Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Mike Royko (1932–97) worked as a daily columnist for the Chicago Daily News, the Chicago Sun-Times, and the Chicago Tribune. His Pulitzer Prize–winning columns were syndicated in more than six hundred newspapers across the country. He is the author of Boss: Richard J. Daley of Chicago; One More Time: The Best of Mike Royko; For the Love of Mike: More of the Best of Mike Royko; and Early Royko: Up Against It in Chicago, the latter three published by the University of Chicago Press.

David Royko is the director of the Marriage and Family Counseling Service of the Circuit Court of Cook County. He is also the son of Mike and Carol Royko, and the author of Voices of Children of Divorce.

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Royko in Love

The University of Chicago Press

Contents

Acknowledgments...............................................................................xiIntroduction..................................................................................xviiPrologue: A November Farewell.................................................................1THE LETTERS: PART ONE "Another year and another letter"......................................3Letters, February 1, 1954-August 24, 1954.....................................................97THE LETTERS: PART TWO "My darling, as soon as possible be with me again".....................99Letters, September 23, 1954-November 2, 1954..................................................173THE LETTERS: PART THREE "Hello My Sweet Wonderful Wife"......................................175

Chapter One

"Another year and another letter"

Dad's letters speak for themselves, but when necessary, I have added some brief commentary, including references based on my own knowledge and any information I have learned from those close to the story, including Mike's surviving older sister Eleanor and younger brother Bob; Don Karaiskos (Mike's barracks-mate, referred to frequently in the letters as "Chris," derived from "Karaiskos"); and Mike's niece and future sister-in-law Barbara (she married Mom's brother, Bob Duckman), who as a one-time close friend of Mom's provided some insight into the brief marriage and subsequent breakup of Mom and Larry. I also provide some brief historical background when needed. For the sake of readability, I opted to correct the rare spelling mistake.

Unfortunately, Mom's letters to Dad do not appear to have survived. She did keep-very sporadically-a diary of the "A Line a Day" variety, and I have included several of her entries in my comments where they offer insight into Carol's thoughts or feelings about Mick.

I have included postmark dates as they appear on the envelopes, as most of the letters are undated, though the day of the week is often noted. According to the 1954 calendar, these days usually correspond to the day preceding the postmark date. The stamps are always airmail, and were six cents.

As I looked for pictures to include in the book, digging through boxes I hadn't opened in years, I realized that I had far more than the book had space for. I have posted some of this additional material on my website (http://www.davidroyko.com) and on the University of Chicago Press website (http://www.press.uchicago.edu/).

Dad wrote 114 letters to Mom. They are preceded by a letter he wrote not to Carol but to the whole Duckman family, to whom Dad was close.

Mike and Carol both had brothers named Bob, and this letter refers to Bob Duckman. At the time, Bob was an undertaker.

POSTMARK: FEBRUARY 1, 1954 ADDRESSED TO: DUCKMANS

Hi Folks,

Another year and another letter from the bad penny. I'm now stationed in Washington, seven miles from the Canadian border. It's great up here. They have weekly barn dances and during our time off we can chase rabbits or carve our names in redwood trees. Nothing like a social life. The next time I get a leave, I'll probably arrive home wearing buckskins and carrying a flint lock rifle. The air force seems determined to keep me separated from civilization. The local farmers are very friendly tho, they probably reckon that I'll give em a mite of help with the spring plowin.

I guess I should apologize for not coming over during my leave, but I lost so much weight in Korea that I thought Bob might not recognize me and toss me in a pine box. I had a pleasant leave but it flew by so quickly that I didn't get around as much as I would have liked to and I spent a big part of it traveling back and forth from Washington.

Needless to say, I left Korea somewhat gaunt but still intact. The first condition I attribute to the bully beef and dehydrated potatoes we lived on and the second to the fact that on guard duty, when sighting a Korean I yelled "help" instead of "halt." All in all it was pretty interesting, but if they ever want me to go back there again, three of us will arrive at the dock. Me and the two cops who will have to escort me.

I'll probably take another leave this summer so you can expect me to pop in then. I've been here four days now and I haven't let the family know where I am so I'll close now and give them a buzz on the phone.

When you have time, drop me a line.

"Mountain Man" Mick

Carol wrote back, apparently chiding Mike gently for not stopping over and not writing. She also revealed that she and Larry had separated and would divorce. The marriage had been a mistake.

Carol was nineteen years old and Mike was twenty-one.

POSTMARK: MARCH 16, 1954

Carol

Writing this letter is going to be the toughest thing I've ever done. In answer to your note-yes, I did plan on writing once a year-or less. Naturally a statement like that warrants an explanation. I'm in love with you. Surprised? Well I am and the result has been mental hell. For a couple of years I've been wondering when I'd stop thinking about you every day. I've come to the conclusion that I won't. So as long as I have to keep going this way you may as well know about it. I've been in love with you for so long, I don't remember when it started but when I decided to do something about it, it was too late.

I was home for 30 days and at times the urge to go to you was overpowering. I drove by your house time after time but couldn't stop. I can't write anymore. Anything else I say would be a futile attempt to elaborate on a complete statement. I love you. I don't harbor much hope but please answer or I'll be forced to call you on the phone. I don't want to do that until I hear from you.

Love

Mick

In our day of cheap cell phones and e-mail and instant communication, it's hard to imagine the torture my father must have felt as he waited for his letter to cross two-thirds of the continent and hers to return. But when her reply came, the message was clear: Even if she did not reciprocate his feelings in full, she did not reject them either. In fact, they seemed to be just what she needed-her diary entry of March 18 says, "Got a letter from Mick today, telling me he loves me. I can't believe it's actually true. I'll start living again."

Stanley Steamer was one of Mike's nicknames for his car.

POSTMARK: APRIL 3, 1954

Dear Carol,

You haven't received any of them but in the past week I have written you dozens of letters. All have ended up in the waste basket. Nothing I write sounds right. Night after night I've sat here writing 'til my roommate is suspecting me of having a few loose screws. When I unfolded your artistic endeavor this afternoon, he just shook his head in a confused way and left the room mumbling in an undertone. Seriously, I feel guilty and sorry for putting you in the position of encouraging me to write. Your letter had such an exhilarating effect on me that my section chief gave me three days off, hoping I would come back to earth. I guess I've read your letter until the ink is practically worn off but I haven't been able to put together a reply so I'll just sit here and write whatever comes into my mind. I didn't know until last week...