November 3, 1974 (Letter from Tina)

Never give up hope.  I'm bound to reply to your letter sooner or later!  I was really thrilled to receive your letter.  Rusty and I enjoyed it so much!  You're a sweetheart to keep in touch with us.  It means a great deal to me, as it always has in the past.  I must confess that I was inspired to write by a very surprising and special phone call from our mutual comrade in California.  I hadn't heard from Mike since last May, when he was here for dinner, so I've been anxious to get a letter or at least have his address.  In our conversation I covered what's been happening with us in Cleveland in about 2 sentences and I then mentioned that we'd received a letter from you.  I must admit that the least likely place I thought you'd be is in Deer Lodge, Montana!  Your job sounds fascinating and very rewarding.  You must come into contact with all kinds of people from varying backgrounds, and you've probably listened to some unusual stories and experiences.  Your actual job as prison librarian may often seem secondary to the personal contact you have and maintain with the prisoners and staff.  As I'm sure you realize, this will prove to be an invaluable experience in your life as well as career.  You come into contact with an element of society that the majority of us never try to understand and often never conscious of.  How large a place is Deer Lodge? Frankly, I think it sounds terrific.  "City life" leaves much to be desired!  In many ways, I envy your free spirit!!  It would be great if you could join Kathy and Gary Tuller for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  I'm so glad you were able to get in touch with them.  They're really a great couple and so warm and receptive.  What a good feeling to know that a familiar face (or rather, faces) aren't so far away -- well at least not 1,000 miles away.  If you do join them, please give them my best   

All's well on our end.  Rusty is now with a real estate firm here, but is strictly on commission, which means $0 in this market.  He's becoming disenchanted and is beginning to look into corporate and/or business   marketing, sales, etc. positions.  At least he's be on a salary.  My job is fine -- I'm working my can off, and at home I flop.  Back to Mike.  Have you heard from him this past summer?  I didn't ask him if you two were keeping in touch, although I assumed you still are. He told me the "news" and of his new job with an advertising firm as a commercial artist and also that he now had his own apartment.  I think he's finally "found himself" and is enjoying west coast life.  More power to him!  We're going to Warren this coming weekend -- my sister Karen and our gorgeous nephew, Greg, will be visiting for a long weekend, and we can't wait to see them.  (Karen and her husband, Bob, were separated last March -- Karen and Greg were living at the Holly Apts in Warren until August, when she and Bob reconciled.-- but that's another long story!  Guess I'd better sign off.  We're thinking of you and send you our best wishes.