Illness

Hi Mom and Dad
We have been listening to and reading about the bad weather. It seems that from just north of us on up it has been one of the worst winters ever. The weather man last night said high winds and several inches of snow for the great lakes. For us he said fair and warmer. Right now it is snowing NO KIDDING! TEMP is 39° Real screwy weather. Good for breeding colds. The list goes Mommy, Mike, Thomas and Timothy, then I guess Marylou and I will get the virus next. Boy I can’t wait! I can see the Doc wringing his hands right now. Well got to go folks. See you soon. Love your son Orlando Jr.
P.S. Mom xxx x! U.C.G.O.T.P.

U.C.G.O.T.P. [You Can Give One To Pop]

This postcard isn’t really about weather jokes. It’s about a young father facing a problem he can’t quite solve. He hated the house we lived in back then — said it was always damp and made us sick all the time. Still, he kept working long hours at the shipyard, hoping for better days even though they hadn’t arrived yet. The humor is still there, but now it carries a trace of frustration.