March 4, 1973 (Letter from Van)

We were really glad to hear from you!  You had us surprised for a day or so, but we knew we would eventually hear from you.  At first we had the impression that possibly you had decided to go further north for employment.  But with no sign of your whereabouts at hand the thought of you returning est crossed our thoughts.  We couldn't figure why you would leave your sandals and sleeping bag.  But we'll keep your sleeping bag, only until we cross paths again.

We agree 100% of your non-apologetic mood toward the Cottage!  I couldn't believe that you'd take the easy way out and return to the Cottage.  I knew it wouldn't last.  I'm sure that once my time comes to terminate that job it won't cross my mind to make any return engagements there.  I'm glad you have found such a well-paying job so soon.

I still regret to say that my car and I are not on understanding terms.  But one day we will come to know each other.  It's only a matter of time and patience.

Well Paul, all that I have to say now is that you sure missed a few pleasant sunny days, knowing that cold wintry days still prevail there.

I hope your paths of existence there are full of joy and happiness.  Take care yourself also Paul and write when you can.  "Though you have departed, still a part of you lingers."

By the way, Art Frink is still is wondering whatever happened to Paul Nelson, and I guess he'll keep right on wondering!

Janaury 9, 1973 (Letter from Albert P.)

Perhaps you noticed that one Pre-Super Bowl show featuring Joe Namath and Curt Gowdy was done in Laguna Beach.  It looked very appealing.  A destination on one of my future trips, definitely.

For now though it's New Orleans. It is a bit discouraging to find so few opportunities to go into creative work after only obtaining a bachelors. However, no doubt Mardi Gras will cheer the mood of the city, of which there was a definite downcast after the sniping incident. If you can make it down here then, there's plenty of carpeted floor space you're welcome to make use of. The partying begins at the end of February and continues 8 days until the last and the biggest celebration on March 6.  I hope you can make it.  Keep in touch.

November 22, 1972 (Letter from Tony)

I'm sitting here in Laguna Beach, Calif.  It's Tuesday so the Cottage Restaurant is closed.  Can you imagine that.  I cam down here just to eat there and ask the people if they know Paul Nelson and they are closed on Tuesdays.

The sun is shining here, it's just beautiful weather.  You already know the scenery.

I came down to Newport Beach with a friend who lives in Manville.  His father owns a very small beach house there.  I was just going to come down for the weekend to get out of Berkeley and law school and the dorms and to get myself refreshed.  Then, I was invited to Thanksgiving dinner in LaHabra, part of L.A. buy a girl whose parents are going to Arizona.  So, a group of people from the  dorm are coming down for that.

Well, I decided to stay down here for these 3 school days so that I could have a real vacation.  And it's been really nice.

Tim and I drove down here Saturday and it seemed like it took a couple of weeks.  We got stoned and were just driving and driving.

Sunday and Monday we went to the beach for awhile and relaxed the rest of the time.  Tim flew back last night so I now have his truck to drive around and place to stay by the beach.

Berkeley has been going along at not a particularly good pace.

There have been some fine moments but there are too many bothersome little things, like living in the dorm, having to work, which gets frustrating because a lot of what we are learning is garbage, and lastly, having to  (we interrupt this letter to bring you a public service renouncement.  A shifty eyed, probably Community leaning, freak has stolen a red pen, and acting nervous, please call your local police department.  Thank you.  We now return to you letter, already in progress) be so very analytical and literal minded.  I guess the basic problem is one of discipline.  I'm working on it, and anyway, there are only 3 weeks left in this semester.

What are you doing over Christmas?  I sure would like to see you.  I've been very slow about writing you but there are many things I want to talk to you about.  I'm flying to Chicago on a charter flight, going to Columbus to see my sister Rose, then flying to Buffalo.  I should get there by Dec. 20.  Will you still be around there?  I'm looking forward to seeing whoever is left in Buffalo.

Do you remember Nancy, the girl who was part of my wine parties in Buffalo?  Well, anyway, she drove to San Diego to see some friends of here and today they are coming up here.  It will be good.

