July 14, 1970
Dearest Angel, my beloved wife,
As a testament to my unwavering love for
you—my Pakka love—I am writing these words late in the evening. It is 10h00 PM,
and soon I will resume my work, but you are foremost in my thoughts.
Yesterday, at around 5h45 PM, I arrived at
Odette’s. One of the first things I did upon arrival was to check for letters.
Unfortunately, there was no letter from India or anywhere else, at least not as
of yesterday. Still, I remain hopeful. Perhaps today, something awaits us. I
also have a strong suspicion that there may be something at 215 Muchmore. The
people living there now may not have had time to bring what belongs to us over
to Odette. Perhaps today will bring news.
Regarding the phone and my inability to
call you, please know it is only temporary. The good news is that the issue
should be resolved soon—probably tomorrow, as the phoneline will be restored at
the office. It was just a mistake. So, you may receive this letter after my
phone call. That’s alright, isn’t it?
How are you today, Angel? Did you manage to
wash our clothes? Please don’t work too hard and leave some tasks for next
week. I hope you slept well. I slept soundly in the living room, though it
would have been perfect had you been there with me.
Julie is doing well. She was in a very good
mood yesterday, and last night, she slept peacefully without disturbing anyone.
Odette is also fine.
My deepest love,
Your Husband, André
 |
| André's basement at parents' home 730 Roland-Forget, Laval |
July 15, 1970
Angel, Na jeevam, my wife,
Wednesday feels especially long and lonely
without you. The phone line has yet to be restored, so I am writing this note
in place of our usual conversation. Although they were meant to fix the
governmental lines today, it did not happen; perhaps tomorrow we will have
better luck. How are you feeling today? Are you lonely as well? Let us hold
onto our smiles and look forward to Friday night and, especially, after August
1st.
Today has been a rainy and dull day, and I
cannot seem to find the motivation to work. Despite the weather, I received my
salary—$303.42—the first cheque since my pay increase. After depositing $275.00
at the bank, I kept $28.42 as pocket money. Following the deduction of the
$815.00 and $240.00 cheques, my bank account stands at $1,200. This means we
are comfortably left with $287.00—not bad, after all! Although I had hoped to
receive my travel expenses reimbursement, I did not; hopefully, I will get it
with my next pay. I plan to request it before my vacation, which should be
about $1,100.00.
Last night, I babysat for René and Odette
once again while they were out. I watched the baseball game quietly on TV and,
as always, thought about you many times. I went to bed around 11:30 PM; the game
lasted quite a while. Julie slept very well, so there were no issues at all. In
fact, she has been in a better mood recently and is much more agreeable. She
did cry during the night, and Odette had to get up once more.
Yesterday, upon returning to Odette’s home,
I checked for our letters, but there was nothing—maybe today will be different.
I gave a pair of pants to René since they were too big for me, and they fit him
well; I think he liked them, which is good.
Odette and René are still dealing with a
small issue involving one of René’s relatives regarding an invitation to a
wedding that they wish to avoid. There is some gossip surrounding the
situation, but I have kept my distance from the problem.
Monique is preparing the luggage for the
trip, and you must help her with this. It is very good practice for when we go camping—you
will know what to do (just joking!). Although the weather is not pleasant now,
next Sunday is expected to be sunny again.
Darling, I hope you receive my phone call
before this letter arrives. I
am so eager to hear your voice. Je t’aime ma Chérie, prends bien garde à toi et
continue de sourire à la vie qui a été si bonne pour nous deux jusqu’ici. Un
million de bisous (kisses).
A bientôt,
Your Husband,
André
July 16,1970
Pakka wife and bride, how are you?
Once again, there is no news from the phone
line, which means the governmental line is still down. I find myself writing
another note to you, feeling very lonely and only half of myself in your
absence. However, there is a bright spot: tomorrow is Friday, and I will be
with you.
There is a lot of work and many
professional problems here, but none of them seem as significant as our life
together. Yesterday, both my colleagues—the English Information Officer and the
Executive Director—asked me about our “Big Day,” meaning the day of our
wedding. I told them it would be on Saturday, August 1st. I wanted them to know
that we are married and that I am your husband, returning from vacation. They
also inquired about what we would like as a gift, but I insisted that we need
nothing. Everything is fine, and I think they understood that we wish to keep
our private life to ourselves. That is all right with me.
At René and Odette’s place, everything is
going well, except Julie is always spoiled. She wakes up during the night and
cries for a couple of hours—or so it seems. Both René and Odette must get up,
but nothing seems to calm Julie down. She does as she pleases, and poor Odette
must manage. I hope she can find a way to overcome this challenge.
My dear Angel, I began this letter this
morning at 8:30 AM but could not finish it. I am continuing now at 3:40 PM
after having eaten a sandwich. I have been working non-stop up to this point. I
just called Montreal to arrange a meeting for Friday, and it seems to be
working out. This means I should be with you Thursday night—only two days to
go. I will probably work late tonight, as there will be many visitors at René’s
home, and I would rather not be there. Instead, I will stay at the office and
take care of my mail.
