Letter 9 10/14/1952 Spaghetti, Sweaters, and Something Deeper

In this letter from October 14, 1952, Joyce offers a vibrant blend of daily college chaos and soul-deep vulnerability. She shares casual updates—class confusion, dance plans, roommate drama, and midnight cravings for pancakes—with the same ease she later shifts into a raw and beautifully written expression of love and longing for Earl. From hiding borrowed items to polishing her engagement ring, Joyce juggles the silly and the sacred in equal measure.

Topics include:

• Genetics class confusion and being the professor’s go-to
• Food cravings: spaghetti, pancakes, and fried chicken
• Planning for the homecoming dance and wardrobe worries
• Roommate antics (including one being locked in the closet!)
• Deep reflections on love, dreams, and emotional connection
• Polishing her ring, work-day scuffs, and shopping errands
• Counting down to a phone call and clinging to the closeness of words

Transcript

October 14th, 52 on scratch paper. Looks like it's in pen. My darling, did you just about freeze today or wasn't Boulder as cold as Denver? About all I can think of tonight is that you'll call me tomorrow, which doesn't pass for a letter content. Genetics almost got confusing today. We had five factors to remember.

But in working it out since we cross out all but one, they might say two. So we work it like the regular dihybrid, two factors, second generation ratio. That problem was supposed to be the same. And the one for tomorrow is the same as the one he did in class today. Anytime he wants something done on the board for the first time,

I have to be the guinea pig. I guess I should be flattered at the faith he has in me, or could it be my sweaters? It has gotten to the place where I'm hiding the things I don't want borrowed. I don't mind loaning. Gotta get to the new page.

things, but they never come back. So that little chest you bought me is stashed away with the tape measure, scissors, thread and needles, and my pen. Junior came while I was at work today. I called May and asked to get off early, but so far I'm having a surprisingly easy day. I'm hungry again, so I guess I'll look, I'll cook a plate of spaghetti.

I always seem to eat more when Junior's here.


George said, Ron isn't going to the dance. I didn't even know he went to DU. George also said Ron was a little upset because you hadn't paid off your bet. Now that I've got the spaghetti on, I'm more hungry for pancakes and syrup. How do you spell that word? Syrup. Actually, I'm hungry for a platter of fried chicken. Barb and C?

C, CEC, Barb and Cece are going to the dance. She got the ticket today. I bought ours this morning too. I don't know if they would be selling them at the door or not. Since Gio, George and Eddie are going to the dance, I can't wear my velvet dress.


I can't wear my velvet dress again. So I took my pink and black one to the cleaners. I don't like it especially, but there's not a bad looking outfit. But it's not a bad looking outfit. It was my Easter dress a year or so ago. It is two piece, long sleeved with black braid on the collar. I can't spell collar very well either. And on the peplum. If the peplum were shortened, I'd probably like it fine.

I may get it fixed Xmas if it's possible to fix it. The spaghetti was good, but I'm still hungry. If I can find some grease, I may fix some pancakes. Winnie has decided she wants Bob after all, comma maybe. I'm beginning to think her trouble is sex frustration. Don't laugh. I mean it. She and Bob are going to the homecoming dance. We may run into them there. The kids have

locked Marilyn in the closet, three of them against her, and she still can get the door off. She can still get the door half open. She is the most quiet, distant of the group and the one who always says no one will help clean.


No one will help clean up the place. We clean today, Eve, we being two of us. All I did was scrub the bathroom floor and sweep the kitchen. Winnie keeps trying to read over my shoulder. I'll brain her if she doesn't quit. She just read these last sentences and went out the door. Tomorrow I should get a letter from you and my mama. And tomorrow I get to talk to you on the phone. Yippee.

My ring sure shines tonight. I just finished cleaning it, which reminds me I have to go get some more joy. I won't clean it with anything else. I have to buy some shoe polish too. My shoes get so dusty and scuffed up at work. I'm going to go to bed now, sweetheart, so Junior will stop being ornery. I can't wait to hear your voice tomorrow, and I hope your letter comes through tomorrow too.

Good night and I love your, I love you so much and miss you so much.

It seems I'm on a new page. I'm lonesome. So I'll tell you how much I love you. I always dreamed of someone who I could love with all my heart and mind and soul and someone to whom I would mean all the world. I used to pray for someone who would also be able to see how I felt about music and someone to share all my thoughts and feelings with me.

But I always thought that such a love that didn't happen to many people and that it would ever happen to me. It was a dream I didn't dare hope to see if fulfilled even in part. And now I have that dream in full with all the joy and happiness that goes with it. And yet with the realization that is just the beginning and is a love and a duty to be honored, cherished and worked for that is my


grow, that it may grow to fulfill union between us, to fullest union, that it may grow to fullest union between us and a

bond that can never be broken nor weakened. This would make good bowels. No matter what, if the future may bring difficult times or easy being together or separation for a while. I love you more than it's possible to say Earl. And you mean more to me than anything else or anyone else could possibly mean, including my family and my music.

And with that, I'll say good night and go to bed. All my love, always, Joyce." I think junior is some kind of code word for period because, you know, we certainly must not mention those things at that time.