December 18, 1973 (Letter from Kenny)

Well, another semester has bitten the dust, so now I have time to write to my favorite person residing in the glorious city of Pittsburgh, Pa.  Well, what's new?  Hope your semester went OK and you memorized the dewey decimal system or devised a new card catalogue or whatever things they teach you.  (Do they tell you how to walk around on your tiptoes and speak softly so as not to bother any of the assholes that are reading?)

Anyhow, school was shitty as usual and I busted my ass the last month or so, all for nothing because I blew one of my exams.  It just shows how totally absurd the whole thing is because even if you know the stuff it doesn't mean shit if you don't see an issue while pushing your balls off during an exam.  The grading system is by absolute percentages, so even if you deserve an A, if everyone else does also, most of you won't get it.  Rather than have you compete against an ideal paper, they have you competing against each other so it just perpetuates the neuroticism and everything else that is stereotyped about law school.  I haven't seen "Paper Chase" yet but I've heard it is an accurate portrayal of the little gnomes they refer to as law students.  As a matter of fact, 1 of my friends saw it and he actually got nervous during the movie when the professor was calling on people!  Anyhow, it's going to be a struggle to get through the rest, but I'm kind of locked in because I'm really not equipped to do much else.  Because I'm not graduating until 1976, this summer is shaping up like another writeoff financially.  It's incredible now the more education I get, the more difficult it gets for me to find a job.  Enough of that bullshit.  I'm really looking forward to Christmas vacation though I don't really expect to do anything out of the ordinary.  Lauren and I are going home this Friday and will be there until the 7th of January.  We've got 2 wedding to go to. Bobby Marks is getting married Christmas Eve, and he's letting us stay in his apartment for the week he's away on his honeymoon.  That's great because the biggest pain in the ass whenever we go home is living accommodations.  Lauren feels strange at my house and I feel strange at her house and naturally everybody's parents get pissed off if we don't divide time equally between the families.   That's really the only hassle about being married and otherwise I must admit it's pretty good.  Also a friend of Lauren's is getting married Jan. 6.

I haven't been doing much; I don't remember what the last movie I saw was, and I honestly have no idea how long it's been since I went to a concert.  Are there any new records out?  Is Elvis Presley still big?  Is Shelly Fabares still singing "Johnny Angel"?

Herb applied to Wharton (Business School) for next year so he might be in school with me if he gets in.  I guess he got the itch to go back to school after a couple years.  Also he is still young (16 or 17 I think).  Holy shit, fucking Herbie is going to be 232 and you're 24, this is getting ridiculous how old we've all getting.   A couple of nights ago I went for a walk around campus and ended up in the Quad where they have the undergraduate dorms.  All these kids were having toilet paper fights and spraying fire extinguishers at each other.  It really brought back memories, but freaked me out when I stopped  to think how many years it's been since we were freshmen.

Herb hasn't been doing much, he finally broke up with that girl he was seeing which was just as well because all he was doing was using her.  He's heard from Chris a couple times recently and said that Chris is really reaching out for someone.  Chris is supposed to be home over Christmas so maybe I'll even see him then.  By the way send my Christmas greeting to your family, including all the Nelson (Ozzie, Harriet, Dave and Ricky too).  What have you got planned?  I hope you get this before you go home (maybe I should send it to Warren) but even if you don't' a belated Merry Christmas.

Have you heard from the Polish kid from Calif?  I hope he still is alive and well in Berkeley.  Now that I recall your last letter (which embarrassingly was months ago) I realize I never got those pictures you took at the wedding.  Don't feel bad, we haven't gotten our album yet, nor do we expect it for another month.

How else is your life?  Any romantic inclinations (besides beating off)?   How are your friends from Warren:  Mardi, Barb, Mike, etc.

Lauren's sister is a freshman at UB and she really likes it, so I guess the cycle keeps going on and on.  I would like to get up there sometime this year though with the 50 mph speeds it will take forever.

Anyhow, enough said for now.  Take care of yourself and write when you get the chance.

October 8, 1973 (Letter from Kenny)

Kenny and Lauren's wedding

Clockwise from lower right

Herb Kleinberger, Tony Szczygiel, Eric Barr, Paul Nelson, Kenny Tuchman

I don't have much time, but I wanted to get a note off to you.  I'm really glad to hear that things are going so well for you in "the Burg" (as I'm told Pittsburgh is referred to).

It was really great seeing you and Tony at the wedding and it's too bad you couldn't have come in a couple of days earlier so I could have talked to you both.  Anyhow, things are going pretty well here for the Tuchmans in Philadelphia.  School sucks of course for me and even Lauren doesn't like her school but elsewise (strange word "elsewise") it's OK.  I'm not as pressured this year because I just don't give a shit.  All of these firms are coming down to interview for summer jobs and it is unquestionably the biggest pain in the ass.  I hate having to act so phony with them and also I don't graduate till '76 so they're not interested in me until next yr and they pretty much come out and tell me so in the interview.  The salaries they offer are outrageous ($300/wk for summer, $18,000/yr full time) but I'm fairly certain I'll be working for $3/hr somewhere licking stamps or something equally exciting.  Sorry if I sound cynical but these interviews really get me down.  It looks as though Lauren will be going to school thru the summer so I'm looking primarily in Philly although if I get a job in NY and nowhere else I'll take it.

