Douglas Henslowe's 1st Letter to Joyce

Miss Joyce Summers c/o Mr. W. Winston High Branch Manor, 872 Kingsport Rd, Aylesbury, Massachusetts

Mr. D. Henslowe 513 West Henry Street, Savannah, Georgia.

May 17, 1937

Dear Joyce,

You are an angel and so is Lillian. Please thank Walter for sending her to watch over me. And please tell Walter how sorry I am to have ever believed that he abandoned me. I was so very wrong!

I know that Dr. Keaton is worried about me, but he does not have to be. I am happy here now that I know the truth.

And part of that truth is that I know that I am not very much use to you. I know that. Don't worry. I will watch carefully. I will keep the wards up. I will watch Job, but, really, I don't think he knows anything. And, as long as he gets his medicine, he is no threat to me. As long as he -gets- it. He never tries not to take it. He is always very careful to line up all the pills. He takes them one at a time, until they are all gone. He notices if things change, but Dr. Keaton tells him what to do, and of course, he takes the pills the doctor says to take, and if the doctor says he isn't getting any at a particular time, of course he doesn't ask for any. It's been a long time since that happened. I think it's been a long time. I am not sure I always know how long it's been since any specific date. I know you understand.

I don't know about everyone at Joy Grove. I trust the doctors, of course. That's why I am here. But I sometimes have doubts about some of the staff, just one or two people. I know Dr. Keaton trusts them, because if he did not, he would make sure they were not here. So I am drawing nice pictures of them to remind myself that they are nice, like Dr. Keaton says. I will send them to you with this letter.

I wish I could do more for you and for Walter. I hope the work is going well.

Your Friend,

Douglas