The Surprise Gift

Posted in Vietnam Letters | 4 comments

I was so excited that Frank had finally received his pocket watch.  After receiving Frank’s letter, reading it, and seeing in his writing how excited he was about the watch, I was really happy.

Frank was still messing with me about the Surprise Gift he was sending me.  I could not think of one thing that I had been asking him for.  He had already sent me two gifts that were totally amazing and beautiful.  I did not want him to spend any more money on me.

June 16, 1971

Dearest Wife,

I love you, I love you, I love you.  I just can’t help it.  I’m just so filled with love for you I could burst.  How can anything be so wonderful and beautiful?

You make me feel as if I’m the most important man in the world.  You fill me with purpose and ambition.  I feel like I could do or be anything as long as you’re behind me.  It’s great.  Just wonderful to be in love with you.

If I could only convey this feeling I have for you in my letters.  I can’t wait to see you again and let you see all these feelings I have.  You’ll see them in my face, hear them in my voice and see them in the way I act. 

I love you so much, Darling. Honey, I’m sorry but I have to close for now.  I know it’s short but I’m beat and I’ve got to work another 12 hours tonight at 3:00 am so I had better get some rest.  I just wanted to let you know everything’s alright and that I love you so very much.

So goodnight my love and take care of yourself for me.  I can’t help it I got to say it one more time.  I love you, my wife with all my soul and being and I always will.

All My Love, Frank P.S. 

I LOVE YOU

Frank knew how I worried about him when I did not hear from him, so even if the letter was short he wrote to me.  I was so thankful that he did.  Not getting a letter from him for days would cause me to immediately fear the worst.

Frank’s biggest worry was if I still loved him which was totally unbelievable to me because I loved him more than life itself.  He owned my heart and always would but I could not seem to get him to understand that.

A longer letter always meant that Frank had some time to write and he had been thinking deeply about things.

June 19, 1971

Dearest Wife,

Hello!  How’s my most wonderful possession?  I pray that this day finds you well and happily in love with me.  Because this day and every day finds me very much in love with you.

Love is such a small word for such a huge feeling.  To me, it’s kind of like a war.  I fought it and fought it.  I won the first couple of battles then here you came along and you were my new enemy.  I fought it until I ran out of ammo then I had to surrender. 

I became your P.O.W.  (prisoner of war).  Let me tell you it’s great.  I’ll be your P.O.W.  forever.  It’s just lucky I got captured by such a wonderful enemy.  They say love your enemy and Baby, you can just bet I do.  HA! HA!  When I get home I’m going to take you prisoner and you’d better surrender without a fight.  HA! HA!  I promise plenty of physical exercises, you’ll be taken good care of, and I’ll provide you a 220 lb. bed to sleep on.  HA! HA!

Hey, by your latest letter I see that you’ll be glad to pick up after me again.  Well, since I’ve had to pick up after myself for so long, I’m almost out of the habit but if it really turns you on then I’ll practice being a slob again.  HA! HA!  I’m only kidding, I think it was wonderful what you said about it seeming empty without me.  It just shows how much a part of your life I am and I’m very proud to be even the smallest part of your life.

Hey, how’s the beach?  Is it all trashed up or is it nice?  I can’t wait to take you down there at night and walk along the sand and talk.  Boy, I got to watch my mind.  The devil made me write that.

In all seriousness, I want to spend so much time just walking or sitting and talking with you.  I want to hold your hand in mine and feel your head on my shoulder and just talk about whatever is on our minds.  I long for the quiet times when there is only the two of us.  I miss you so much.   This song reminds me of us so much.

Funny but it seems the only thing to do,

run and find the one who loves me.

What I feel has come and gone before

No need to talk it out

We know what it’s all about

The name of it is “Rainy Days and Mondays” by The Carpenters.  If you have a chance, I wish you’d buy it and listen to it. 

I’m in such a loving mood tonight.  I guess it’s thinking of you and how wonderful life is going to be.  At times I’m at my ropes end and I think that our day will never come.  I get a letter from you and the sun comes out from behind the clouds and the rain stops and then I know that it’s coming and I’m so happy inside. 

You do this to me.  You can make everything rosy.  I know how hard it is to express yourself in a letter but believe you me you come on strong.  I can feel your writing.  I realize that this may sound foolish but I can feel your feelings when I read your letters.  

I’ll say this and I’m not a bit ashamed to admit it.  I believe that I would have gone nuts if it hadn’t been for your letters of encouragement and love.  I’ve seen it happen to too many guys before.  Your letters are the closest thing to you that I have and they give me the strength to carry on no matter what the obstacle.

Please, take care of yourself and just keep loving me as you always have.  Don’t worry about me because nothing can keep me from coming home to you.  I pray to God every night for your safety and well being and I know He’s answering my prayers.  Be good and never forget that you’re mine and I’ll love you as long as I live.

Your Husband,

Frank

P.S.  Only 12 days until your surprise should arrive.  Have you guessed what it is yet?  I say 12 maybe more the way the mail moves around here.  Keep guessing.

P.S.P.S.  I Love You.

It is not foolish but very true what Frank has said in his letter about being able to feel the feelings of the person who has written the letter.  I could see and feel Frank’s feelings too, just by reading and looking at his handwriting.  There is so much beauty in the handwritten letter.

The strokes made by the pen in your hand, the punctuation marks, the size of the words, and the way it all seems to flow across the page are things that we do not get from a text, an email, or a typed letter.

The next letter is the last letter I received from Frank while in Vietnam in June of 1971.