Angel, have you started to wear your
covered shoes yet? Are they still hurting your feet? Are you remembering to
wash your face nicely? And how is your French coming along? Please make sure to
take time to go outside for walks and get some exercise. It is not good to stay
closed-up in the house all day. Keep smiling, my wife, for a very happy time is
coming for us; it is only a matter of time.
Let us keep strong hope for our future and
place our trust in the Lord. He is with us, and nothing bad can happen to
us—how wonderful is that? Let us thank Him and prepare to thank Him again when
we are united at the end of this week. Sometimes, I feel that we do not pray
enough, and I worry that we might be losing our connection with the Lord. That
would be unfortunate.
Angel, I will close this letter here with a
big embrace and millions of sweet kisses.
Your husband, André
July 17, 1970
My beloved Angel,
I understand you will see me before you
receive this note, but by the time you read these words, I will have already
returned to Ottawa. I hope that this small gesture of love brings you happiness
and comfort in my absence.
Today is Friday, and in just a couple of
hours—since I plan to leave work around 3 o’clock, and it is now 1 o’clock—I
will be with you. I am looking forward to finding you well and happy. Although
it will be a short weekend, I am certain it will be a good one, especially
knowing that in less than two weeks we will be united. The thought excites me
greatly—doesn’t it excite you as well?
As for news, I will refrain from sharing
them in this letter because I would much rather tell you everything in person.
Instead, I will mention a few miscellaneous things. I bought you a small gift,
and I am very glad to have done so. The gift may be humble, but it comes with
all my love for you, which makes it precious indeed. My love for you is
immeasurable.
I have also been thinking about next
Sunday. I will likely suggest that it would be better to have the noon meal
with father and mother before heading back to Repentigny. I will probably also
mention that I intend to return to Ottawa very early on Monday morning, as I
very much wish to spend Monday night with you. Did I tell you this already?
I hope that our children will be well
behaved. Today is Thursday, a day of rest for you and Monique, according to the
schedule Monique created last week: Monday for washing, Tuesday and Wednesday
for packing, and Thursday and Friday for rest. I hope you are taking advantage
of this time to relax.
Did you manage to dedicate some time to
learning French? I wanted to master my first lesson in Telugu, but I cannot
find the paper with the pronunciation guide. I must have left it in Repentigny.
Never mind—I would not have had much time to study anyway. I promise to be a
diligent student during my vacation, even if only for half an hour a day. Is
that agreeable?
So far, there have been no letters for us.
Tonight, however, I will go to 215 Muchmore (Editorial note: apartment
rented where to move soon) to check if any have arrived. I hope there is a
lot of mail waiting for us!
 |
| 215 Mutchmore, Hull, 9th floor André and Angel's first home |
It is now 1 o’clock, so I will finish this
note and post it immediately. I am anxious to know if you received my two
previous letters. Sending these notes feels like throwing a stone into the
ocean, not knowing when it will reach the bottom. At least now, the bottom is
not India, which is a comforting thought.
Darling Angel, let us keep smiling. I love
you—je t’aime. Infinitely. Sending you countless kisses.
Your husband, André
July 21, 1970
My darling Angel,
My dear,
I hope this letter finds you well and that you
are not feeling too lonely. Here, time passes slowly and is quite lonely
without you. I wonder if you have received my letter from the 20th; I think you
probably have by now.
Yesterday, I arrived in Ottawa at 8:27 AM,
which was good. The day was very busy with work. In the evening, I went to
Odette's home around 6:00 PM, where René was present. Due to excessive rain, he
had not worked the entire day. There was also a boy there, a relative of René,
who stayed with us overnight but will leave tonight.
When I arrived, I found two letters from
your parents waiting, as well as one from what I believe is your aunt's
sister—one letter was in English and the other in Telugu, so its content
remains a mystery for now. Later in the evening, Mr. Prud’homme (Editorial
note: moving apartment occupant) brought two more letters from Muchmore
Street. Among these was another letter from India, written in Telugu, and one
for me. I was pleased to receive a cheque for $63.00 from the government, which
I plan to deposit in the bank today. I will withdraw $25.00 for my expenses
next week. Another $63.00 should be arriving from the provincial government
soon. These funds are certainly welcome, aren't they?
The government phone line has not yet been
fixed, so I am unable to call you. Today, I am pressing the matter in hopes
that they will come quickly to repair it. I am also working to ensure that by
Friday, I will have something in Montreal, which may allow me to be with you on
Thursday night. However, nothing is certain at this point.
You can see that I am sharing everything
with you. Regarding the governmental phone, there is still no news. I hope we
have it by next week when we will really need it. As for your letters, I have
received nothing yet. I have called 215 Muchmore (Editorial note: apartment
to be moved in) many times; last night, no one answered, so I could not
collect any letters that might be there. Tonight, since I wish to leave for
Montreal as soon as possible, I am afraid no one will answer again.
