The O'Reilly Letters, Part Sixteen
Mar. 11th, 2017 09:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
barefoot_bardTitle: The O'Reilly Letters
Rating: K (Suitable for ages 13 and above)
Disclaimers: With the exception of Malachi Reddington and Cornelius Noonan, all names given are fictional. The mentioned characters Tony Carpullo, Bill Meinertzhagen, and Captain McCawley were RP characters belonging to others. All other named characters are mine.
Summary: The incomplete collection of letters exchanged between a US soldier and his friends and family. 16/23
Author's Note: These letters were originally posted as supporting extras on a WWII RP. They were fun to write and I might add one or two more in future.
11th November 1942
Boston
No. 10
Darling Joe,
Things are changing here. They have made dim-outs required at night so very little outdoor light can be shown. Blinds must be drawn most of the way down in houses, storefronts cannot be lit, streetlamps are dimmed. It's very grim to be out at night because everything is so dark. Even going outside with a candle is frowned on. Jack Toolan was coming by and saw me with a candle and warned me against it.
Rationing has begun also. Already it's hard finding simple things like coffee and butter and flour. We are used to having little but I'm afraid of having nothing at all very soon. Mikey asked me for some bread yesterday and I had to tell him there was none, because we haven't been able to get the flour to make any. It's easier for us to cope but it's Mikey and Peg who will suffer most by it. Susan has gotten another job to try and help but it's hard on your ma because it leaves her here with the kids so much.
Peter has come home. He stayed a full day before going out for the night and came in late the next morning drunk. I told him he had one free pass and if he did that again, he was going out on his ear. He's been doing all right since but I'm not sure he's working at McGinnis's like he said he would. Jack Toolan has been checking in after him and I've told him what I think. There's not much more I can do unless Peter brings trouble here. God and His angels help him if he does.
James and Patrick are both home too. It's a little crowded now with all of us here but Patrick leaves on Tuesday. Poor James. His hands have mostly healed but he can't do much. I think he's ashamed of himself but I can't imagine why. We do all we can to cheer him but it's hard to tell if any of it works. I worry for him, Joe. He isn't anything like he was before he joined.
There's been no word about Francis since that last telegram. I told your ma about it and she took it hard. I'm not sure I did it very well but it needed doing. She has hope that he's all right though. So that's something to be glad for. I pray nothing more comes for bad news where he's concerned. Patrick says not to worry but of course we all do.
Some of the boys from the firehouse were around yesterday and I think they scared Peter off. He hasn't been in since. Am I uncharitable to feel relieved by that? I try not to be harsh because everyone makes mistakes, but between you and I, Joe, I have a bad feeling about Peter.
Please send us a letter when you can. We haven't heard a thing in weeks and it's becoming worrying. The newspapers are full of awful tales. It makes me afraid, I have to say.
All my love,
Kathleen
Rating: K (Suitable for ages 13 and above)
Disclaimers: With the exception of Malachi Reddington and Cornelius Noonan, all names given are fictional. The mentioned characters Tony Carpullo, Bill Meinertzhagen, and Captain McCawley were RP characters belonging to others. All other named characters are mine.
Summary: The incomplete collection of letters exchanged between a US soldier and his friends and family. 16/23
Author's Note: These letters were originally posted as supporting extras on a WWII RP. They were fun to write and I might add one or two more in future.
11th November 1942
Boston
No. 10
Darling Joe,
Things are changing here. They have made dim-outs required at night so very little outdoor light can be shown. Blinds must be drawn most of the way down in houses, storefronts cannot be lit, streetlamps are dimmed. It's very grim to be out at night because everything is so dark. Even going outside with a candle is frowned on. Jack Toolan was coming by and saw me with a candle and warned me against it.
Rationing has begun also. Already it's hard finding simple things like coffee and butter and flour. We are used to having little but I'm afraid of having nothing at all very soon. Mikey asked me for some bread yesterday and I had to tell him there was none, because we haven't been able to get the flour to make any. It's easier for us to cope but it's Mikey and Peg who will suffer most by it. Susan has gotten another job to try and help but it's hard on your ma because it leaves her here with the kids so much.
Peter has come home. He stayed a full day before going out for the night and came in late the next morning drunk. I told him he had one free pass and if he did that again, he was going out on his ear. He's been doing all right since but I'm not sure he's working at McGinnis's like he said he would. Jack Toolan has been checking in after him and I've told him what I think. There's not much more I can do unless Peter brings trouble here. God and His angels help him if he does.
James and Patrick are both home too. It's a little crowded now with all of us here but Patrick leaves on Tuesday. Poor James. His hands have mostly healed but he can't do much. I think he's ashamed of himself but I can't imagine why. We do all we can to cheer him but it's hard to tell if any of it works. I worry for him, Joe. He isn't anything like he was before he joined.
There's been no word about Francis since that last telegram. I told your ma about it and she took it hard. I'm not sure I did it very well but it needed doing. She has hope that he's all right though. So that's something to be glad for. I pray nothing more comes for bad news where he's concerned. Patrick says not to worry but of course we all do.
Some of the boys from the firehouse were around yesterday and I think they scared Peter off. He hasn't been in since. Am I uncharitable to feel relieved by that? I try not to be harsh because everyone makes mistakes, but between you and I, Joe, I have a bad feeling about Peter.
Please send us a letter when you can. We haven't heard a thing in weeks and it's becoming worrying. The newspapers are full of awful tales. It makes me afraid, I have to say.
All my love,
Kathleen