Monday, December 9, 1929
December 9, 1929
JFK wrote a letter to his father, who was in California with his mistress Gloria Swanson. He gives details about his brother Joe, Jr. being home from Choate over Thanksgiving vacation. The competition Jack Kennedy feels between them and his attempt to gain his father’s attention is palpable.
“When Joe came home he was telling me how strong he was, and how tough. The first thing he did to show me how tough he was was to get sick so that he could not have any Thanksgiving dinner. Manly youth. He was then going to show me how to Indian wrestle. I then through [sic] him over on his neck.”
JFK then goes on to report with glee a beating Joe, Jr. took at the hands of upperclassmen.
“Did the sixth formers lick him! Oh man, he was all blisters, they almost paddled the life out of him… What I wouldn’t have given to be a sixth former! They must have some pretty strong fellows up there if blisters have anything to do with it.”
[3, 84 and prologue notes (84), 818]