Schoenberg Buys A Car

h/t The Rest Is Noise

XI.2,1934
Mr. W.D. Dunham
Washington and Los Angeles Street
Los Angeles

Dear Mr. Dunham;

I have a Ford Black Dx 34 Sedan bought from you and have to ask you about some things.
At first;
It happened today that the cooling system was without water, so that we saw the steam coming out and when we went to the next garage and he opened, boiling water was in. It is astonishing for, the day before the car came to you, we had filled gasoline and the garagist looked at the cooling system. Then, as before said the, car was in your service department, and surely, you should have seen it, if no water should have been in. Yesterday and the day before yesterday the car was not used and stood in our garage which is locked by a reliable lock. And nevertheless: nearly no water was in the cooler. The garagist told as the car is in order and he could not understand how this is possible. As our garage is locked, it is an enigma and the only solution thinkable is, that somebody took out the water, when the car was not in our garage. I ask you to examine kindly this case, which is not without danger.
Secondly; As before said, we bought gasoline the 26th of october for the fuel gauge showed only a few above zero. After filling eleven gallons it was full. But when the car came back from the lubrication it showed only one half. And today, though we had driven only about 50 miles, it showed a quarter.
III. You gave me keys for all the doors, but they dont shut, for there is no lock!!
I hope you know, that my check went already to the Credit Company.
Looking forward with much interest to your kind answer, I am

yours very truly

[Arnold Schoenberg]