FRANKLIN & RUSTY - The Pen Pals

FRANKLIN & RUSTY

The Pen Pals

By

Les Clark

March 4, 1933

Dear Mister Prezdent

I only have a pensil to rite you so if it smears, well, you can have someone help you read this. I know I need help reading my own riting. Haha!. I live in a small town in Ohio you probly never herd of.  My pop gets the Sunday Columbus newspeppers. Over breakfast this morning, he was reading to us that you are the new president. My mom gave me the rite spelling but thinks you’ll be okay with the rest of my letter.

I’m nine and in the fourth grade. I ain’t into spelling but you give me numbers and I’ll have an answer in no time. My teacher, Miss Florence puts that pointy cap on some kids but not me. I sit in the second row third seat. Smart kids sit first row, first seat. Maybe you could rite her?

My mom said you’re in polticks. I hate them. When I come in from the field, she has to pick them bugs off my legs. Uh oh! She just saw this. She said you’re in “politics.” People making laws and such. I get it. No bugs, huh? Haha! She said you will be working with your cabinet. That must be an awful small thing to work in. I know, I’m just funnin’ you. We studied other men like Washington and Lincoln being prezdent (see, I listned) so I know you have a big job. My mom is prezdent in my house no matter what my pop says.

Since you’re just starting out, can you help my pop find a job. His steel factory is shutting down. We have enuff food for now but as the prezdent, I know you can fix this. And maybe get my seat changed. Oh, and congratulations. My mom helped me with that word.

Sincerely

Reginald  Coppinger (But you can call me Rusty)

THE WHITE HOUSE

Washington

April 14, 1933

Dear Rusty

Thank you for your good wishes. I found your letter both engaging and entertaining. I don’t get many communications from young men such as yourself. I don’t think I will get many congratulating me in these tough times. As you know, in your school, there are students who are popular and those that are not. I will have to find my way. With your encouragement, I know I will succeed.

I was able to read your writing without much difficulty. Your clarity is far more readable than mine. It is easier for me to dictate this letter to my secretary than to use pen and ink. If you can envision a spider with ink-stained legs dragging itself across my paper, that is my handwriting.

Please write again. That’s how you spell that word. I am sending you the latest copy of Webster’s dictionary. It will help make you a better letter writer. And when you are so inclined, please tell me why your nickname is, “Rusty.”

Sincerely yours

Franklin D. Roosevelt

President

June 10, 1933

Dear President Roosevelt

It’s me again, Rusty Coppinger. You must be busy so thanks for writing back. I appreciated the dictionary. Did that Mister Webster know all those words? My mom said he must have been one smart cookie. When we can afford the flour and stuff, she makes great cookies.

I saw pictures of where you live. No small cabinets there. Haha! My mom said you have big rooms for you and your cabinet to meet in. She said anyone can become like you so if I finish grade school and high school and maybe if things get better and my dad gets a job I can go to college, I could be in your cabinet. You know I’m good at numbers. Well, I guess it’s because I told you so.

My friends call me Rusty because of my hair. No one else has red hair in my family. Mom and my pop don’t talk about it, but I’ll tell you, I hear them laughing about it sometimes. I’ll have to get another haircut before school starts. My mom likes the greasy style, so she slicks mine back. I hate it. Plus my bike, which is really old, is well, rusty. The bell works, though.

I saw your picture when you had your hand on the bible. Maybe you had more hair as a kid. Haha! Well, that’s all for now. Summer vacation is coming up. I need to get a job to help out my family. I can cut grass. You know, kid jobs. Mom is taking in laundry ‘cause we have a well and a scrub board.

We’ll get by.

Sincerely

Rusty

THE WHITE HOUSE

Washington

September 23, 1933

Dear Rusty

I apologize for the delay in writing back.

I am dealing with some major issues affecting not only you and your mom and as you call him, your pop. If you are still reading the newspapers, and hopefully listening to the radio, you know things are not going well in the Midwest. If you paid attention in school, you know wheat is grown in the Midwest. Unusual climate conditions have decimated (look that word up on your own) crop yields.

If your pop is looking for work, along with a bridge going up on the west coast, there are new buildings being erected in New York City.

You appear, at least to me, and I suspect to your parents, that you are a most precocious young man and very industrious.

I want to know when you will be celebrating your birthday.

Sincerely yours,

Franklin D. Roosevelt

December 26, 1933

Dear President Roosevelt

We had a big Christmas project in school. My fifth grade teacher gave us pens and ink so we could write letters to our parents. Well, me just to my mom. This is better than my pencil, huh? My teacher calls this the Palmer Method. Because I know you, my new teacher, Miss Cotton lets me distribute the ink. She gets mad when we do cross outs. Like your spider writing. Haha!

Wowie!!! A mailman come to our door this morning with a big heavy box. It had your address on it. He stood there like he was waiting for a tip. My mom gave him a dime. We don’t have much cash now. I shovel snow for fifty cents a sidewalk with maybe a nickel or dime more for a driveway. I give it all to my mom. My pop is gone. I shouldn’t worry you about that. We didn’t have any likker, I mean liquor in the house for a long time. When you made that law go away, it got real bad here. I’m not mad at you. It’s got to be those guys making and breaking laws.