Nevertheless, I will try once more before I leave.
Today is very hot. The electric fan is
running, but it is still quite warm. I hope you are not suffering too much from
the heat. Please take good care of yourself, just as I would if I were there
with you. Stay busy, but not too much—perhaps continue learning French and
prepare our things such as bedsheets and more. Everything should be nice and
clean for when we move into our new apartment. Please remember to write to your
parents and convey my love to them as well.
Oh, I almost forgot! I love you. No, Angel,
I did not forget—for a song of love to you is always on my lips.
Tender and passionate kisses,
Your husband, André
July 22, 1970
Dearest and beloved,
It is Wednesday, and still, there is no
sign of the phone line being fixed. It appears we have been forgotten, which is
truly disheartening, especially at a time when you are far from me and we could
have made such good use of the phone. Still, let us continue to be patient, as
we always try to be, and focus on the positive aspects of life. For example,
the fair-weather today is a welcome change from the rain of the past two days.
Most importantly, we can look forward to our happy reunion, which will most likely
be on Thursday night.
Last night, I went to René and Odette’s
home at around 6:30 PM Fortunately, there were no visitors present, as they had
already come by for a short visit during the day. This was a relief. However, I
must remind myself to be extra careful when interacting with René. I find it
difficult to speak openly with him, and even our brief conversation last night
could have led to trouble if I had not stopped it when I did. Still, there is
no need to make a drama out of a small issue. The main point I want to highlight
is that it will be good for us to move into our new apartment soon.
Another matter on my mind is the question
of whether I should stay with you overnight in the new apartment. I have been
thinking about this issue throughout the week, but I have not been able to
reach a conclusion. It is challenging to balance the expectations of everyone
involved while also respecting our own beliefs. My current thought is to bring
up this matter with Mother during the coming weekend. I hope a suitable
opportunity will arise for that conversation. Let us pray for guidance. If you
have reached a conclusion about this yourself, we can discuss it further over
the weekend. Do you agree?
At the office, there is a great deal of
work to be done. However, I am doing my best to clear as much as possible
before our vacation begins. Tonight, I plan to get gas and then probably go to
the apartment on Muchmore Street to see what is happening and to find out when
the current occupants will be moving out. I will give you an update on this
tomorrow.
Angel, I am not sure how you are spending
your days, but I am confident that you know how to keep busy and keep smiling.
Mother surely called you. Last night, the phone rang around 11:00 PM and
startled me, as I thought it might be you, but it turned out to be a wrong
number.
Ange, my love for you grows stronger each
day. I am more certain and steadfast in our union than ever before. Our love
continues to deepen, and for that, let us give thanks to the Lord.
Nive na Prema. Sending you many kisses and
a long, long embrace.
Your Husband, André
July 27, 1970
My dearest Angel, my darling wife,
I hope that this will be the last letter I
write before our much-anticipated reunion. This morning brought a deep sadness
as I left you, especially seeing your tears flow. Yet, I saw your remarkable
efforts to appear brave and courageous, and I could not help but feel a sense
of self-reproach. The weight of leaving you was so heavy that it made it nearly
impossible for me to concentrate on my work today.
With our vacation and the start of our new
life so close at hand, the memories of last night remain vivid in my heart. You
were truly wonderful, Angel. You supported me in so many ways—first in the
living room, where your gentle words about your family brought warmth to my
heart, and then later, in bed, when I was able to express myself openly.
Speaking honestly about what we were both feeling and the reasons for our
sadness helped me tremendously. My only concern now is whether I did enough to
ease the burden in your heart. I pray that I did not leave you feeling alone,
without the strength and courage needed to face the future.
But, my love, the path ahead of us is truly
marvellous, no matter what challenges we might face. Yesterday, you expressed
this so beautifully and reassuringly, and your words brought me great comfort.
They gave me new energy and enthusiasm to begin a fresh day and a new week. You
could see the difference in me this morning when I left you with courage and
determination—not giving up but moving forward with renewed hope and spirit.
Now, I am filled with energy and ready to face whatever life brings to us, for
both our sakes. I have hope, I have faith, and I have love—in you, my darling,
and in the Lord. Is this not a wonderful thing?
This morning, I called Odette. She
mentioned that there is a letter waiting for you from India. I also asked
Odette to contact the apartment to find out when the current occupants would be
moving out; I hope we will know tonight. I plan to check with Odette again this
evening to confirm the date. Tonight, I will also share with her news about our
wedding, and as you said yesterday, I do not anticipate any problems arising
from it.
Today, I went to the bank and withdrew $25
for the week. Everything is in order. Let us continue to keep smiling and
maintain our confidence and gratitude in the Lord.
I love you infinitely, and the Lord loves
both you and me. Your husband sends you one sweet and tender kiss—one among
millions and millions more.
With all my love, André