Letter 17, Septermber 20, 1941

Dear Mother & Dad

Between my working and my course I am keeping quite busy, and believe it or not I love it. Keeps me mind from wondering to far.

Last Sunday the union closed the bill with Lockheed, which has been in effect since July 1, by giving the employees a ten cent blanket raise starting at sixty cents. All that is retroactive, dating from July 1, will be paid up. My check for that time will amount to forty five dollars aside from my usual check. That means that in about three weeks, the time it will take to tabulate all of it, I will get a check for eighty five dollars. With that I will have money to burn, but I am not going to burn it, I am going to salt it--if you get what I mean, and use it for my future interests.

One of the fellows here in the house is going to be drafted in a few weeks. He is trying to get a deferment but I doubt if he will bet it and so does he. He is worried sick. I am glad I am witnessing this. I know now what I can expect if I step out of the defense industry. He is down at the local draft board now trying to get some sort of deferment.

Last Saturday I went over to Hollywood and stayed with Whitey. We plan to get together every weekend. We went to a show and then walked from there to his apartment, or rather his parents apartment, three miles away. We had quite a talk. I have never seen Jack quite so serious about his school. I have never seen any of my friends show as much interest about something as he did. I am not going to say he will make it this time but from all indications, if he ever does it will be now. At least I hope he does. He has even been making a scrape book about dentistry and it shows that a considerable amount of time and work have been spent.

I sent my first lesson in last night and am now thinking I had better get started on another.
Write and let me know what you are doing and I will do the same in my spare moments. If I have none, I will make some--------Love, tom