Letter 36

September 6, 1945

Dear Ruth: 

Quite a few things have prevented me from answering your kind letter of August 14. Of course there were times when I was in a letter writing mood and had sufficient time to dash off a 'note' to you, but your repeated admonition against my writing of notes caused me to question the wisdom of such a move.

I have tried for some time to steel myself for the task of printing THE COMMON PEOPLES' MANIFESTO OF WORLD WAR II, and it has caused me to be a little preoccupied. In addition to this, there are other things which are demanding a bit of my attention.

You complained in your last letter that I had not answered your many questions. To tell the truth, I had not been aware of the fact that many of the topics that you had touched upon were really questions. I shall try here to confirm myself to doing this very thing. I feel sort of queer when you suggest that I 'have a bone to pick with you'. Perhaps I am not aware of it. I don't know. Life seems to be a little confused at times and very difficult of being straightened out.

I was very glad to hear that you were in the midst of an enjoyable vacation when you wrote me last. Your description of everything sounds very interesting. Thanks for the invitation to come up on half fare. I may be able to take you up on it when the time arrives, but I cannot make any definite promises now because I am planning -- as of today -- to offer my resignation to the university.

I have done little writing since I have been out there and so I may ask for a leave of absence for a year or two in order to complete the Louisiana manuscript, or resign altogether. I plan to write the letter within a few days, predate it for December, and give it in then so that I shall be clear for the coming year. It may not be a wise move -- and Doctor Quarles has counselled me against it -- but it seems to be the best thing for me at present.

The university has just released a statement to the effect that Dean Moses has taken sabbatical leave and that a Board of Deanship -- or something like that -- is taking over during Dean Moses absence. Despite Quarles' fellowship, he has been appointed chairman of this board -- the members of which are to be announced later. This makes Quarles practically Acting Dean for the time being. You remember how I always said if anything happened to Moses, Quarles would probably get the post? Of course, this gives me no advantage because of our friendship. In the end, it may not give any special advantage to Quarles himself.

I have seen Doctor Dailey a few times, but have not asked him about your scrapbooks as yet. I shall, however, and that soon. If it is all right with you, I'd prefer that you get the story about Willie from Sister when you write her. She has left, of course, and in the course of leaving, made some scathing remarks concerning the family in general. She even included me and my treatment of you in her general denunciations. I do not hold it against her. I am beginning to see so clearly that all of us are the sum total of our past experiences.

Man is in California, planning to go to Honolulu, I believe. Samuel has returned and his so-called "madam" is the mother of a baby who looks more like Man's than Samuel's child. Samuel's hair is almost -- or is kinky. The baby's hair, despite its mother's darkness, has straight hair and pronounced Indian features like Man.

I hope that you will continue to have the thrill of making your own money and of buying the things that you want. I have been doing that sort of thing so long that I had forgotten about it -- or had never received any thrill in the beginning. I scarcely know which. Thanks a lot for the clippings. I found them very interesting.

I think that I have answered all of the questions asked in your letter. If there are any more, let me know and I shall be glad to reply to them. I am mailing the book that Bontemps sent us. I have been carrying it back and forth for two weeks now, trying to get a chance to wrap it up and mail it. I'll try and mail it tomorrow. Yes, the war is over now and you and I shall be able to say that we have lived through one of the greatest periods in human history. Everybody says hello.

Take good care of yourself, 

Marcus Christian

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