I guess Herb must have told you about Chris calling him.  It was really weird.  When Herb told me that Chris asked about my wedding, I really felt bad.  I wanted to invite him for old times sake (and all that shit) and all he had to do was make an effort to call or anything.  Anyhow, Chris must have mentioned that he was thinking of getting married.  Maybe that's why he contacted Herb after such a long time.  What do you think?  Have you communicated with Chris?

How's the little Polish kid out in sunny Calif?  Send me his address.  My aunt just moved to California from Wantagh and several other people I know are contemplating the move.  I really want to get out there one of these days and be just like you -- a man of ALL places (at least in this country). 

Oh yeah, Puerto Rico was really nice and Lauren and I had a great time.  We didnt' do much sightseeing although we did go to St. Thomas for a day.  We flew back from St. Thomas to San Juan on a 10 passenger plane -- I almost shit in my pants.  We got about $100 worth of liquor for $30 and cigarettes only $1.50/carton!! Beyond that however, nothing was a great bargain.

Oh well I'd better go for now.  Write soon and send me your phone #.  Also I would really like a copy of those pictures you took of you, me, Herb, and Tony at the wedding.

Enough said, take care of yourself and remember your Dewey Decimals.

September 21, 1973 (Letter from Chris)

Receiving your letter this morning was almost frighteningly coincidental.  Only last night I saw Paul Rosen while at work.  He was in the Sign of the Steer for a salad and stayed long enough to watch the Riggs-King tennis match.  I only had a few minutes to talk to him since I was working upstairs, and he was at the bar downstairs.  He told me he was living on Long Island and looking for a job.  I mentioned that I hadn't seen you and was wondering what you were doing.  He asked about Tony and I couldn't offer any information.  Then we spoke of Kenny and Lauren, briefly.

It is funny you should feel the same way about Kenny and Lauren as I do.  They are both good people -- but I guess I don't see them as a married couple.  I am surprised that I feel the way I do -- that is, being hurt that I wasn't invited to the wedding.  Tony, you, Herb, Eric, Linda -- and I'm sure Liz and all of Lauren's girlfriends from State.  Not that I could have gone -- but it would have been a nice gesture of him to invite me.  The more I think of it -- the more ashamed I am of myself for feeling this way - -but I do feel it.

On top of this thought is the thought just relayed to me when I called home today -- that Judi Haberman just got married to an old friend of mine.  I know they were going to, but just hearing of it and about how swanky the whole thing was makes me sick.  (Perhaps it's jealousy -- and that's what really scares me.)  For some reason I think of Judi often and though I've had several girlfriends and lived with a handful of women since her -- I can't seem to forget her like I have the rest.  Hell -- I can't even remember what Liz looks like.  Yes -- those 3 years at 4028 Bailey Avenue were real fairy tale years -- my whole 4 years at UB were like that.  And now here I am -- in real life -- a worthless piece of shit -- stagnating in a job with little intellectual satisfaction.  All the people I ever knew and were close to are doing something -- (even if it's getting married -- at least they're happy -- or think they are.)  I know I'm not happy. 

And often the thought comes to me of how I've gone and lost some good friends.  Herb is foremost in my mind -- but even you and Kenny were close to me and at one point I felt I knew all of you.  Now I wonder if either of them would even know me if they passed me on the street.  As far as Eric and Linda go -- all I can say (when I'm not laughing) is that they deserve each other.  What more can one say about two people who you know will be absolutely the same when they are 80 years old and living in Miami.

I don't know if you are aware of what I'm doing now -- but it's the same thing I've been doing since I finished school.  I am the assistant manager of Sign of the Steer Restaurant on Main St. down from UB.  I am also the Head Bartender which can be taken either one of two ways.  I've been here since last Oct 4 when I returned to Buffalo to live with Judi and found out that she didn't want it that way anymore.  So that makes it almost a year now that I've been here and maybe soon I'll need a vacation.  Toward the end of June I decided I couldn't take Buffalo any longer, so I gave notice.  So -- I packed up and split cross-country with a girl I had been seeing. UCLA so I decided she was a good excuse to move to L.A. see some of the good old USA.  It was a big mistake -- the trip was nice -- and there is some beautiful country here -- but the big towns are all the same, and people don't change.  L.A. was really a drag, and when I couldn't find a job and had to pay $240/month for an unfurnished 2 BR apt. -- I decided that it just wasn't the right time to be there.  So I came back to Buffalo and got my job back.  I stayed with a girl I had been seeing before I left and we went to find an apartment together.  So now here we are, Cheri and myself in a real nice, cozy (small) place on Lisbon right off of Bailey (across from Mueller's Delicatessen).

I sure hope you can get down here some time.  We could sit and reminisce, in case you are interested we do have a phone (unlisted) 716-833-9661.

Now that we are writing -- let's try to keep it up.

I'd write more now -- but it's time for me to get to work and I want to get this off to you today.  Take care and keep your head together.

February 26, 1973 (Letter from Kenny)

Where do I begin?  How do you tall about a roommate who loved books, and Gleason's, and sleeping and me?  Alas, poor Nelson, I knew him, Horatio.

In any event, here I am.  I know I haven't written and I know you're probably pissed as hell, witnessed by the fact that you write Herb before me and your letters are un-Nelson like short; but please forgive me, I've lost all touch with reality.  How the fuck are you?  It sounds like  you really know what you're doing in wanting to go to grad school, but your exit from the West Coast was to say the least surprising.  I probably will be speaking with you shortly, within the week, so don't be too surprised to hear from me.  How is Tony?  I haven't heard from him at all and when you write him perhaps you could give him my address to write because he always was smarter than me an could study less.

