The "I Love You" Letter (Aaron: Aug 19, 1940)

My own grandfather, a WWII vet who lost his brother overseas, has not been doing well of late. It is a reminder that we lose history everyday in the form of our elders who have passed on. My goal is to photograph and record the contents of these love letters in my own personal endeavor to preserve a bit of history of my own.



Ok, I don't live anywhere near Charlotte but as far as I can figure, Uncle Sam's Loan Office is long gone. However, I did find a photo in an old NC photographer's archive from the beginning of the 20th century – located here: toto.lib.unca.edu/findingaids/photo/ball/jpeg /ball1811.jpg

As best as I can figure Aaron is (maybe?) Harry Orenstein's son (Harry was the proprietor of Uncle Sam's at the time). The reason I think this is because businesses back there were often family owned – also the return address on the envelop is 2 doors down from the store and Aaron apparently still lives with his father (being that it was his Dad that gave him Marion's letter). Also the return address is typed in the same font as the stationary head.

From Aaron's letter, he seems pretty close to Marion, but I don't think he was her boyfriend as she apparently tells him about hanging out with other guys and signs her letters to him with “as ever”.

For anyone who is interested, I can tell you that Marion was the daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants. Her family lived for a while in Philadelphia, but her father became partner (and eventually owner) of a Delicatessen in Atlanta where the whole family worked except Marion.

I found out the above info by doing an Internet search. That being said I don't have any contact info for any of her family members and I'm not quite sure who sold me the letters.



The envelop is postmarked Charlotte, NC (Aug. 19 1940 12:30PM)

FROM: 205 East Trade St.
Charlotte, N.C.

August 19, 1940

Dear Marion, I love you.

Doggone you, why don't you send me some good pictures of yourself? Man those pictures are really terrible. If you don't send me a good picture, I'm coming there to find out what's the matter. You ought to be ashamed to send me pictures like that. I'm almost mad at you. But then again for some reason or another I can't get mad at you. I don't know why. (Gosh this certainly is getting to be a slanting letter isn't it?) I'm almost ashamed to show those pictures to anyone. You're twice as cute as those pictures. Aw ell I guess I raised enough h-- about those pictures now I'll write you a letter. I'd better start all over. Here goes.



Dear Marion, I love you.

Well how are you honey? O.K. I hope. I certainly was surprised when Dad gave me your letter this morning. I really didn't expect it.

Here it is another [dull?] Monday. You think that your work is boring. Huh, you ought to be here. Say that's a good idea, why don't you come down here and spend 3 or 4 years? That would be O.K. with me. How about it? What-cha say?

There's a possible, quite slim chance that I might come to Atlanta within the next two weeks. I don't know how its going to come out but I'll just keep plugging. Maybe I'll win and maybe I won't. But here's hoping anyhow.

You'll have to excuse the stationary but I'm at the store now and this is all I could get my hands on. Sorry. I love you.



I believe you're trying to make me jealous by telling me about the boy-friends you go out with. I'll be doggoned if you're not really making me jealous. So quit before I really get mad and come up there and get you. I love you.

Honey, those pictures of you kind of made me speechless. How about sending me some pictures that look Marion Muldawer? I had to look twice before I could recognize you. I believe you said something about some pictures that you took at the pool. Well where are they? Good gosh if I had a figure like yours I wouldn't be ashamed to show it off.

Well I guess I just about ran out of saying nothing, so I guess I will lose.

Please send me a good picture of you. Thanks a lot.
I love you. With all my love,
(p.s. By the way what does “as ever” mean?)

Aaron

Amy's Note: There are a number of letters that mention photos, but unfortunately, I have been unable to locate any.