September, 1960

Dear Joe,

Gee, that's too bad—not getting to come home until next year—glad to hear of the promotion. And don't ask me if you should go for a ca- reer stretch-I mean, after all, who am I to say? If you like it—stay— that's the way I feel about it.

Maybe you're right-I mean, I don't know what she sees in me either—in all seriousness. I know you meant it as a joke, but even so- well, well, I never had any real friends except you, Joe, and every- one I know around here is one of Clair's friends. And they're all a bunch of kooks. Even her clients are most of them are rich women who haven't got anything better to do than redecorate their bathrooms all the time. Hah-one of them you'll get a real charge out of, Joe-this gal did her whole bathroom in mirrors! Not that Clair only designs bathrooms I mean, she does the whole house, especially her own. I swear she spends more time on her own house than all the others put together. But, it's like she says it's her main advertising point.

She has just gotten done with an Oriental kick—and it'll be a relief to get something resembling a chair back here. She's talking about a Victorian revival now, and she's got me doing all sort of research now -interesting, though.

Well, back to the old grindstone-I'm living here now-in Clair's house. I mean, my work often requires me to spend some long hours— and well—it's more convenient. I kidded Clair around one night about getting married, you know, just to see how she'd react. But she didn't seem to take the hint, because she just laughed.

Oh yeah-before I forget—I'm back in school again-Clair wanted me to take some classes, so I'm a student again. Which is kind of fun— although the classes are sort of strange. One of them is a design course at the Art Institute, and the other is a decorating course; she wants me to help out a little, I guess. So I'm pretty busy.

Drop me a line when you get time-and let me know when you're coming home-we'll do the town (in burlap). Hah.

36

Jack