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Transcription of Letter
From
J Derbyshire
62 Friars Avenue
Delapre Northampton
England
To
Mr John DERBYSHIRE
57 NORTH PERKINS AVENUE
ELMSFORD NEW YORK 32052
U.S.A
62 Friars AV: N.TON
7 - 74Dear John,
Thank you very much for your lovely card & your generous gift on my birthday. I have put the money in
the bank Pro: Tem: till I get
my breath back & find out what most. I did get a bottle of whisky & Sherry to start with as I like a nip
sometimes to make me sleep better
& you may bet I shall find something to account for the rest. It was nice of you to think of me on my birthday
& as you say many more
qualifying that with good health. I am now only living on borrowed time but trying to keep fit & active with
walking & doing odd jobs about
garden & house. I dont want to live & be a burden to Mum. life is sweet but not if one is helpless & can't
look after myself, or are in
constant pain. Just now I feel fit & healthy for my age & just keep carrying on. I think the worst thing is
realising ones services are no
longer wanted & never will be again its a bit of putting. I hope you dont think I am being morbid, its just I like
facing facts & having the
time to think. I have no complaint I think I have taken more out of life than I have put into it much to my regret but
its to late to alter anything
now. I am & always have been mentaly lazy & I couldnt live my life again in present circumstances, but you can
take it from me that I did
live every minute & wouldnt mind doing it all over again but not in the world as it is today. One cant make
comparisons so its only by looking
back that one can form a judgement & asses the future (not always right) I know. Its a well known saying that idle
hands will find mischief. I
often sit & think what will the future be like, its very bewildering, & looking back to what life was &
what it is now only brings one
conclusion. it cant last. the advance of medicle Science & the lowering of the infant mortality makes a surety that
will meet & bust its
perhaps a good job we cant see the future. In 25 yrs half the population will be M.D.[1] In my youth
the example to the world of perfect manhood was the ZULU tribe of Africa & thier code was if a child was not near
perfect it was'nt allowed to
live Perfection asks a heavy price.
Well enough of my prattle. The weather here is more like March. Cold winds & rain every day I bet
we have a hard winter. Judith & Family are expecting to leave us at the end of the month I dont know how we shall
cope missing little
Tessa. I am worried Mum will go into a decline. My sister, your
Aunt Polly is coming to stay with
Aunt
Cissie for a week. She is 79 yrs in August so we shall have a lot to talk about.
Well fancy you ringing it was lucky I was up if I hadn't been writing this letter I would have been in bed I am glad I was'ntI dont know if I dare tell mum she will say why didnt you waken me up it will take her a while to forgive me. She went to bed at 9 P M but it will be no excuse to say she was asleep, but it was lovely to hear & I am sorry now I didnt waken her never mind there is always a next time. Well all for now look after yourself you are always in our thoughts
love Dad X X X