyan in Pittsburgh

My Darling,

I’ve been wanting to write since last night after I phoned you but I just couldn’t until now. I know I must have sounded terribly mean or nasty last night—I don’t really remember. I am sick again and with this heat—I feel miserable.

Everyone has been getting on my nerves and I on theirs and things are just becoming unbearable. I’ve almost been tempted to go jump off a bridge somewhere.

My mother told me that she wouldn’t try to tell me what to do—she feels whatever my decision is it will be the right one.

I haven’t seen much of my family though. They’re always up at my grandmothers’ or aunts’ and I spend most fo my time here at Irene’s. Today I got out of bed at 3:00 this afternoon. Isn’t that an awful way to spend a vacation?

I got sick last night just before I phoned you and could hardly sleep at all last night.

I hope you’ll forgive me for sounding so mean on the phone. I don’t remember just what I said honey but I’m sure I wasn’t very sweet. My baby—it will only be 4-1/2 more days until I’ll be with you again—this time for keeps.

There’s one thing I want to tell you—Bud has been calling me here just about every day. Today was the first time that I was at home when he called. I asked him why he couldn’t understand that he meant nothing to me and he said “If you lose a million dollars and then find it again you’re sure to try to not lose it again”. He wanted to know if you felt that way about me too. I told hime to please not call again because I won’t be home even if I am at home—if he know what I meant. He went over to my grandmothers the other day looking for me. How do you discourage a guy like that?

Oh Bobby—I wish I was with you right this minute. I feel so dog gone rotten and sick.

You said that I didn’t have time to think like you do—oh my darling, how wrong you are. I know that we will be happy when we’re together for good but when such small things bother us now how can we be sure that we’ll be able to cope with the big problems even though we’ll be facing them together. Honey we’ll have to work hard at our marriage—both of us. You’ll have to help me and I’ll help you—or otherwise we couldn’t possibly be happy for very long. You know that as well as I do. We have to make allowances for each other and help and love each other always. Yes and we’ll have to grow up together because we’re both young in our ways of thinking—not young for our ages—but you for marriage.

Honey I would have taken a train to be back Sunday but it’s hard enough on my mother anyway—losing me, but Saturday is her birthday and God knows when I’ll see her again—if ever. It’s easy for you, can’t you see that, but how do I know what will happen to my family. They’re not old but they’re not young anymore and I may never be able to see them again.

After all we’ll be close to your folks and be able to see them anytime but remember that I wsa born of my parents and still love them as I want my child to love me—ours to love us—even though things didn’t turn out as well for us as it does for some. Oh baby let’s be close to our children—never let them have any reason to dislike us in anyway. I love my family but my love for you is greater than I can say—but darling, believe in me and love me for we’ll have the rest of our lives together while I’ll never be with my parents again.

Can’t you see Bobby how hard it is to hurt them and see how deeply I am hurting them? I know I’m hurting you too darling but we’ll be together forever soon.

I can’t see what I’m writing anymore—my eyes are blurry. I wish I could cry hard and get it over with.

Goodnight my darling. You’re loving wife to be,

Alice

Friday, August 8, 1947

From: Bob in Oakland

To: Alice in Pittsburgh

(telegram)

I’m sorry my darling. Please hurry home. I’ll be waiting. I have so much to say.

Love you, Bob

Thursday, August 21, 1947

From: Julia and Frank Buttyan

To: Alice and Bob Friederichs on their wedding day

(telegram)

We miss you. Hoped you would not rush it. Our best wishes. Hope you’ll be happy.

Mother, Dad and family