To recap my life for the past 2-3 months is not too difficult.  I have been working and worrying myself to death.  I had finals from Jan 18-22 (3 of them) and for about 2 weeks before that I couldn't eat or sleep and lost about 10 lbs and ended up weighing 179, which for me is outrageous.  They were more than words can describe yet they showed me how stupid exams are because they don't test anything.  You get an hour on a question, which is just a bunch of facts and you're supposed to pick out the issues and write about them, so often you know the stuff but don't see it and it is presumed you never knew nit, it's really fucked up.  Anyhow, my Xmas vacation of 2 1/2 weeks was spent in the library preparing for them so I have nothing to report on that score.  After exams they were nice enough to give us 6 whole days off, so I went to Buffalo and saw Lauren.  It was terrific, I never realized how nice old UB would be until you go somewhere and break you hump only to return and see kids hanging out in Norton again. You had exited some weeks previous, I saw Maddy and I guess I didn't miss Tony by a whole lot either.  I saw Chris for the 1st time in 6-7 months and I'm glad to report that some things in the world will always remain as they are; although I must admit it was good seeing him and talking to him.  Now it's back to work and more of it because the next 2 weeks are to be the worst yet because I have some legal research paper to do.  Enough about that.

What are you plans for the coming months?  Will you be here over the summer?  Perhaps Herb and I will come to Warren sometime in June or so.  Herb by the way is doing fine, I don't see him often but talk to him quite a bit.  He's seeing some local girl and he's pretty happy and no longer a virgin.  (I hate to break it to you this way, big guy.)  I saw Eric a few weeks ago and he is just as young and ridiculous as ever, worrying about how his life was washed up at 20 because he hated his job.  I told him to quit (it had never occurred to him) and he did and now is somewhat happier at a new place.

How long were you in Calif before you decided to leave?  Did you ever get to New Orleans like you wanted to?  It's funny I was going to call you tonight (Sunday) but all of a sudden I realized that not only was it late (after 12) but that it was SUNDAY NIGHT and I didn't want the phone to disturb anyone!  Anyhow, I got very nostalgic while in Buffalo and realized how happy I was there and how few things I actually had to worry about, though at the time, it seemed insurmountable; so now my motto is "this too shall pass" and I keep saying it to myself constantly.  I haven't listened to the radio in ages so I know of no new songs and a couple weeks ago I went home for the weekend and saw "Heartbreak Kid" which was the first movie I had seen since August.  It was pretty good but got me depressed thinking about getting married, which should be quite a change to say the least.  Anyhow before I start rambling on, it is now 1:00 and I have to get up early tomorrow, so let me stop here and continue when I speak to you soon.  Write and let me know what night is best to call.

September 3, 1972 (Letter from Tony)

It has been a long time, my friend and I have much to tell you.

I am in Berkeley, California and have been since Thursday. Tomorrow I move into my dorm room and another year of school begins.  I want to say that it's hard to believe but that just isn't true.  I've been out here mentally since Aug 13, the day after Jerry's and my car died.

All summer long I knew I would be leaving but it wasn't a reality.  I was very much involved in Buffalo, Gowanda, Springville, etc., on a day to day basis, but nonetheless it was my existence; thinking of changing it just was an abstraction.  All my needs were being satisfied, or at least enough of them that I was perfectly content, a point I shall elaborate on later.

On the day I left for New York, the Friday before the 13th, Jerry and I woke up at 9am and I was going to drive him to work.  (He had a second job with an architectural firm in Buffalo.)  We had gotten in from Gowanda and our going away party there about 5 am.  Jerry said he would ride my bike to work, I could go back to sleep and he would have a way home.  I said OK and went back to sleep.  I finally got up and left Buffalo with my two riders about 2, and drove to Harvey's house.  Saturday he and I visited Elise and Marty, Janet (Harvey's flame for the summer and Elise's best friend), Kenny and Janet, Harvey and I drove in to see Tom Rush in Central Park.  The concert was very nice and driving to Manhattan was tremendous.  I really got into the role of a New York driver.  Anyway, on Sunday on the way back, our gleaming beauty ran through more oil than ever before and after 170 miles of driving it was low enough for the engine to seize up.  Totaled.  It cost $31 to have it towed, the tower was really a bastard.  Enough of the sordid details from that end.

I called Jerry to tell him.  Actually I had called Sunshine House and they got in touch with him and I called him back there.  So eh already knew before I talked to him.  When I started to tell him, he cut in ad said, "Tony first of all I want to tell you that your bike was ripped off."  I started to laugh hysterically.  The only two things of any value that I owned and in one weekend they disappear.

Jerry had felt very badly about having the bike stolen while he had it.  He had locked it and put it on the front porch of the place he worked on Elmwood Ave.  He had tried to figure out how he could make it up to me and he decided he would give me his half of the car.  So when I called and we told each other what happened we were more relieved than upset.  I had felt badly about the car and he had felt badly about the bike.  But it all evened out.

Up until this point, I hadn't been ready to leave Buffalo.  I was very anxious about leaving.  After that it was much easier.  That car provided the theme for the summer, with it gone, my mind was ready to think about life out here and my body finally arrived a week and a half later.

It was exciting to make all new plans and get everything reorganized.  I spent a day walking from Springville to Gowanda along Cattaraugus Creek, through Zoar Valley.  It wasn't as nice as it sounds because it rained but it was enjoyable.