June 21, 1971

Dear Nancy,

Hello, my Darling.  How’s the old wife today?  I hope this day finds you well and in love with me. Well in eight more days, we’ll see the end of the 200s and the start of the 100s.  Getting there aren’t we? Well, I don’t mind telling you that they sure are taking their time about passing.

Hey, Honey better watch those dreams.  Wow!  You think I turn you on?  You ain’t seen nothing yet baby.  Don’t you worry about those dreams coming true because you can bet your sweet-what-you-call it, that I’ll make them come true.  Good God, I miss you.  Hurry up days before I go crazy.  HA! HA!  Don’t worry because you, young lady, are going to be the receiver of all my love and affections.  Because you give me all your love and affections back. Hey,

Honey don’t worry about me because I get upset and down.  I can take it as long as I know I have you waiting for me.  That’s all that counts in this damn separation.  It’s true, I want to come home and I want to see you more than anything but don’t worry about me and my depressed state because I’ll be ok because you’re there waiting for me to come home to you.  So, worry about something worthwhile, like are you going to be able to put up with me again and how many kids do you want (over 16).

Hey, kid, you had best learn to count.  The letter you wrote the 15th said “only seven months and five days to go”.  try six months and thirty days.  What’s the matter, you want me to spend five more days than I have to over here?  If that’s what you want, then ok but I’ll just be that much hornier.  HA! HA!

Hey, guess what your hubby did?  Well, they shut off our water over here all the time and you never know when it’s going off.  So, I went down about an hour ago and it was on.  So, I ran back to my room and grabbed my towel and shaving gear and ran down to the showers.  I jumped in, lathered up, and started to step back under the cold stuff and POW!  They turned the damn stuff off.  Oh, you never heard such language in your life. 

Tell me one thing, do they still make hot water or any kind of water that stays on for a while? It’s been almost six months since I’ve had a hot or warm shower. So when I get home we’ll have to warm ourselves in the shower together because I’m used to cold water.  HA!  Boy, I sure have a one-track mind, don’t I?

Well, I’d better say good-night.  I got to get up at 2:00 am in the morning and it’s 10:00 pm already so good-night you sexy thing you.  Please take care of yourself for me, Darling and always know that I love you dearly.

All my Love to my wonderful Wife, Nancy Lou,

Frank

Well, it is quite evident that thousands of miles and an ocean were not keeping us apart.  Not sure who was invading each other’s dreams more, him or me but we were so connected that we were definitely and constantly in each other’s dreams.

We were completely compatible with each other in all ways.  We knew each other’s thoughts, fears, and needs, even from reading between the lines in our letters.  Even when I tried to not worry about him or him worry about me, we could feel it and see it in each other’s letters.

I received this letter probably on the 28th of June.  Frank did not mention the surprise gift in this letter.  So I was still wondering about it but realized it was still days from its supposed arrival.

Frank had told me it would arrive around the 1st or 2nd of July but depending on the mail, it could take longer.  He had really stumped me this time and I know he was loving that.

On Thursday, July 1, 1971, after working all day at the Credit Bureau, I checked the mail on my way home but did not get a letter from Frank.  I was a little disappointed by not getting a letter but I knew how long the hours were that he was working and I really wanted him to get as much rest as he could.

After I arrived at our little white framed home,  I fed the animals that I had acquired, made a light supper consisting of a sandwich, chips, and a glass of water, and when finished eating got ready for bed.

Once getting into bed surrounded by my trusty cats, I leaned against a pillow  propped up against the headboard then started writing  Frank a letter.  After finishing writing the letter, I put it in an envelope, sealed it with a kiss, addressed it to Frank, and placed it on my nightstand.

Since it was a Thursday night and I had to work the next day, after saying my prayers to God, I turned off the light and shut my eyes.  I had a lot of trouble falling to sleep because I couldn’t quit thinking about Frank but finally about midnight, I drifted off to sleep.

Suddenly, I was awakened by the telephone ringing.  I was so terrified as I ran to the living room to answer the phone.  It was after midnight and it had to be bad news!

I was shaking as I picked up the phone then said, “Hello?”

From the earpiece of the phone, I heard, “Surprise, I love you, Nancy Lou!”

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I said, “I love you, Dimples!”

With this, I will end the second book.   Thank you for reading.  To be continued….

<<<<<  Love Letters from the Heart  | First Chapter Third Book >>>>>

 

 

Visits: 323

4 Comments

  1. Oh, what sweet words between the two of you. I love reading the words of your true love for each other.

    • Thank you so much, Kirby. I am so pleased that you are reading and have left a comment. It means a lot to have an Awesome Author read our love story. Frank was the writer, I am the ghostwriter. He was such a deep thinking person with a laugh that lit up the room. You would have loved him and he would have read all of your books. Thank you again for reading and leaving a comment.
      God Bless You, Kirby,
      Nancy

  2. Beautiful! There is such a wealth of emotion in these words. I agree with you that it isn’t the same in a text, e-mail, etc. Written letters have almost become a thing of the past. It takes time to actually write a letter. With all the short forms in texts, it doesn’t take much thought or time and probably doesn’t carry as much meaning either. You are blessed to have these hand-written letters from Frank.

    • The letters still hold the emtions they were written with. I have them all typed but I still prefer to type from the written ones. I can feel him and see him in the writing then and now. He could do the same then. This is such an emotional journey but one I will do strongly.
      Thank you so much for your Beautiful support Diane.
      God Bless You.
      Love,
      Nancy

Leave a Reply to Kirby Jonas Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.