To Ev Suffens [Letter 32]

The Murray
Sixty-six Park Avenue
New York

June 10, 1936

Dear Ev,

We were delighted to hear from you, even though your letters gave a pretty sad account of your trip and “Decibel”’s behavior. And, selfishly, we say it serves you right for deserting the Midnight Jamboree. However, since the time is drawing close to your return, we hope you will have better luck for the rest of your vacation and, particularly, on your way back, because we do want to hear the Midnight Jamboree next week. Or is it to be next week? We hope so.

Do we miss the Midnight Jamboree? Well, “you have no idea”! Oh, yes, the Jamboree is still there, but “she ain’t what she used to be.” “Don’t look now”, but we are not very happy about the announcer who is understudying you. He is not bad, as radio announcers go, but he is just that—a radio announcer, and with a leaning toward jazz-music besides. Such old, faithful fans of the Midnight Jamboree as we are have actually stopped listening and missed several evenings.

Oscar and Oswald the Firsts are sitting dejectedly by the radio, waiting for your return. They don’t like this vacation and want their jobs back. Petunia’s back is arched, her fur is ruffled and she is mad at you. She wants to know why you disgraced her publicly by announcing over the air that you didn’t like her? But she’ll forgive you when she hears the “Grasshoppers’ Dance” again. We haven’t had any “Grasshoppers’ Dance”, any “Down South”, not even a single “Toonerville Train” for ages.

In the meantime—good luck to your theatrical venture. We hope it will be as good as your program was.

Our regards, best wishes and love to Oscar, Oswald, Rasputin and—well, all right, and Ev Suffens.

Ayn + Frank