Now, with the preliminaries out of the way, I shall get down to the serious part of my letter.

The week before I went to New York, my sister Rose's husband attempted suicide.  They hadn't been living together since March, but things had started looking better the last month when suddenly Kim snapped.  He took half a bottle of aspirin.  He was in the psychiatric ward of the hospital for a while, he refused to cooperate with the doctors, he was released.  He went back to the room he had been staying in.  One day he telephoned my sister and told her some voices in his head told him to burn her car but that he wouldn't do that because he was too rational.  A few days later, a fire broke out in Kim's room, destroying most of his clothes, his books and records.  He escaped unharmed.  No one was sure what started the fire.  Kim went back in as a patient at the  hospital.  He was given electric shock treatment.  My sister, as a nurse, had worked on a psychiatric ward previously and had seen the effect of electric shocks.  Now this man she had lived with for a year, learned to share with and depend on, was going through that treatment.  She could envision him convulsing on the table.  And she knew that very few of the patients she had worked with had been helped by this method.  It is somewhat of a last ditch attempt.

Rose had been thinking of getting an annulment for some time, she had felt, however, extremely guilty about doing so.  She felt some responsibility for making her marriage work, even now.  And the worst part was that she began to wonder, why had the marriage not worked, what had caused Kim to become so distant, so withdrawn, what had pushed him to commit suicide and led him to the state he was in now.  What part had she, as the closest, by far the closest, person to him played in this tragedy.

I went down to visit her on the 20th.  I had planned a long time ago to stop there on my way out to Calif with my car, then when my car died and I heard about what was happening I flew down to be with her for 4 days.

I had suggested a divorce to her a long time ago, at that time she was very much opposed.  Now, with so many things changed, she had decided to file for an annulment.  The major reason was that Kim's parents were coming up from Louisville to take him back and commit him to a private institution.  There is an Ohio state law that prohibits any separation, annulment or divorce from a person committed to a mental institution, for a period of 4 years.  If Kim were to improve, they might possibly be able to get back together.  If not, she would have to wait 4 years.  (It is 7 years in N.Y.)

The day after I left, Friday Aug 24, Rose filed for the annulment.  It cost $300.  The next day Kim's parents took him to Louisville where everything had been set up and he was committed.  Rose went down the next Monday to see him. That day a blood vessel in Kim's brain burst and Kim died.  A memorial service was held the next night, Kim was then cremated.  Rose never saw him after he died. When I talked to her, she felt numb, a lack of feeling rather than anything else.  This was three days before he had died.  Rose went back to Columbus because she just couldn't stand being around Kim's mother.  That woman had been hysterical.  On sympathy cards sent to her and her husband, she crossed out "son" and put her name there.

Paul, when I left after those 4 days down there, I was really depressed.  There was almost nothing I could do for Rose, and she was going through such hell.  All summer had been so hard for her and then, after a ray of hope, everything crashed down on her.  My god, how much pain can a person be expected to endure.

A long time ago Rose and I had talked about suicide and she had said that if a person could look ahead and see more pain than happiness then she saw suicide as a viable alternative.  I just hope she has enough life left in her that she wants to continue fighting on.

She's been working 40 hours a week and the job of a nurse isn't a very cheery one.  That has been of minor importance but this long drawn out suffering has soured that even more and tinged everything else in her lie.  She was quite cynical when I visited, she didn't trust many people, she couldn't enjoy many things.

And her question and the one I put to you is WHY?

WHY did she have to go through this.

WHY did Kim, an intelligent, young, healthy man go insane and then die.

I can only shrug my shoulders and ascribe it to bad luck.  There is a possibility for disaster every moment of one's life.  I must accept it and to some extent forget it.

I have been on my own out here and I've been extremely excited about conquering new worlds, on my own.  Yet at any time, my frailty and insignificance could overwhelm me and then, what of my little triumphs.

I refuse to dwell on that because I have no answers, not even a hope of seeing the answer.  I would be most interested to hear your views.

I am now actually quite happy and bursting with confidence.  I fell primed to handle anything normal that comes my way.  My creativity is merely waiting for a channel and I'm sure it will soon come up.  Buffalo was a little too comfortable this past summer.

This is the theme I was running through my mind this afternoon as I was walking around Berkeley.  This letter is getting rather long but I want to get this last part down and then I'll end.

I had, in 4 years, established myself in Buffalo to such an extent that I had no dreams.  You mentioned the idea of living your dreams.  Well, I guess my last 5 months in Buffalo, I had no more dreams to strive for.  I was very happy to live my day to day existence.  I had many friends around and man y people I respected.

In you, Jerry, Michael, Joanie, Dr. Holmes, and John in Springville I had around me people that I admired and was learning from.  I was, again, content to absorb all these good influences and work 3 days and entertain myself the other 4.  And things were set up so that I didn't have to look for entertainment.  I had everything right there.  There were always people, friends, to party with.

All the patterns had been worked out, their needs and mine were pretty clear and understood.  The people I wanted round me the most were around me the most.

You, with your individuality and personal philosophy, Jerry, with his sharp mind and impressive manner, Michael, with his lightness and simple enjoyment energy, Joanie, with her strength and her gregarious personality, Holmes, with this scientific and somewhat cynical approach to life, and John with his creativity and a really basic enjoyment of himself, had the qualities that I felt I lacked or was weak in.  I watched, listened and shared with these people, now I am no longer a student in the classroom; now is the time for me to synthesize all these things into my own shape.