I've been disappointed by my ability to adapt so far.  I think I'm being too harsh on myself.  I know it will take time to build up relationships like I had in Buffalo.  I fell that hits vacation will be a turning point; I've spent some time reordering my mind and deciding on courses of action.

Patience and discipline are still my keys.  I've lost of lot of my patience and I never did have much discipline.  Ha.

I've come up with this analogy about what's been going on.  You see, it's like light waves.  Each person admits these, and it's a function of their internal state as to how intense these emanations are.  A laser is incredibly powerful because all is in harmony, the purpose and discipline are there.  Right now I feel like I'm giving off varying intensities, at times it's fairly pure, at other times the waves get out of synchronization and the various saves, rather than reinforcing each other, merely interfere.  That leads to frustration. At this point I feel like it's getting stronger.  I realize I am possessed of more potential now that ever before.  I need the strength to control and direct it.  Well, I just go.  I hope to see you in a few weeks.  Let me know what you'll be going.

October 13, 1972 (Letter from Van)

It's really good to hear form you Paul.  It sounds as though you are giving yourself a real workout.  I'd hate to have to work your hours and still attend classes.  But, at lest you work alone without having someone over your shoulder everytime you turn around.  I have to keep on my toes, especially after having been given Jim Bonner's station and his schedule.  He went on vacation for the month of October.  If he comes back, I believe he will only be working on weekends.  So that leaves me pretty well off having his station.  Of course, Boyd got a little irritated Art moved me into Jim's station instead of moving Boys into it.  At least I still know I'm on Art's good side and not having to put up with the games he plays, like some employees there, is a relief in itself.

Randy and I are really getting spoiled as far as the "smoke it" goes.  In the past 2 weeks alone we have gone through $300 worth of primo hash oil.  You think you got loaded from the "Columbo" this past summer, don't you.  Well, you wouldn't ever believe how loaded Randy and I have gotten after going through two $10 joints in one day.  I'd send you a sample but I really don't want to risk it.  Being caught with oil iis like being caught with heroin.  They really hand you for it.  After all, oil is 4 times as potent as primo hash.  Approximately 62% THC content is obtained in oil, compared to 4% in weed.  It's quite an extreme, believe me.

Randy and I went to the Joe Cocker concert two weeks ago in Long Beach.  It wasn't as good as we had anticipated it to be.  John Mark Almond played also.  They were the whole show.  On Oct 23rd, we are going to see Elton John and Family at the Forum.  We also have tickets for the Moody's Nov 1st, which incidentally begins a two week vacation for us.  I asked Art for a two week vacation which we both badly need.  Between you and I, I gave him the line that we wanted to go East and visit our parents.  But actually we hope to go north to Frisco and Oregon.  The Cottage never did close down, as expected, so that completely bummed us out for sure.  So that prompted me to take the initiate and ask for a couple weeks off.

As for my car, that's another story.  Three weeks ago I had my car towed to a mechanic in Newport to have him put it back together for me.  I got tired of hassling with it.  There it sits, still waiting for the bearings to arrive.  The mechanic was having trouble locating the correct size bearing so I finally told him where he could get them.  So I hope it will be ready before the Elton John concert because I had previously planned to drive there.

The weather here is beginning to sour a bit, as it has been raining off and on lately.  But I keep telling Randy things are going to change once the car is on the road.  I say it encouragingly, continuously to keep ourselves from thinking about the boredom we are experiencing.  After all, the end of November begins the peak of all who fall under the sign of the Capricorn, of which I am a part of.  Things should start picking up soon, I hope.  It does sound encouraging, though, doesn't it!  Well, all I can say now is that time will tell.  We'll continue with an up to date smoke it scene as each month becomes a little better.  Take care and write soon Paul.

