October 25, 1967: Space for Christmas

Letter postmarked October 25, 1967:

The CCZCC, which set a record of 11 in the last letter, is reset to zero again due to the omission of the zip code on this envelope. Sadness. :-(

For some reason Mom printed this letter instead of writing it in cursive like all the previous letters.

Dear Mother and Mike,

The letter I wrote you Monday hasn't been mailed yet, but I thought I would write again and bring you up to date. As you know from the other letter, I went to Olvera Street on Monday. I tried to buy another, larger turtle for David Wayne and Dave, but they didn't have a bowl large enough to keep one in. I don't know which one of the Davids was more disappointed.

Tuesday I drove to Santa Monica beach to a Penney's store. Here's what I got David Wayne for Christmas: A Johnny Lunar space set (as advertised on TV), a Slap Trap game (also on TV), a circus train, and two pairs of Disneyland pajamas. I had already gotten him a Build-a-Road for his Matchbox cars. Dave has me thoroughly confused - First he says, "Now don't get too much for David Wayne because we'll have to transport everything back to Texas." Then every time he sees a toy on TV or hears David Wayne talk about some toy, he says, "Why don't you get that, too?"

[Since Mom bought all those items on a Tuesday, I wonder if I was with her, and if I was, how did she manage to keep me distracted while she made those purchase? Very impressive.]

[Here's a commercial for the Johnny Astro toy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmLMrMdIy5c. Remember, this was 21 months before Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon, so toys related to space exploration were quite popular.]

[And here is a link to a web site with tons of information about Johnny Astro: http://www.johnnyastro.com/johnnymain.htm]

[I'll have more to say about Johnny Astro when Christmas rolls around.]

David Wayne showed especial attention to the Tricky Tommy Turtle, but it costs $9 and I think it would be pretty expensive to mail. He also got excited over a Major Matt Mason set (some kind of weird looking contraption that supposedly walks on the moon).

[Here's a commercial for Major Matt Mason from 1966, which pales in comparison to the 1968 commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q98uWOPGEAM]

[Here's a web site with tons of information on the Major Matt Mason toy, including the 1968 commercial with awesome narration, which I have transcribed below: https://vintageactionfigures.com/major-matt-mason-the-man-in-space.html]

Meet Major Matt Mason, Mattel's man in space
And the bravest astronaut yet
He lives on the moon (we may all be there soon)
And he gets around with a jet

Until Sergeant Storm with his red uniform
Major Matt worked all alone
Now together they face the dangers of space
And seek to learn the unknown

The machines that they drive seem almost alive
As they transport the adventurous pair
The new Astro-Trak whips through the black
And Firebolt even goes where

They meet Captain Lazer, his space gear ablaze
With energy stored from the stars
He's a giant, it's true, but a friendly one who
Spent his boyhood on Mars

An exciting place, the world of space
As all the astronauts know
This world is swell, it's made by Mattel
With it, how far can you go?

By the way, remember those beautiful glass figures on Olvera Street? Well, they wrap and mail those for you at one of the stores. I have decided that's what I'm going to get Dave's aunts. If you are interested I could mail some to your friends for you. You can get really nice things for just about any price. I bought David Wayne a grab bag for 39 cents and he got a pretty glass cat that sells for 60 cents. I tried to get him to send the cat to Linda Kay, but he won't part with it.

[Sorry about that, Aunt Linda. If I still had that glass cat I would send it to you.]

You know what David Wayne really wants for Christmas? To see Knucklehead! I wish we were rich and could fly Mike out here for a few days. That would mean more to David Wayne than all the toys in the stores. He really misses Mike.

[Uncle Mike is just twelve years older than me. After Mom got divorced from her first husband she and I lived in a rental house on my grandmother's property in Denton until Mom and Dad got married in 1966, right after I turned four. Since Uncle Mike and I hung out a lot during that time, he was sort of like a big brother to me during my toddler years. I was six years old when he got married, and when he drove away from their wedding reception with everyone waving goodbye I cried because I thought I'd never see him again.]

Dave plays with him a lot at night though and that helps. Last night they played like Dave was a bucking horse. This morning Dave's knees had no skin on them and he was having a little difficulty bending them. Poor Daddy!

[Having played the part of the horse in the bucking bronco game many times myself, I can vouch for the fact that knee protection is essential.]

We got some new neighbors yesterday - in the apartment right above ours. They must wear army boots and I'm sure they must be changing the location of the kitchen, from all the hammering and sawing going on. Unfortunately, they don't have any children for David Wayne to play with.

[Loud neighbors upstairs - every apartment dweller's dream.]

Last week we had a funny thing happen at the apartment. I had gone somewhere that day so I only got to see the last part. A lady in #6 celebrated her 84th birthday. It seems that the owner's wife, Mrs. Lerner (at least 60) and Mrs. Sabo (the manager that you met) went to wish her a happy birthday. These three old ladies spent the entire afternoon gossiping and drinking cocktails. I came just as the party was breaking up and I never got such a laugh in my life. They had really had a _good_ time!

Well, I will close for now. I've already washed the clothes and gone to the post office this morning. Now all that is left for me to do is wash my hair, drive clear across town to that Penney's store you and I went to and get a present for Linda Kay's baby, go to the doctor, have the car washed and waxed, and clean the apartment. I think I'll take a nap instead.

[That sounds just like something I would say today.]

Love,
Linda

P. S. - I'm going to send Wayne a toy for Christmas since he won't have David Wayne's to play with. Don't tell though.