October 10, 1969 (Letter from Mardi)

Hi honey glad to hear from you!  I'm happy you got that initiative to write.

Today I stayed home -- I've missed two days or work this week!  I think I've really got some "bug"!  Barney and Barb and I and some kids went up to Melody.  Barb and I hate to go there.  Well, we had a pretty good time and Peroski had about two six packs of Schlitz to drink with no supper.  I was almost there!  Good grief.  So this morning at 7:00 am Mardi was really hurting -- headache, wobbly legs, upset stomach, sick AS HELL! So I stayed in bed all day, out of commission!  I have to go to the doctor's tomorrow for a check up and blood test and all -- could I have mono?  Duh.  Mr. Sayles is down right now and we're going to have din-din in tonight.  I'll probably get sick.

Lately I haven't been doing much of anything.  Joan is at school heaven knows what (?) I'm scared to think of what she's up to!  Haven't heard from Mike yet -- no one has!  Tina is working at New Process -- overtime even Blah!  She's going down to Cleveland for BS&T the 16th or 17th for fall weekend -- she has a date with Phil.  Barb and I are here-- just here -- barely!!!!

I'm about to take off any day now for Minneapolis, or Denver or San Francisco!  If you go out West you've definitely got to hit Denver!  If I'm nowhere near Denver or the West next summer I'm hitching with you!  You'll happen to pick me up along the way -- who knows -- if I can make it to New Years round here I'll be lucky!

How are classes going?  My mother just told me to tell you to gain some weight!  How much do you weigh now anyway?  My mother wants you to eat meat and potatoes!  I'm there "Where do they get and who cooks meat and potatoes for them?"  Guys definitely hate or cannot or do not want to cook.

You should go to New York over Thanksgiving.  HEY, LOUSY CITY!  You'd have a hell of a time.  All of us kids are trying to get together in Chicago about the end of October.  I wanted to go there the 17th but I can't make it!

I'd love to come out November 14th or 15th for the concert and all.  The Who are supposed to be great.  Dutch saw them and said the thought they were really good.  We'll see what's up!  Nothing, I imagine.  I'll still be working.  Blah!

Barb is down now and we're both exhausted.  Must go!  Please take care.

June 4, 1969 (Letter from Barb Salapek)

Hi there stranger!  Sure was good to hear form you!  I haven't written lately cause I haven't had too much time. I finished school about 2 weeks ago and now I'm working more.  I'm still working at the Penn Laurel Restaurant but tomorrow I'm going to apply for a job at Sylvania.  I'm also going to summer school here this summer.  I thought you would be home soon so I didn't write after I got out.  I got my grades yesterday.  They weren't really goo good!  I got English - B; Math - C; Geography - C; Art - C; World Civilization - F,  I'll probably take it over next year.  I was thinking about transferring to the main campus of Edinboro in January but now I think I will wait.  I was going into Phy Ed but I'm really getting screwed up so I might, at the end of 2 yrs of college, to into airlines.  I really haven't decided for sure.

It sure must be nice to be on your own!  It'll probably be quite awhile before I get that much freedom.

Kids are coming home from school for the summer.  The same old cliques are forming again.  It is funny to see all those "good" popular kids up at the Surf Club and Melody Inn.  You know the bunch who were too good to be caught in places like that.  They sure look out-of-it!  I just laugh at them!

Are you coming back this summer at all?  If you do look me up and say "hi" or something!

Have fun this summer.  Best of luck in your job and school too.  Write back to me when you get a chance?  OK?!  Have fun and take care.

March 8, 1969 (Letter from Barb Salapek)

Sorry I haven't written lately but I got swamped with homework and tests the last couple weeks.   Yesterday I had a test in World Civilization.  It was one essay question on one of the two books we had to read.  The question he asked was on the book that I didn't finish!  I think I flunked it along with the rest of the class.  Have you done anything exciting lately?  I haven't but that's not unusual for this town.  EC started a coffeehouse.  It's over the B&B Smoke Shop.  It's kinda neat.  It's made up of 2 rooms and a snackbar where you can get coffee, tea, mocha, pop, pretzels, and cookies.  There's a little stage where kids get up and sing.  Most of the time we just sit and talk.  It's nice to have somewhere to go.  Anyone who goes to college or are around 19 can go. If some younger kids come in they have to show a college ID card.  But we haven't had anyone come in from the high school yet.  When you come home you'll have to go up and see it!

When does your Easter vacation start?  I don't know when ours is.

The only thing I've been doing is going to Melody.  There's really nothing more to do.

There was a little excitement around Warren a few weeks ago.  I guess there was a party at a trailer court and the kids had some pot.  It was raided and Mary Jo Conti was there.  (She's a junior, I think, do you know her?)  Well, anyway, she got fined $75.  That will teach them I guess.  Well I'd better go  now.  I have 2 other letters to write to make up for my neglect.  Oh well.  Bye now.