Of course I had tried all these things in Buffalo, but I had been limited by the very structure I had spent so much time building.

Old habits persisted, expectations on both sides had been established and the surroundings were too comfortable, I had pretty much attained all I wanted or hoped to in Buffalo.

Now I am in a place with no established social structure around me.  I shall in the next three years build on, and it is up to me to design it, and I am looking forward to that eagerly.  It will be a test, a challenge.

I have started a journal to record what happens and how I fell and also to serve as a reminder for when I start to ease up.  I fell very well organized, even physically.  All my belongings are here in 2 suitcases and a back pack or else in the attic of 75 LeBrun.  All I need is here with me.  Mentally I feel sharp and confident and I have so far kept the newness and strangeness as a positive tool rather than as a scary destructive force.  I feel very much in control of the situation.

I've been pacing myself, giving me time for reflection and organizing and dreaming.  You see, now I can dream again.

And these dream can be more ambitious than any that I ever had before and I have 34 years here to fulfill them and then on to another set.  I would like to somehow keep this newness around me, but realistically I see it fading and being replaced by the somewhat more staid feeling of familiarity.

Perhaps I can learn to use accomplishments as fuel to fire my dreams, but that might also lead to disappointment.

Well, we'll see how it turns out.  I have been somewhat spoiled by my good luck, I have usually had the right thing come up without having to push for it.  If, again, I can transfer that to a basis of confidence from which I can move up, I shall be very pleased.

It looks to be an exciting time ahead.  Write and tell me what happened at the closing scenes of the "Cottage Story".  That position you were in seemed a lot like mine in Buffalo.

I talked to Ralph just before I left.  He still wasn't sure what he was going to be up to after Chautauqua closed.  maybe he's in Florida working in a hotel.  Maybe he's bicycling around the world.  At last report Herbie was doing much better.  I have to write to him soon.

August 13, 1972 (Letter from Kenny)

Hi asshole!  How the fuck are you?  I'm sorry I haven't written but I've had a lot on my mind until recently.  To make it short I got into Univ of Penn and I had a big decision to make between Penn and NYU.  I was going out of my mind as I'm sure you can well imagine.  I called all the big firms in MY and they said the schools now were pretty equal because NYU has come a long way.  I went to Phil to talk to the people there and all in all I still came up with a deadlock.  I talked to one guy who said he had the same decision last yr but went to Penn because they gave him more money (the reverse was true in my case).  I told him I was really caught up in the Ivy League mystique with Penn and went on for about 15 minutes about that.  He said the Ivy League really wasn't that important so I asked him where he went as an undergraduate, and naturally he said Harvard.  I decided to go to NYU at first because I knew people going there and figured I'd be comfortable.  After thinking about it though it seemed stupid because I'd be going to be with people I wasn't that crazy about and for 3 yrs I'd stagnate with the same people.  So I'm going to Penn and meet all new people and although I don't think I'll do as well as if I'd gone to NYU whatever I lack in that respect perhaps I'll make up as far as being a more well-rounded person.  I got a single in the dorms and I'm trying for one with a semi-[private bathroom.  School starts August 29th which is a real kick in the ass but what the hell.  I don't know my address there yet so you can still get a hold of me here.

I haven't gotten to Wolfe's book yet but when I do (hopefully soon) I'll write you my feelings.  I'm really glad that you seem to content with everything because that's really good.  Tony was in N.Y. yesterday and he and Harvey stopped over for awhile.  He's driving out to Calif in 8/21 and he wants to meet you at the Grand Canyon or something.  It's great to hear that he can go home now and that he and his father can get along.  It would have been a hell of a thing to go to Calif knowing you might never see your home again.  How are all the people in Warren?  I'm going to be a Pennsylvania resident now too.  Herb is pretty happy I'm going to school in Philly although at last report he's been meeting some people finally.  I saw Chris about 3 wks ago and he and Judy did break up although he seemed to be handling it pretty well.

Guess what?  Eric and Linda are engaged!?  Lauren and I went out with them last Friday to see Slaughterhouse Five and we found out rather unexpectedly.  They're getting married next summer.  This past Saturday (last night as a matter of fact) I went to a friend's engagement party and saw some friends from high school I haven't seen in 2 yrs.  It was really strange seeing kids I grew up with getting engaged.  Lauren really wants to get married next summer also so I don't know what's going to happen.  I want to in some respects but as of now I don't want to in other respects.  It's either next summer or the summer after but I don't know which, that's pretty scary too.

Slaughterhouse Five is a pretty good film and it's worth seeing if you haven't already done so.  I didn't read the book so it was confusing at first but it was well done.

I got tickets to the Stones concert for the last night of the tour (also Jagger's birthday).  They were pretty shitty though (behind the stage in God's country) so naturally I sold them and have regretted it ever since.  I'm not working anymore but just taking it easy and leading the good life.

Write soon if you can and let me know when you're hitting the east coast.  Take it easy and stay content (better word than happy).

August 12, 1972 (Letter from Chris)

Just a quick note before I go to work.  Hope everything's still going well for you.  Things are fine here except that I have not had time to do anything but work and sleep.  I did get to see the Stones when they were here, but it wasn't so great.

Are you or aren't you going back to school?  Maybe by now you've decided to become a monk and do all your writing on some distant mountain top.  No, huh?  Well, it's just as well.

