About Schmidt - Louis Begley [92]
Did the turtle doves have a laser printer at home? Had she written the letter at the office? He hadn’t a doubt that, in either case, Jon would have reviewed it. That made it like a legal communication—you never know whether Mr. White or Mr. Brown who signed is the real author.
Here is what the letter said:
Hi Dad, and it sure isn’t easy to write this letter. I guess the letter is easier. So I’m writing. Jon and Renata thought I should to say “thank you” and “sorry.” I’m saying both.
Jon and I are grateful to you for agreeing to buy my remainder interest. Jon has talked to Mr. Murphy who has told him there is no problem. I hope you are not inconvenienced. Bridgehampton has changed since I was a child, and I don’t like the way that area has been developed. Ulster County, where Renata and Myron are going, is still rural. We will be near them, and near several couples from W & K and my office who have houses there or are actively looking. We don’t have friends in the Hamptons and we don’t know how we would meet couples like us. I don’t believe we would meet them through your and Mom’s friends.
Do you think I could have some furniture from the house? I am making up a list of the better pieces that belonged to Aunt Martha. I believe that Mom intended me to have them. I will send the list soon. When we buy a house, please send the furniture. Jon asked me to tell you that he thinks we should pay for the move. And could we please have the silver?
I guess you are glad in the end not to have the bother of the wedding, especially as almost all the guests will be people you don’t know. Except the people from the firm. It would have been a lot of work for you, and now you can relax and carry on with your routine. It must be nice to be retired!
We have checked out several restaurants in Soho and Tribeca. The one we like best is Nostradamus, at the corner of Broadway and Spring Street. I don’t think that’s an area you know. The restaurant has been there for just about two years. A man in my office is married to the chef. She does light Cajun cuisine. They can seat 250, and still have room for dancing. We don’t need a band. We will use a DJ. The price they quoted is $200 per guest, everything included. They are reserved solid every evening, so they need a deposit of 20%, by the end of next week. You can make the check out to me. I’ll pay them with my own check.
The wedding will be on June 20. We will be married at City Hall in the morning, and then the party will start at seven. Renata and Myron will be back from a Psychoanalytic Congress in Toronto early that week, and Jon has checked the date with the key partners. I guess you don’t have too many scheduling problems!
So we hope you will come and see what a different lifestyle wedding is like.
You got up a head of steam about my becoming converted to Judaism. It won’t happen right away, because I have to do a lot of studying even though I am choosing Reformed Judaism, but I am heading down that road. The Jewish religion is very beautiful and I never got that much out of being an Episcopalian. If we have children it will be less confusing for them. We will be able to give them a spiritual background. That does matter to some people.
I guess this has gotten to be a long letter so I’ll say goodbye now.
Charlotte
Schmidt was one of those people who answer every business letter the day it is received and try to answer personal letters not more than one day later. Therefore, very little suspense, if any, will be sacrificed if the text of his reply is set out now, even as he ponders what he should say to his daughter.
Thursday
Dear Charlotte,
I haven’t found much by way of gratitude or apology in your letter, but I won’t quarrel with you about it. Not while I am writing in part about your wedding.
My check