30 Apr 1944
Dorothy Griffin to Maude / Arlington, VA

I'm right on the deadline writing to you this month. Ever since John got back the days have been so full that I never seem to have any time.

First of all you will want to know of John's physical yesterday. He was rejected because of his eyes and we are both still a little shocked. He is greatly worried that his eyes are so bad that the Army didn't put him in at least limited service and we're both very concerned that they could have gone down so in the last five or six years. The left eye is extremely bad, he was informed. Other than his eyes he was in fine shape. We knew it was keeping him from getting a Navy commission but we have seen so many fellows go in the Army with great thick lenses that it seems inconceivable that John's eyes are worse than theirs. Now his next move will be to go to the best doctor we can get to see if the condition is progressive or if they can be strengthened in any way. If the latter is true then this finding will be very valuable. All this of course means that for the time being at least, there is no change for us.

I should be the one expecting a baby instead of Marian. The answer to that is always obvious. As far as their having a baby now with all the upheaval of their lives I still think that it is definitely as it should be. Janet will right now be six years older than the new baby and that near the difference in Margie and me - far too much. They can never be real companions until Janet is as old as I am now. I argued this point with them last year but Ben and Marian both refused to admit it.

Ben was here last week doing some training in regard to his Army set up. He is getting into some very interesting work I believe and the possibilities are that it may not be so hazardous as we had all feared at first. We were ever so glad to see him and the three of us played monopoly for two full nights. I always wish we lived nearer each other as it would be fun being with them. John questioned him about taking such radical steps towards selling completely out before he is actually inducted. They have not actually sold the unobtainable items although they have purchasers and ben feels the profit on the house is so large that it was worth selling it even though he isn't called in for much time. He personally is sure he'll still go in the first of May. He said that if the buyer takes the full time in paying off the contract, Ben and Marial will realize a $5,000 profit on the house - almost 100% over what they were to have paid for it.

The package addressed to Paul came this last Wednesday. I was really overwhelmed. It was like a wand turning a little urchin into a well dressed boy, and the things were all just perfectly darling! Those candy-stripe sweaters are just the cutest he's ever had, and the long [trousers] that go with them are too cute for words. I havn't seen anything at all to compare with them here. I wish every day you could see him now. Without doubt he can get into more mischief in an hour than Bob used to in a week. He moves like quicksilver and is as hard as silver when he is determined. He insists on walking upstairs without holding on to the rail. We can take his panties off downstairs and send him alone to the bathroom now, which saves me countless steps. He climbs up on the toilet himself. He learned this while John was out west, and it still tickles John after being home a week. So far he has not contracted measles or mumps, but I'm still holding my fingers crossed.

Bob had one very bad week with a raging fever of 103 and 104 for five straight days. The doctor was fearful of pneumonia and you can imagine how that frightened me. He has missed one full term of school now, and tomorrow is his first day back for three weeks. He is such a sweet thing and is growing up in every way so fast. Today we went past a flag at half mast and Bof said "That means a senator is dead and they keep that flag down till he is buried!" He is full of information lately that surprises me. There is a new County hospital near here and he recites complete statistics regarding it. When I want Bob to learn a poem I merely print it down and he teaches it to himself.

We're nearing the end of the Club year. I only wish you could have gone to the Easter luncheon with me. It was perfect! It was in an old beautiful mansion out in Country Club Hills, and in a less luxurious fashion resembled Lee's House. The girls had fashioned clowns, rabbits, ducks, etc. from eggs for favors. They were so clever they stole the show! And a huge basket filled with beautifully decorated eggs centered the table. Then there was an abundance of lovely Spring flowers, so the whole thing was ever so gay.

This has really lengthened out. Lowell Roskelly was out today. He is stationed near here for a short while going to school, I think a week more. We enjoyed his visit ever so much.

I am all tied up in a mother's day program at Sunday School, and very apprehensive, especially about the younger ones. I'll let you know how it comes out. I have eight little boys Bob's age who are to give "Somebody's Mother". That is just one of six items.

Love always, Dorothy

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