August 20, 1977 (Letter from Cheryl)

Sittin' here spacing out, & was writin' letters to everyone so here I am writing to you.  It's been almost a month since I heard from you, longer since I wrote you.  Hope this finds you in good health, and stayin' loaded and not working to hard.

We're all doin great here.  Shorts still works in the mine, and still likes it; the kids are getting' ready to go back to school the 29th, and I'm looking forward to alot of time on my hands, come then.  Don't really know if I'm gonna like it or not tho.  Guess I have no choice tho.  I'll figure something out.

We went to Billings about oa month ago, then last wk.end we went to Missoula.  Had a really great time & saw "Star Wars" which is really a good movie, bought some albums & went to the "top Hat" & heard a really good country band.  Saw my aunt & uncle & one of my cousins which I hadn't seen in over a year.  She'd gotten married since I saw her last.  Marriage seems to change people for some reason.

My brother popped in about 3 wks ago and it sure was good to see him.  He's gonna try and get on in the mine, which he'll probably do, cuz he's worked there before and all the college kids are quitting next wk.  Summer is always a good time for me.  People come to see us or we go to see them.  Too bad it's so short.

We're going to Banff National Park over Labor Day and I can hardly wait.  None of us have been to this part of Canada, and from what I here it's really beautiful up there.  A lot of mountains and big trees.  Should be a good trip.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Our pot crop is really bad.  I've had it planted since May and it isn't even 3 foot high yet.  We've had a really hot summer, too, but from all the other plants & fruit trees up here on the hill; it seems like they only grow & produce every other year.  So, if that's the case, next year we'll have one hell of a good crop.  At least I Hope so.  Not that I'd wanta live in the big city but from what you say, your crop is doin' really good.  Wish I had some of your green thumb on pot.  The dope situation out here is really good the past 2 weeks as far as speed.  There's been a lot of it around, and for a good price, but we try and stay away from it any more.  Well, as much as we can.  Mostly just on the wk.days.  The weekends get pretty wild.  It's one hell of a party and a lot of fun.

Haven't heard from George in a long time, but I know from his ma, he's still in the joint & not doin so well.  Guess the warden sent his ma a letter with a bunch of questions, so she wrote back and they sent the answers to the shrink there.  They think he's crazy.  He is, but it's not good for any one to know it but his family.  Oh well, such is life.

Was glad to hear you had such a good time with all your people & friends.  Too bad you couldn't take a long vacation & come out here to visit.  It isn't nothing like the big city, but it's nice & mellow & the people are great.  I'd like to see you again, one of these days.

Well, we're goin' to visit somne friends so I'm gonna go for now.  Take care of yourself and write soon.

Just out of curisoity's sake, how much does pot go for?  An ounze (the spelling's not right) it's goin for $60 here for Columbian.

Saturday, August 6, 1977 (Letter from Connie)

Well, well.  Thought I'd take a little break from packing to drop you a line.  Maybe my last from Cheyenne Wyoming, magic city of the plains.  Boo hoo.  Actually I'm just in the clearing-out stage, going through papers and junk.  I have this spare bureau, and I've been tossing letters and cancelled checks and papers and all kinds of assorted folderol in there for a year.  Good think I have to sort through it.  From 4 drawers, I have it narrowed to one fat box and one overstuffed garbage sack.  Can't bear to throw away letters of Christmas cards.  They're kind of nice to trip across -- cheesy letters, sorry-to-hear-you-re-down letters, newsy letters.  It's nice!

Really torn about leaving, and am in a quandary about what route to take home.  I really love the job, and I could hardly be lucky enough to find something as good again.  But I picked a date out of the air, and I'm going to stick to it.  Some cousins from Nebraska came through on their way home from California.  Had a nice visit.  They kept saying they really really wanted to come visit them on my way home.  Problem is it's 1000 miles and at least 4 days out of my way.  And I'll probably be so anxious to get home I may make the whole trip in 24 hours!  (I don't have your easy-going ability to just take my time.)  Or then I could go up through Yellowstone to Helena for a day or so.  Have to stay here until 5 pm Aug. 31.  Knowing me, I may leave at 5:05!

Oh -- I disagree totally with you about Star Wars.  Don't know when I've enjoyed a film more -- it's just pure fun.  A whole cult has grown up around it -- and we who've seen it have deep intellectual discussions about Artoo, Threep.o., and light sabers. It's terrific!

Got an easy book of classical stuff.  Been valiantly working on them with minor success.  I'm really going to miss my piano when I go back.  Some friends have pianos, so I may be able to mooch off them for awhile.

I've been so busy the last couple of weeks -- a radical change from the total boredom here:  two sets of company on both weekends, three going away parties, a barbecue, and visiting cousins. Monday I run to Denver for a two-day conference -- even get a state car and per dium!

Oh -- it was so neat!  Was talking to one of my 5 bosses (there are truly more chiefs than Indians here).  He's leaving, transferring to Chicago (!) Friday.  But he offered to call the state planning office in Olympia to try to get me a job there!  What a nice thing to do . The job market is so tight there -- and it's awkward for me to walk up to these people and say -- You really need a librarian -- and here I am -- and you only have to pay me 15 thou.  Good ol' Shermie!

Well -- should go back to packing.  Ah gee.

Oh -- my Seattle address.  For the moment probably have to route through my mom --- (have no idea whree I'll really be)

             316 Richmond Beach Road #5

Seattle (yeah!) 98177