Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-01-25
| THE
Side
'by DAMON
RUNYON
MIR. JOE TURP
WRITES FROM
BROOKLYN

DEAR SIR: Last night my
wife Ethel was sitting very
Quiet for a long time and
finally I ses hello there Beauti-
ful what's on your mind. / ses
you have not opened your
mouth for the last hour and she
ses well I have been thinking Of
something Joe. when you go TO
the army you don't suppose they
would let me so with you do
you
I SES no don't think they
would Ethel. I ses I haven't
heard Of them taking any danes
In the army. She ses I don't
mean would they take me In the
army Joe. ! mean would they
let me 90 with you to look after
your I ses no Beautiful guess
I will have to look after myself.
She ses are you sure they never
let somebody's wife 60 with
them in the army Are you
sure II somebody's wife asked TO
60 with her husband they
wouldn't let herr
I SES why wonderful I think
you are serious though I thought
at first you were Just kidding.
She ses certainly I am serious
Joe. ses well where did you
ever get suci a crazy idea any
way7 She ses why I don't think
its crazy. ] think its as sensible
as can be. ! ses It's plenty crazy
sweets. I ses can you imagine
me marching along somewheres
and you tagging after me7 ! ses
Ethel you are making me dizzy
right In my own house.
SHE SES now wait n minute
Joe Turp. Suppose they let
sverybodys wife go with their
husbands in the army TO look
after them? Wouldn't the hus-
bands be better off II they got
home cooking and had somebody
around who vat really interested
IN them to give them aspirin
when they caught colds and to
talk TO them and cheer them UP
when they were all tired out
from marching and fighting and
feeling downhearted? Wouldn't
they fight better II they were
well fed and comfortable?
think 1t Is really a splendid idea
Joe. / have a notion 10 write
to somebody in Washington
about II.
I SEES yes Ethel but the
trouble with your idea is that
there are not many guys in the
army who are married and they
would be pretty sore II some
bodys wife was taking care Of
her husband the way you ses and
they had nobody 70 take care
OF them. She SeS well they could
get married before they went
in the army. I know a lot Of
girls who would have been glad
TO marry their fellows before
they went into the army II they
thought they could have gone
with them. Joe I wouldn't be
any bother TO you or TO anybody
else at all.
I SES I know you wouldn't
baby but there's no use talking
about It. / ses II would be a
funny looking army II lot OF
married DANES were with their
husbands and Ethel ses well 1t
would be a clean looking army
anyway. Everybodys wife would
see that their husband was al
ways neat and the places where
they live you'd be kept in good
order. I wonder II Mrs. Roose-
welt would be interested in my
idea.
I SES al afraid not Ethel.
I ses am afraid you Will just
have 20 stay home and do the
best you can around here while
! am in IN army and Ethel Ses
yes guess you are right Joe
but ! want TO ask you one thing
/ ses go ahead and ask and Ethel
ses would you Ike 10 have me
go with you ~hen you go 20 the
army ] mean II II was really
possible Joe? SEES Ethel there
is nothing in this world / would
like better. She IS that's al I
want 20 know. That means you
will miss me and II you miss me
that means you love me. ses
Ethel II anybody ever SeS any
different I viii break their legs
and she ses thanks Joe. But do
you know whatp Ny ideas is
really not such bad one after
al II you think about II the
right way.
Yours truly JOE TURP