I found a letter in a box while looking for one of mom's recipes. I also found a picture, which I will discuss after I write about the letter. This box would have been thrown out after mom died if I hadn't put it aside. Mostly what I got when mom died were the family photographs, her bibles, and writings. I got a few pieces of furniture too, which I am glad to have. But the papers and photos meant the most to me, I wanted to know what mom wrote, what was on her mind. She wrote a lot, saved a lot of cards and some letters. Some were sad, but others uplifting. Dad wrote some too, but not as many..
One of the letters that Dad wrote was from his childhood. It was a letter to his sister, Dorothy Murphy. I assume he got this letter back from her estate after she died in 2006. The letter is classic Dad. It is funny, though I am not sure he meant it to be. He was 13 years old writing to his 23 year old sister who lived in Texas. It also has glimpses of a very mature 13 year old.
One of the amazing things about this letter is the post mark on the envelope and the date on the letter: December 6, 1941. It was a probably a relatively quiet day, the day before all hell would break loose in Hawaii'. The day before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and the United States would be thrown in to one of the most brutal wars in its history. As I stare at the date, I can't help but think about all of the people who were alive on that day that were dead the next. Our service men who were still on the ships and civilians who were caught on the outskirts of the base in their homes just minding their own business, eating breakfast, getting ready for church. It was a real tragedy to say the least.
Today is the 84th anniversary of that day, so it is surprising that I would find this letter now.
Here it is. If you find it hard to read, I will transcribe it at the bottom.
Transcription I will try to type it as he wrote it.
(notice the little Christmas tree drawing on the top, left, with "Lensing Xmas" under it.)
Scranton, Ark
Dec. 6, 1941
Dear Dorothy,
How are you getting along. Its not so far off from Christmas, but I don't care, "much"!
I like school pretty good sometime that is when we don't have classes. Get a freeday Monday. We get off on Christmas vacation from 20th till 5th, thats 16 days. Well lets get down to business, This christmas has got me worried. Dorothy I sure would like a wristwatch . If you and Mary Jane would chip in on the funds. Or Dorothy if that is to much I wouldn't mind having some clothes. Dorothy I sure hate to write letters like this. It's pityful.
Dorothy I go possum hunting a little. I got two already. Harry Krallman and I went last night and got one. and also had gamewarden after us for not having license. Well I better close with lots of love.
Your Bud
Tommy
P.S. I will tell Mary Jane about the fundimentally part. Excuse writing.
Two things struck me as I read this letter. How childlike it was to ask for a Christmas gift and how mature it was for him to say he hated writing letters like this, that it was pitiful. I laughed when he said "now lets get down to business", that he liked school when they didn't have classes (a typical student), and the game warden came after them when they didn't have a hunting license. Dad had a great sense of humor, even at 13!
I hope with all of my heart that he got that wristwatch for Christmas! I will have to look at some photos of him at that age and see if he is wearing one.
Harry Krallman, Dad's hunting partner, died in the war in the Phillipines on February 18, 1945, just 3 years and 2 months after this hunting trip took place. Rest in peace Mr. Krallman and thank you for your service to this nation and the world.
The second artifact I found at the bottom of that box was a photograph I had never seen before. It is a picture of Dad as a baby. All of the people in the photo were Grandpa Lensing's family. It was at the Lensing Homestead in Shoal Creek, Arkansas. Maybe they had taken Daddy there to meet the family? I don't know who took the photo, maybe Gram, Dad's mom?
This photo is SO CUTE of Dad. He has his little eyes fixed on something. I wonder what it was? This is the only photo of Dad as a baby that I know of.
Baby Tommy Lensing being held by his Grandmother Christine Duelmer Lensing with his father Casper Lensing standing behind them. 1928
The full picture of The Lensing Homestead in Shoal Creek, Arkansas 1928
L-R Aloise Lensing (brother of Casper), Rosa Lensing Wewers (Sister of Casper), husband Johnny Wewers, holding a daughter, Teresa Lensing Shriver (Sister of Casper), Henry Lensing, Jr. (brother of Casper), Christine Duelmer Lensing (mother of Casper) holding her grandson Tom Lensing, Casper Lensing (Tom's father)
Dad's Grandfather, Henry Lensing, Sr., wasn't in the picture. He died in 1924.
These two family artifacts would not have been found if I hadn't started rummaging through the cardboard box in the closet looking for a recipe of Grandmother Burris' Jello and fruit salad. Mom saved a lot of Grandmother's recipes. It had already sat in that closet for 11 years since Mom died! And it is just so weird that I found the letter right before Pearl Harbor's anniversary.
Maybe I was being lead to it? I would like to think so.
i
