Iron History

[Previous entry: "10/17/2008 - December 17, 1987 letter from Charles A. Smith to Joe"] [Main Index] [Next entry: "10/31/2008: January 1, 1988 letter from Charles A. Smith to Joe"]

10/24/2008 Entry: "10/24/2008: The conclusion of Charles A. Smith's December 17, 1987 letter to Joe"

This is the conclusion of a letter written to Joe Roark from Charles A. Smith, dated December 17, 1987:

Three times now Balik has assured me my Eder article will appear NEXT issue. But like tomorrow, his next issue doesn�t come. As I may have mentioned I have heard some ugly rumors that tend to reveal a certain friend of mine has induced Balik NOT to publish the article. But these are rumors and one cannot take any action with no proof or solid substance provided, and I am reluctant to believe what I have heard, being a trusting soul who can�t think that anyone would do what has been rumored.

Was it you who told me Balik is claiming he has increased his sub list by a thousand and his news stands sales are rising rapidly? Some one did.
[Roark note: I did not tell Charles the above]

I think you would be well advised to stay where you are and NOT take any job with NAUTILUS. As good old Bill Shakespeare has said somewhere or the other, �Better to cling to the fears we know of� or something like that. With your 19 years in at U of I and Geni�s job, you have too much to lose by relocating. You�d be surprised- or would you- at the vast number of employers who cringe when they hear the words �I�m over 40�.

I absolutely agree with you when you say a move to Texas would be too chancy, and, if I might preen, even gloat a little, didn�t I tell you so several letters ago. A bird in your hand may make it IKKY, but it is still a bird in your hand. Then too, people makes promises on the spur of the moment and are sorry they did the next whiz past the following second- Like brother XXX and his smoked salmon, which I can smell but can�t see at all.

I doubt very much if the Wunderful Wun will publish the translation of Les Rois De La Force. There just isn�t anything in it to interest moderns and anyway, ALL of its contents have been used by old time strength writers who have either attributed sources or have conveniently failed to do so. Actually, reading it in the French tongue in DULL DULL DULL. I know. I was translating the strong women section for Jan just before I decided I had had enough. Of you know who that is and not Les Rois De La Force.

Getting back to your once proposed move to Texas. I have a friend in Western Australia. He�s a London Cockney like me and moved to Kangaroo land in 1947. He has done very well for himself there, but the silly old silly now, close to retirement, proposes to MOVE BACK TO LONDON.

I have argued with him time and time again, telling him that he would just not understand- nor would he care for- the vast cultural, economic and social changes that have taken place since he last saw the UK thirty years ago. He just doesn�t understand that NOTHING ever remains the same, that what he knew and loved- just as what I knew and loved had GONE and for ever. He would be much better off where he is.

He cannot realize that England id DYING, or at least the England he knew. I feel the shock will be too much for him. The same old values pertain. The same old class distinction is still there. The same Old Boy-Best Schools set-up still runs the country and a working class man or lower middle classer doesn�t stand a chance.

The country, like ours, is fast turning into a society of the very wealthy and the very poor. He would be frightened at what is happening. They are taking the old dockland areas and turning them into luxury apartments the cheapest of which- a ONE ROOM, ONE BATH deal sells for a quarter of a MILLION dollars and the most expensive, a three room two bath deal is going for TWO MILLION. Meanwhile no new housing or better housing is being built for the poor. The number of families living on the streets is increasing because of lack of low income housing, just as here. He is in for a tremendous culture shock. But he won�t listen. I have advised him to first take a holiday before he makes up his mind to return permanently. I hope he does, One hates to lose a friend or see a friend suffer un-nessessaryily- have I spelled that word correctly?

I suppose I�ll be spending my Xmas Holiday with Vera and family. I hope so. I just can�t wait for those two little imps to start scaling me like I was Mount Everest. What a marvelous feeling to know that someone loves you for just what you are- POPPA.

Have a good Christmas and sink one for me,
Best to you and Geni and Meg,
Chas.