I've just harvested my first crop of grass from the yard, and in a few days, when it's completely dried I'll put it to the test.  I wonder what ever happened to all the stuff growing on the side at 4028 Bailey.

Herb and Kenny dropped by on Saturday while I was still sleeping.  They were very exciting to see and be with.  Kenny and Lauren still aren't married.  Herb has nothing to do after work, so he's starting to build an amplifier from a kit.

Work is starting to get interesting now.  I usually stay after I'm closed up -- and sit at the bar with a few kids.  Sometimes we get stoned -- and just sit around till 4:30-5:30 in the morning.  If we get hungry -- well, it's a fucking restaurant isn't it.  I've even been raped twice in the last month.  Unfortunately by the same girl both times.  (I think I'm pregnant.)  Last month my life was threatened by four rather obscene youngsters who didn't like the fact that I was having them arrested for theft of service.  (They walked out without paying.)  But these things happen.  What would life be like without some excitement.  Unexciting,  probably.

There's not much for me to say now.  I just finished writing to an old friend, and it seems that every time I write two letters in a row the second is always from hunger.  So I apologize for writing and not saying anything.

But I just wanted to say hello -- send my best wishes and see if you're still alive.  Drop a note sometime.  And if you think you'll be around here sometime -- give an advance notice.  If you'll be back at school, I'll definitely see you there whenever I visit.  Be good - take care.

July 13, 1972 (Letter from Kenny)

I just got to work this morning and I wanted to tell you all about the excitement in my life for the past few weeks.  Right now I'm very pissed off because I'm drenched and the last thing i"m in the mood to do is start working.  Oh well if I don't think about it maybe it will go away (I'm glad I can face adversity now that I'm a college graduate.)

First off I got your letter about 2 weeks ago and have read and re-read it several times.  I really think you've found some sort of inner happiness and I'm really glad.  The book obviously affected you deeply and undoubtedly will be a very important factor in your life in the years ahead.  I was about to read Look Homeward Angel when I got your letter but instead decided on You Can't Go Home Again.  I went to 6 bookstores including three of the biggest in the city and everyone was out of it.  I think you started something.  Finally I got a copy but haven't read very much because it is deep and I spend more time underlining and thinking than I do reading.

I haven't been doing an awful lot but Lauren is coming home tomorrow night so things will definitely get better.  I'm really looking forward to seeing her.  I get a letter every day but I definitely have missed her.  The only positive aspect of her going away has been that I have had a lot of time to call people form Wantagh and spent some time with Mindy (the girl Lauren went with) boyfriend but he left for the camp the beginning of July.  I've seen Bob Marks (Lloyd's roommates) and last Saturday we saw the Mets play the Dodgers, one of the few games the Mets have won recently.  Herb was in town this past weekend and I saw him for awhile.  He is not too pleased about his social life but likes his job a lot.  I also saw Chris for the first time since school ended.  It was not very enlightening but I figured I'd go see him.  He is upset about him and Judy (I'm sure that's improper grammar but you're the English major).  From what Linda Glickman told Herb who told me he's got a lot to worry about.  Chris doesn't know and as much as I realize I should tell him I can't bring myself to because it would crush him.  He thinks Judy is contemplating going to bed with some guy but she's actually been balling a goodly number of people and is hanging around bars looking for it.  It's a shame she had to start now after school's ended, just kidding of course.  Meanwhile I haven't gotten stoned since I'm home I think I'm witnessing withdrawals.  My hands shake a lot and my eyes turn red for no apparent reason.  A kid that works here sells quite a bit but he's been on vacation for awhile.  Now that I think of it I have smoked with him several times during lunch hour, I guess I'm not going into withdrawal after all.  I wrote another letter to Tony, my first one I mailed to 60 LeBrun instead of 75 and I doubt that he got it.  The Stones are going to be here the 24th, 25th, and 26th and to get tickets you had to send in a postcard and then a computer randomly selected cards and assigned tickets.  Naturally I didn't get picked but I know someone here that did and I'm getting two of her tickets (you're allowed 4).  Oh well people are looking at me wondering when I'm going to start work because it's 9:35 (we start at 9:00).  Take it easy and I'll write again soon.  Remember to bring out the beets and shine on the garbage or something like that.

June 28, 1972 (Letter from Tony)

This is my fourth attempt at writing you.  Everytime I start I get carried away with my thoughts.  I try to say too much to you and end up with 1 page, quite different each time.

To start with, 5 of the last 6 weeks have been quite exceptional, really nice.  This last week has been a little unsettled and unsettling.

Since I last saw you, I had an incredible time closing the deal on 106 Winspear for Sunshine House.  The administration problems, tie-ups and fuckups were very taxing.  I was convinced at 2:00pm that Tuesday that we were going to be stalled again, but at 2:15 everything opened up and everything raced ahead.

The getting of that house has been the most informative and intense event in my lief.  It's hardened me a lot but it also taught me a tremendous amount.

On that Saturday (day before graduation) I got the key to the house, went in and went crazy for an hour.  That morning I got my acceptance from Berkeley and a rejection from Harvard.  I began to get seriously excited about Berkeley.  That night Harvey, Marty, Elise, Harvey's parents, Marty's parents, Harvey's brother and I went to John's Flaming Hearth.  It was great.  A really big day.

Sunday my mother came in with my little sister and we went out to eat and then sat up in the bleachers and watched graduation.  We also bopped around campus and had a good time.