August 11, 1972 (Letter from Mardi)

I certainly hope you got your raise and have had time not to ponder on the moves to be made.  How's that for advice?  I know actually what you're experiencing.  It's the old "what are you going to do now" syndrome.  When people begin to ask you that and you have a variety of four or five answers, you're in trouble.  Unfortunately, there is no cure but time and good nerves.  You've got to concentrate on one step at t time -- which is impossible because they are usually all related.  If I were you (good and easy for me to say), I'd put my efforts into getting to Buffalo and finishing school and getting a little money in the meantime -- if you can! Then after that, it's POW decision time.  There will be a number of ways to go but which will you take.  (I sound like an announcer for a soap opera.)  The lady or the tiger type of deal.  It's a royal bummer no matter what.  Maybe if Laguna had been a disappointment the very first time, things would have taken a turn, but such is not the case.  All you do is work toward something that seems to be the answer every time and when you've got it all, it is no challenge.  (Simple as that!??)  It goes like that continually.  If you got your fully equipped van, the ideas and drives you had along with your van may have changed.   You just can't win.  I can't see doing anything for a long period of time and being content with it.  Anyway, I wish you good luck and don't worry about your change of heart concerning your present lifestyle.  You do have to push yourself, I know, especially if you want to write.  You'll have to discipline yourself and your habits.  Cheer up.  That's better.
\
Boston was a good time last week.  I had to keep telling myself when I got to Buffalo to changes planes that I wasn't going to Jamestown or Pgh, but Boston!  I got to downtown Bos and to Harvard Square a couple of times.  Rick clued me in on the ins and outs of good healthy grass growing.  He even gave me a book so I can get started "properly".  Barb rented a car on Tuesday and we finally left for the Cape Wednesday, after it was doubtful on getting a tent.  Anyway we got to a camp ground in Brewster near Hyannis and set up our little home.  The tent was great, big, roomy and warm.  We fixed a fantastic meal and then at 9 or so we drove to the ocean, came back, smoked and drank.  Rick and I played cards and we were really enjoying the great outdoors.  Then the next morning as we were fixing breakfast Rick was cutting a piece of board with an ax and a hammer.  Next thing rick is spurting blood from the artery in his arm.  A piece of the hammer had flown off and hit his arm and lodged there.  So we immediately took him to a doctor who gave him a shot and wrapped the arm and sent us to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis where we spent the remainder of the day.  They took x-rays, but him in emergency and then took him up to surgery to repair the artery and vein.  The doctor had said it was very serious and was lucky that the surgery went OK.  Naturally, we had to wait during each procedure.  The doctors and nurses at the hospital were great though. So we said goodnight to Rick about 10:30 pm and went to see Linda and Kinky at Petrillo's where we had a couple of drinks and found out Linda was pregnant.  Such excitement in one day was too much.  Anyway when we finally got settled in our tent it started to rain.  We kept our fingers crossed and thankfully we stayed warm and dry all night.  Friday Barb left me at the beach all afternoon where I had a ball.  How can you get tired of the ocean?  YOU FOOL!   Just kidding!!!  One day is hardly a comparison to one month.  We left the Cape Friday around 6 or 7, and got back to Boston around 9.  Took Rick home and he has sworn he will never venture out of Boston again.  He's really getting paranoid about any travel at all.

So Barb and I stayed up all night Friday just about and we were rudely awoken at 12:30 by my mother -- who else?  So Sat we did the laundry and spent the day at the park.  The three of us went out to dinner and just mellonized at this fantastic inexpensive Italian restrained.  It would have been so much nicer without Rick's accident.  I got back Sunday and have been working around the house.  Larry, the owner downstairs, is pretty sure he can get Bill into his construction company, which would be nice.  Bill has been helping him build his new house and then I think we get a reduction in rent.  Larry and his wife are really nice.  They are always up drinking with us.  Anderson has applied at NSP and NWB -- electric and telephone, but they won't be able to let him know for awhile.  I know if he gets a good job he'll be better off -- not to mention how better off my state of mind would be!

I must close and get busy here.  Take care and I hope we'll see you after Labor Day?