We’ll get by. Oh, I got carried away. Thank you for the Erector Set. I know how to put things together. You know, and use tools. There’s a rusty old Model T in the garage I have been taking apart. I think it’s from 1924. I may be your age when I finish fixing it. Haha!

Sincerely,

Rusty C.

THE WHITE HOUSE

Washington

July 1, 1934

Dear Rusty

I know you will understand when I say Washington, DC is a very busy place. I was saddened to hear that your pop had a problem. I worry about him and the other (and I will use numbers you love so well) 125,000,000 Americans. I cannot solve every problem but with my cabinet (if they will work together) we can make things better.

I spoke with Mr. Henry Ford at his factory in Michigan. He promised me he would send you complete plans for your Pop’s Model T along with some specialized tools. He promised they will not rust.

I am planning several trips in the foreseeable future. You can infer my time will be limited to sporadic correspondence. You can always follow what goes on in Washington through radio broadcasts and your newspapers. I believe your library gets copies of Time and Newsweek.

Sincerely yours,

Franklin D. Roosevelt

p.s. Did you notice my use of big words? Look them up.

January 22, 1935

Dear President Roosevelt

I did a bad thing at the library today. When the library lady wasn’t looking, I tore off the cover of Time magazine with your picture on it. I tacked it on my bedroom wall. Man of the Year? Wowie!

Rusty

           March 22, 1940

Dear President Roosevelt

Do you remember me? Rusty Coppinger? I was going through my scrapbooks and found your letters. I thought I’d write to see how you are. I took your advice. I listen to radio as often as I can but usually at night after my homework and chores. I love Fibber McGee and Molly, Baby Snooks and Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy. I also read every magazine and newspaper I can get my hands on. When I’m not in school, I volunteer at my local library.

Remember that Model T I was working on? I got it running. Thank you and Mister Ford for the assembly plans and tools. Someone offered me a thousand dollars...or as you would like to see, $1,000.00. Haha!

From what I’ve read and heard, I don’t think the world is in great shape. It must worry you. You did some good things for me...I wish I could do something for you.

I have been doing well in school. I get A’s in everything because I do my homework on time. I help other kids do theirs. I’m starting to think of college. Which one would you recommend?

Well, that’s all for now.

Your friend, Reginald Coppinger

           December 9, 1941

           Dear President Roosevelt

           Mom and I were glued to my big Zenith radio listening to your speech about the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. We had to get out the atlas to see where it is. This morning me and my friends ran down to town hall and enlisted. My mom is not happy. Worried, even. I hope I get the Army Air Corps. The phone just rang. I have to report tonight. I may not write for a while. You don’t need me as a distraction.

           Sincerely,

           Rusty Coppinger

           May 3, 1943

           Dear Mister President

           I am aware this letter will be opened by the censors and although you already know about the operation I was a part of. I owe you some history. I got through Basic Training easily. They figured in tech school I had mechanical aptitude. Some brass needed mechanics on P40’s and P39’s so because I renovated that relic of a Model T, I was picked. Not only did I fix them, but I also got to taxi them after I fixed them. My lieutenant had a bird (haha!) when I took off in a Warhawk. It was like I was meant to fly. Long story short, I was reassigned to “someplace” near water. We had “Lightning” if you get my drift. It’s another P kind of plane I learned to fly. Boy, do things happen fast in a war.

To make a long story short, I was part of a flight, the flight, that might shorten the war. We intercepted the plane of one of their big shots. Well, you must know already. Your cabinet guys are pretty smart.

I’m flying missions every day. Tell Mister Lockheed, if there is one, this plane is a dream.

I do not expect to hear from you but when there is an end to the war, my wife and I would like to come to the White House and say hello. Oh, after I got that Model T running, I was quite popular. It wasn’t as neat as some of those hot rod coupes but good enough for Lizzie Modelle to want to take a ride. You know what I mean.

Yours

1^st Lt. Reginald Coppinger.

p.s. The name of my plane is “Rusty.” One of the mechanics painted a Rita Hayworth lookalike just aft of the guns. She’s making an obscene gesture.

THE WHITE HOUSE

Washington

April 15, 1945

Dear Captain Coppinger

 As you and all America knows, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt passed away suddenly and tragically in Georgia on April 12.

I had my Chief of Staff accompany me in the sad endeavor in the Oval Office to clear and preserve his private papers, official documents, collectibles and the like. As you might imagine, after his twelve years in office, the effort was monumental.

In a side drawer with a false bottom, we found a trove of personal correspondence from a number of what are commonly called pen pals. Most were just one-time-only letters. Yours were numerous, casual and to use an old southern expression, real down home.

We know where you are stationed and that you are still flying missions as we work to end this terrible war. There was not enough time to temporarily relieve you of active duty so that you might have attended his funeral. My cabinet and I believe he would have wanted your attendance. You would have been my guest. Please consider this an invitation to visit The White House when this war is over.

Sincerely

Harry S. Truman

President

April 23, 1945

Dear President Truman

Thank you for the invitation to attend President Roosevelt’s funeral. It would have been a great and significant honor. However, we are flying sorties every day, doing our best to shorten the war. I am an Ace plus two. “Rusty” has some real wear and tear. I have enclosed some pictures.

Sincerely

Captain Reginal Coppinger

p.s. I like your handwriting. It’s like the Palmer Method I learned in the fifth grade. I didn’t mind your scratch outs. Haha!

p.p.s. If you have time, can we stay in touch?