November 14, 1943
To sister, Ruth.
Saturday Night
12:45
Dear Ruth,
The reason I addressed this letter to you was that the subject of it concerns you more than anyone else. First I want to state that I’m just a coward, one of the worst. I’d always suspected it but now I know it to be true.
I’m writing this letter in bed, because I can’t wait until morning to get it off my mind. I went to Willimantic today, took my pants in to be tailored & went inquiring about radium hands for my watch. Then I met the parents of the fellow that sleeps over me and had supper with them. (chicken, incidentally). I then proceeded to the show.
After the show, I went to the Y -- which is now the U.S.O. It’s one of the most hospitable that I’ve been in. Friendly atmosphere, movies on sports, coffee and cupcakes, pool, and --- dancing. That’s why I’m writing this letter. I almost feel ashamed to tell you about this. I know I can dance, because I danced with you in New York, but I just didn’t have the courage to ask a girl to dance with me. I wanted to; and I would make up my mind that I was going to. Then just at the moment, I couldn’t do it.
I don’t know what it is. Maybe I’m self conscious cause I don’t know so many steps. But anyway I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m just a coward. And I’ve also come to the conclusion, & this is most important, that it won’t happen next Saturday night, not if I can help it. Perhaps I shouldn’t have told you all this, but I had to get it off my mind. Now don’t send me a letter bawling me out.
The weather here has been very changeable. Yesterday it was cold. Today it was warm. Then it tried desperately to snow & now it’s getting cold again. Well, I guess I’ll get some shut eye.
Hopefully waiting for the salami (& maybe some hard rolls)
Love,
Ben
About Me
- Pfc Benjamin Kaplow
- In 1943 I was drafted into World War 11 right out of Madison High School, Rochester, NY. This is my story as told in the letters I wrote home. They’re all here, all 192 of them. Spend some time with me as I describe my experiences in basic training and then off to war. They were written in an attempt to help me feel close to my family and to let them know what was going on in my life. It’s the first time I was away from home and I have to confess that I was homesick. My folks were Esther and Jacob Kaplow. We were four children in this order: Arnette, Ruth, Bob, and myself.
Courage
Ben is at the University of Connecticut in the Army Specialized Training Program. He reveals to us the insecurity of an 18 year old who, in this letter to his sister, is bolstering his courage for another day. Here, asking a girl to dance was more difficult for him perhaps than the courageous effort that earned him his Bronze Star.
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