I found out the next day that Jerry O'Brien had found a car in Syracuse, where he lives, that he thought we could buy for $125.  (It is now a week later, I don't like the beginning of this letter but it's a start.  I shall now push for a more positive frame of mind.)    It turns out that care had a cracked frame and we wound up buying a 1964 green Rambler American for $260.  It took $90 more to get it past inspection.  The trunnions were bad.  So now we call the car Trunnion.

On May 19, 1972 I tripped along for the first time.  It was good except that there was no one around and the lack of talking bothered me.  Also, it was Gay Lib week at UB and the actions of some of the guys was very disturbing.

I went to Columbus to see my sister after Jerry and I bought our car in Syracuse.  The car would take another 3 weeks before we could drive it.

The day after I got back from Columbus I went to N.Y. and visited Meryl, who I went down with, and stayed at Harvey's and saw Kenny, Herb, Chris (we had a good time the night we got together), wentn to Elise and Marty's engagement party and had a surprisingly good time, tried the tests for Jeopardy and visited Central Park, the art show in Greenwich Village, and walked around Manhattan a lot.

So many things happened and I feel very inadequate in relating events.  My emotions and feelings were very positive at this time and except for a few bad instances things were unbelievably good.  And they continued until the point where I started making things go wrong just to keep myself from being so happy.  This is what bothers me now, this self-restraining tendency.  Onward.

I went to Syracuse with Jerry and to clear up some things about the car and when I got back Friday night Joan Beck came over and we had a really fine time and I began to think I love her and that is also messing me up a bit.

Things are happening so fast I haven't had time to sit down and think about them.  I've spent a lot of time with Joan lately, I've been stoned and drunk a ridiculous amount of time, I've been training high school students in crisis intervention along with Jerry, I've been working with Dr. Holmes an economics professor, I've been spending a lot of time at Sunshine House, and today, I went home and saw my father for the first time since a year ago January.  I was really nervous but it worked out well and what was really shocking was that as I was about to leave, he gave me a check for $1,000.  I still haven't had time to think about that one.

It is now another week later.  I was aiming for uncontrolled chaos and good times and found them.  Now it's time to have a little discipline.  I just wrote to Herbie.  I'm trying to catch up on things like letter writing.

This is my first night on my job at Gowanda and it looks like it will be a nice, slow, slow time here.  Jerry O'Brien and I work Tu-W-Thu from 4 pm to 4 am this week, Th-F-Sat next week, then keep alternating.  36hrs/wk for $75.  It gives us a six day weekend every other week and I'm sure we'll be driving to a lot of places.  We've been averaging over 100 miles a day in our car.  It's such a great toy.  To be able to drive to Niagara Falls, Zoar Valley, Letchworth, Colden, etc is just so nice and it's still new and exciting.  And we get stoned a lot in the car.

I can't believe how good things are going and can only hope that I'll be able to keep them going that way.  with this job I'l have more time to think and go over all the millions of things that have gone on in the last year and prepare myself for leaving to Berkeley.

Joan left yesterday for a 3 or 4 week hitching trip to Banff National Park on the border of British Columbia and Alberta.  I miss her but I also welcome the change and lessened responsibilities.  I've moved out of Le Brun but will still get my mail there.  I'll live part time here and in Springville and part in Buffalo.  As long as I can keep myself full of energy while I'm working and it's only for 8 weeks, I should be able to accomplish a lot in these 12 hour slots.  Getting to know Gowanda should be fun.  We spent a large part of today's working hours wandering around town getting acquainted.  Sun was shining.

A week ago last Friday Jerry and I were here to do some training which was screwed up cuz no one knew what was going on and it wasn't at all organized, so we left after an hour and went to Zoar Valley.  It was so incredibly beautiful.  We climbed on a cliff and sat there a long time on the top.  It was trippy.

11 hawks suddenly appeared and began soaring and soaring around.  They were so beautiful, just gliding along so perfectly.  It was great.

I am facing so many new and changing things.  My relationships to Joan and Jerry are quite different than ones I have had with other people.  I have managed to spend quite a bit of time by myself and I have used it more constructively than I ever did before.

With all this goodness around, I've expecting a crash sometime in the future.

I still am over-critical of myself at times and feel a lack of self-confidence occasionally but as I digest all that's going on around me I feel I shall build myself up.  Jerry and Joan are strong-willed people and inner strength on my part is very important.

Well, I am going to finish this and send it out so you at least get some feedback.  I am very interested in your feelings of an inner voice, please write more on that.

The time is passing quickly.  8 more weeks and I'm off to Berkeley.  Maybe I'll see you in California or here.

Take care and stay strong.

June 25, 1972 (Letter from Kenny)

Well how the hell are you?  (That's my Joe Poskanzer opening.)  I'm sorry I haven't written but I really haven't done enough to write a paragraph about.  The biggest news around here has been the weather (as ridiculous as it sounds.)  It had rained for 14 straight days until yesterday, then today it poured enough to make up for the slip yesterday.  The flooding all along the coast has been amazing.  Olean and Salamanca (remember them, near Buffalo) were almost wiped out.  Henry Marcotte was on the news in New York with a report from old Western N.Y.  I hope you swim well because the water might not be gone by September.  Lauren is in Rome now and she should be coming back July 14th.  I'm really sorry I didn't go to Europe this summer because I haven't done shit so far and work sucks a whale's dick.

