The following are excerpts from an application submitted June 4, 1956 through television show “Do You Trust Your Wife.”
"June 4, 1956
George Stephens
6357 Selma Avenue
Hollywood 28, California
Dear Sir:
Thank you for the opportunity to qualify as a contestant on “Do You Trust Your Wife”.
I think my wife and I would make good contestants because I modestly believe we are the ideal couple. She is very understanding, logical, unselfish, wonderful disposition, clean and tidy, a good manager, and never takes second best. She is so fastidious that one night, I got up for a drink of water and before I got back she had made the bed. She has been the guiding force in my continuing my education. It is coincidental with this letter that, after 20 years of evening college, I am attending commencement exercises on June 6, 1956 for my Master’s degree in Public Administration at New York University. My two children, as well as my wife and our parents will attend.
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My wife’s leisure time also increased, because she had to baby sit while I went to school. But she is catching up since we moved into our new home 3 years ago. Monday night is scrabble, Tuesday night is movies, Wednesday night is scrabble, and Thursday night is coffee klatch. In between times, she is a den mother with the cub scouts, and attends P.T.A. meetings.
I FEEL OUR FAMILY IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE:
(1) Our friends and neighbors all admit my wife and I are the most compatible people. On one occasion a neighbor tried to precipitate an argument just to see how we would act, but they didn’t succeed. The closest we came to it was when I taught my wife how to drive the family car. A friend warned us we wouldn’t be talking to each other, but we wouldn’t believe him.
(2) Our boy, Billy is considered a real boy. None of my neighbors have ever seen him walk – he always runs. When he was 4 months old, the doctor said he was hypertensive. He was 3 ½ pounds at birth, and it took two people to diaper him. He is 10 years old and in the 5th grade. He likes snakes, insects, and girls.
(3) Bonnie Lynn is considered by the neighbors to be sweet and gentle. Always has a big hello for all of them. Her responsive reflexes are remarkable. She is five and will start school in the fall.
AMBITIONS
My wife and I have had a desire to travel to Bermuda. That has been one of our goals since we were married. My secret ambition is to retrace the various places I have been to during the war, with my wife, so I could live the poignant moments when all my thoughts were of home. I would go to the places like Bristol, Feltham and London in England; St. Lo, Fuererolles, and Paris, France; Charleroi and Liege, Belgium; Duren and Cologne, Germany.
There are many items that we need, but if we would win any money we would set it aside for Billy’s education to make sure he graduates college in less than 20 years.
BEFORE MARRIAGE
My wife’s first name is Thelma. I was born in Manhattan in 1917, and she was born in Brooklyn. By coincident our families moved to Canarsie, Brooklyn. We lived comparatively close to each other, but it was 13 years before I met Thelma, when a mutual friend arranged a blind date. Even though she claims I disappointed her (her dream man was 6 ft. 4 in., etc.), she nevertheless learned to love me. That was June 14, 1940, just 16 years ago. I proposed in a sort of back handed way. It was 1941 – tours to Miami were fantastically low ($59 including train fare and 7 days at a leading hotel). I asked her how she would like a trip to Florida, she said she would, so I said marry me and we’ll go. So she did, and we had a wonderful time.
FAMILY
An outstanding trait of my wife is that she treats everyone with the same respect and courtesy – no matter who they may be. She gives them the same consideration, same service, and same personal attention.
Her talent is the ability to put a hat together in 5 minutes, before we are going out on a date. She likes wide brimmed hats. She also dabbles in oils and has not had a lesson in her life. Her pictures are good enough to hang on our walls.
Our happiest moment was when we walked into our own home. It’s the greatest step anyone can take.
GENERAL
We have never appeared on any other radio or TV show. Being a latitudinarian, there are no particularly great mistakes that we have made. When my wife may be disappointed, I’ll say, “don’t worry, honey. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.” In the game of life I believe myself quite fortunate in being a winner more than I have been a loser.
The turning point in my life was the G.I. Bill of Rights. Even though I applied myself to obtaining an education prior to the war, I never would have continued without a helping hand from Uncle Sam. This, combined with the encouragement and patience of my wife, has helped to advance my career.
It has been a pleasure preparing this brief history, and we look forward with as much pleasure to seeing your interviewers.
Very truly yours,
Joseph Sefekar"
True love does exist
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