To Bertha from Marjorie – November 22nd, 1936
Dear Mrs. Buckler,
I feel like calling you Bertha but think it would be a piece of impertinence on my part although I have always heard Anne speak of you and although I have never seen you, I feel I already know you and think you must be a very nice person, and I know Anne is very fond of you.
I feel for this reason very pleased at the idea that you may be able to come and stay with Anne after I am gone, and I thought you might like to have from me a little idea of what your life would be with her and what would be expected of you. This is more difficult for Anne to say this than for me.
What Anna needs above all from whoever is with her is companionship and love in the full sense of the words. She also must feel that whomever is with her and what they do for her, they do willingly and enjoy doing, otherwise she would be very unhappy for she never likes to feel she is a burden to anyone. She likes more than anything to have the company of a helpful person and does not want to be left alone for too long periods. Otherwise, she is apt to get sad and depressed. He has many friends and enjoys going out to tea and having people in. This we always do together. Also, we play quite a bit of bridge although only with nice people and not for money. It is true I do give Anna massage and exercises, etcetera, and while this is important at intervals, I don’t think it is as important as her moral needs, such as having whoever was with her enjoyed being with her and loved her. That is the important thing. She needs of course help always now to walk. She is a little heavier and walks less, going for the most part in her little chair which I push.
Of course she has this little car which I drive and we have lots of fun with it, in fact I don’t know how we ever got on without it. I know you love Florence and so does Anne. That and your painting you have in common. However, I would like to tell you in advance so you will not be unhappy after, you will have very little free time, that is time to yourself. Anna and I do everything together and in that way she expects quite a lot. Some people would not like this so I thought you ought to know, I am very fond of Anne and mostly what pleases her pleases me, and we have great fun together and that is what she likes and cannot however be left alone much, not that physically she can’t be but only morally. As I have said before is that is the principal thing, to keep her cheerful and happy. She is as you, a very brave and courageous little soul, but needs above all, cheerful company.
She has been perfectly wonderful about my marriage and has not for a minute thought of herself but has only been rejoicing with me in my newfound happiness, which shows the greatness of her nature and greatness of her love for me and I shall never forget it because it is not going to be easy for her to readjust herself to her new life.
If you feel you would really like this life with her and would not feel too tied, I am sure you two would find it interesting and certainly you would be doing it a great deal of good making Anne happy. But if you do not wish to be tied considerably then perhaps it would not suit you. Anne wants you very much but she only wants someone who really would enjoy their life with her which can be a very happy one if taken with the right spirit.
I hope you won’t mind my writing or anything I have said, but I thought you ought to know would would be expected of you. I thank you so much for your good wishes to me, I feel sure I will be happy ___ Rodolfo is _____.