BUMMER-FREE ZONE

Yesterday Sarah was cleaning our bedroom and came upon this letter, which I had written to her in the spring before our wedding. I reread it and thought I should post it here for your enjoyment. In the letter I am rather frank in discussing how much I am looking forward to getting married and having sex, which may offend (gross out) some, but in all it is an interesting window into a very different time in our lives. We were engaged, and I was working as a police officer in St Albans. Sarah had just finished a year at Houghton and was traveling with friends down to South Carolina. The letter, which begins on 4/4 and ends in early may, was written in the months immediately prior to our wedding on 6/16.

Dearest,

4/4/01

It’s 10:30 here. I got up about an hour ago and ate some pancakes. Pancakes can be surprisingly filling. I feel full.
It suddenly occurs to me that you won’t get this until after you get back from your East Coast odyssey. I don’t know whether or not to continue with this or not. After all, I’ll see you in the interim (hopefully).
All the talk on the news is centered on China’s seizure of our spy plane and its 24 crew members. I don’t have much pity for the crew as they are probably being fed Chinese food, and I like Chinese food. I’m just afraid that if Bush doesn’t handle this crisis very carefully he could disrupt the flow of Chinese food. I mean, what would we do if China decided to stop shipping Chinese food to America? Here in St Albans people are lined up outside the royal dynasty, China Wok, and Happy Buffet clamoring for Chinese food before ties are severed. I hope that day never comes.

-I’ll write more later-

4/8/01

I imagine you must be in So. Carolina by now. I’m not sure why I am writing this letter. I guess I just miss you. I hope I get to see you this weekend. I understand if it doesn’t work out though. It’s starting to get warmer up here, which makes me happy.

4/30/01

I’m at my parent’s house. In roughly a month and a half they will be your parents as well. I came down last night after working the parade. I had heard on the weather channel that there was going to be a nice south wind today and there was. I took advantage of the wind by going canoeing. It was beautiful out there.
I have to go back to St Albans tonight though as I have work first thing in the morning. Right now I’m doing laundry. I like Spring out here by the lake as it smells good. You can smell the lake, cedar, and of course “last year’s grass pungent underfoot.” Somebody has been out working on that house on the road behind the lake house. They cut away the bushes and trees on one side so vehicles can get in there, and a hole has been covered in the roof. I wonder if somebody has designs of fixing it up this summer. Maybe on our honeymoon we can find the owner. If we can find him/her we’ll invite him/her over for dinner and poker. Then we’ll get him/her liquored up and hopefully we can win the house in a game of poker. Either that or I’ll wrestle ‘em for it.

5/3/01

I’m sitting in Taylor Park right in the middle of St Albans. I left the apartment to throw out the trash, but it was so nice out that I just kept walking. I walked all over in my sandals, grey shorts and Atari t-shirt before stopping here.
It’s beautiful here right now. Typical morning traffic is winding down main street and everybody is out on their porches or lollygagging outside enjoying the novelty of the warmth and sunshine after the long winter. Yesterday it got up to 96 degrees which is a May record for the State of Vermont. Today it is supposed to be in the mid 80’s. I think it is kind of funny how many people I see with sweaters tied around their waists or with jackets under their arm. It’s like they thing springtime is some cruel hoax, and jack Frost is probably riding the next wind. I think it’ll be warm for awhile though. Thank goodness!
Two days till Mother’s Day. I’m gonna wish you a happy Mother’s day. Although you aren’t a mother yet you will be. You will be the mother of my children. Isn’t that amazing! I can’t wait to be married! I can wait for the wedding, but I’m truly excited about the marriage. I wish you were here right now. We could play chess or something in the park then we would go home and have SEX! Then we’d have lunch, and have sex again. Then I would shower and go into work. Domestic Bliss!
I’m gonna call a travel agent tomorrow about some tickets. I wonder if some day we won’t be so poor. I kind of think of money and finances as a game, and like most games I don’t enjoy it as much if I am losing.
Everything is greening up nicely here in St Albans, and I think that by the next time you see it it’ll be nice and leafy
Well my sweet, I’m gonna wrap this letter up and mail it out. I love you. Apparently there was a $50- limit on my long distance so I won’t have long distance until after I pay this bill. I love you and I’ll call you when I can.

Love, Josh