A Love Letter

Found in the Utne Reader:
JoJo and Blakey
Postmarked October 13,1928, to Miss Josephine Walker of Enid, Oklahoma from Mr. B.B.Blakey of Tulsa, from the childhood of a romance that lasted over 70 years:

Dearest JoJo,

I haven't one bit of news this evening. I can't think of even one tiny scrap of news to tell you just now but I want to chat with you awhile.

I wish you were near so that I might draw your arm about my shoulder and snuggle up close. Someway I feel just like a tired little boy who needs to be petted and loved a little bit. Would you do that for me if you were here, Dear?

I imagine you stroking my hair just in a possessive way, and Dear I *do So* want to just belong to you, and for you to just belong to me. Someway that would just give me more strength and courage than any thing I know, and I feel that I need that now.

I just *know* that both of us would be in an understanding mood and that our thoughts would travel along together without the need of words to express them.

That our ideals and our determination each to help the other would grow within us as we sat there together. That each of us would resolve to forget self in the advancement of our partnership in life. That faithfulness, and trust and loyalty and love would fill both of us.

I wonder if the desire for the fufillment of this little "dream" of mine fills your heart too. Somehow I'm sure it does. Is that egotistical? I don't mean it that way but I know you love me a little at least. God grant that it may grow and grow until both our lives are filled with love for another.

Sweetheart, someway I want to say, I love you, in about a million different ways and languages tonight. It is an overpowering desire. How I hope you'll understand and that it will meet an answering desire in your heart as you read this and that it won't sound silly.

I love you JoJo. I do truly.

Your Blakey.