8 Sep 1934
John Griffin to Mother and Father / Washington D.C.
Dear Mother & Dad,
Well we finally got here and boy it was some trip. It seemed harder coming back than it did going out because we didn't stop or have any break in between. We made good time all the way. As you know we made Denver the first night Lincoln Nebr. the next and then the big jump to Indianapolis, and then home. We stopped every night by ten o'clock, except last night. We were held up in Pa. where they were making some new roads for about two hours and that is why we were so late getting in. We had one puncture up in the mountains about six last night but other than that we didn't have any trouble the whole way home.
Before going any farther let me thank you for the wonderful way you treated us. That chicken you fixed for us the last day surely tasted good. We enjoyed our selves very much all the time we were there and appreciate a lot all that you did for us. Looking back on it now with what happened it gives me sort of a sick feeling, and my vacation seems more like a nightmare than anything else, The bright sots though were all spent with you and were a result of your working; to make us happy. Everyone back here feels terrible about the Walker fellow being killed in Colorado. There was another fellow that was in an accident earlier in the season that is going to be lame all his life as a result, and so people are pretty scared about traveling. Of course all of the people that knew Charles feel pretty bad about it. It hardly seems real to me yet.
It seems that the new deal back here is really a new deal for the apt, owners. We can't find a one room apt in town. The Lanwarings took the one we moved out of and-the lady hasn't another one vacant in the building. We went to every apt building around the school district and there is not one vacant in any of them. I don't know yet just what we are going to do but I think that we will board and room and wait until there is one vacant down where we used to live. There are more people here now than there was during the height of the war period, and apts. are in very great demand.
It seemed mighty good to be back here. Somehow this seems like home now, and it looked good to see the Saturday mobs down town today. I guess I am spoiled on the small cities. It just seems like there is no place anywhere like Washington, and in spite of the damp sticky climate that we rode into out of the mountains last night we are glad to be back.
School starts next week and I guess that between trying to find a place to live, making up my mind about what I am going to do about my job, and getting started in school, I wont have any odd moments to bother me. I guess that you will be all busy with getting the kids off to school there too. I hope that Elsie likes her school all right. I wish that she were going to room with someone else, but I guess she can work that out somehow. Donny is surely a brick to stick at the gas station the way he does. If he works hard now though it will be easier later on. Tell Gord I'll send him those things for his radio as soon as I get a chance to go down town. Must sign off, papers full. Write often. Tell Dad that everyone seems glad that King was nominated again and we hope that he gets back here again all right.
John
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