July 10, 1971: No One Makes Waffles Like You Do

In this letter from July 10, 1971, my mom wakes up craving waffles — but my dad isn’t there to make them. So she goes to Oscar’s with a friend instead. It’s such a small moment, but it says so much.

My dad wasn’t just a romantic. He was a cook — a good one. Even later in life, when he opened the Allgood Bar & Grill, waffles were always on the menu. It wasn’t just about food — it was how he loved people.

This letter is filled with all the usual things: friendship, films, flirtation, and the heartbreak of a broken audio tape. But the part that sticks with me is that waffle — and the way my mom missed him through something as simple as breakfast.

Because their love wasn’t just written in letters — it was served up daily, in meals, in routines, in the way he took care of her. Even from across the world.