I've talked to Herb a couple of times, most recently last Tuesday.  He's been going crazy there.  Last weekend he stayed in West Chester and he doesn't know anybody so he didn't talk to anybody for the entire weekend.  By Monday when he got to work he was crazy so he spent 3 hrs talking to anyone in the office.  (Pause.)   As a matter of fact I just finished talking to Herb.  This weekend wasn't a whole lot better for him.  He bought Crime and Punishment to read and said he's staying away from books with sex in them because it will make him horny.  Herb is in very bad shape.

I haven't been doing a whole hell of a lot on weekends either.  I've been seeing a couple of my friends from Wantagh and watching a lot of TV.  I read Our Gang and it's a piss.  During the week when I get home from work I'm too tired to do anything anyhow so I don't feel too bad.  I take a lot of cold showers to ward off the horns but it's really rough when I see all the girls walking around the city.

Last Sunday I went to Ivan's wedding (he's a kid from school).  It was nice but hysterical.  His wife was shivering she was so scared and he was laughing through the whole thing.  All the people there were whispering as the couple came down the aisle just like everyone does at weddings.  All of the sudden the Rabbit screams "everyone keep quiet,  this is a religious ceremony" with that all the kids (hippies from Buffalo) cracked up until everyone was roaring.  It's not very funny now so you can understand how incredibly bored I am.

How's everything going with you?  How's the job and all?

I talked to Chris for about five minutes on Friday.  That was the firs time I talked to him in about 3 weeks.  I wasn't overly excited to speak with him but it seems he's been trying to get a hold of me.  I couldn't imagine why but then he told me I owed him $12 so then I knew.  By now he's probably written you and told you how much you owe.

My mother is in Copenhagen right now and isn't due back till next Sunday.  She's been gone since the 15th, so on top of being bored I have to make dinner and do washes and all kinds of shit.

I'm thinking when I quit work at the beginning of August, of going down to Florida (I can stay at my uncle's apartment) and then stopping off in Atlanta (to see Barbara and Lloyd) on the way back.

Oh well, enough unsaid.  Write when you get a chance.  Take it easy.

Oh yeah, Herb said he got your letter.

June 15, 1972 (Letter from Chris)

I have an hour to write before I have to leave for work.  It has been a very hectic month since I've been home. I started work immediately at Ronnie's Steak House, and only got a raise to $3.00/hr.  Then I had a lot of trouble getting a day off which I needed.  They said no -- I said "fuck you".  They tried to punish me by taking me off the schedule for two day.s  I tried to tell them that I wasn't playing games, that this was now my permanent job, at lest for awhile.  They didn't take me seriously so I went to look for another job.  And now -- get this -- I am the 2nd Assistant Manager of Steak and Brew in Merrick, L. I.  $10,400/a year start -- 1 week vacation after 6 months -- 2 weeks after 1 year.  It's an interesting job -- nice people -- but long hours. I haven't seen Judy except to go to Herb's sister's wedding *which was OK -- no big deal -- stranger people there.)

Since I am no longer a lonely blue collar worker, I've had to start building up a collection of clothes -- so I go to all the cheapie sales -- shirts $2.99, suits $29.99.  Real fancy!  Huh?

I met a really nice young lady last week.  She was a waitress at the first Steak and Brew where I trained for two weeks.  The relationship started really fast - she was very aggressive.  For three days it built and grew -- and a day later she just went dead -- I mean -- nothing.  It was the strangest fucking thing that's ever happened to me and any girl.  But I should have expected it, because she was (is) very mixed up.  She tried to commit suicide last year -- she's all fucked up with her parents and boyfriend.  So now I haven't talked to her for a while, and I'm becoming more and more aggravated by what happened.  I'm not hurt - I'm just confused and would like to be able to understand her.

So what else is new -- nothing.  No dope here that is exceptional.  I have some really good grass -- never tires you out -- but I paid $25 for a rather small ounce.

Tony was down here visiting Harvey, and Herb, Kenny and I went out to a sleazy  bar with them.  Kenny hates his job -- Herb hasn't got much to say about his yet.

I'm still waiting for the last bills to come from Buffalo.  I got the rent deposit back -- $40 short for various reasons.  (Such as garbage removal, late rent, bad checks, etc etc.)  So it is likely that everyone will owe me some money in the end -- $5 or $7 or so.  I'll let you know later on.

I just sent away for tickets to the Stones concert in July.  I'll never be able to get them -- but at least I'm making the effort.

It's really a drag being out of school, and I get sick every time I think of what I'm missing.  However, I'm going to try to get up to Buffalo once or twice next year.

Boy, it's strange, but I thought I was going to have so much to tell you.  I really miss sitting around the living room like slobs and getting high every night.  Actually I don't miss getting high -- I just miss getting together with people.

Well, I'll try to write something better next time.  I hope you have a fucking great time -- and don't forget to drop a line once in awhile.

Be good!

June 6, 1972 (Letter from Kenny)

Well big guy if by chance you are reading this letter you must have made it to old sunny California again.  H ow are you doing?  How are the trip out?  I'm at work n ow and you can't possibly imagine how shitty it is.  All I'm doing is filing huge piles of letters day after day, sitting in a little corner by myself.  It's really getting to me and to think that I've only been working a week now.  Fuck.

Tony was in New York over Memorial Day and he and Harvey came over to my house one night.  Chris and Herb came over also and we all went to a bar and just shot the shit.  Tony is working in a crisis center in Gowanda 3 days a week and he owns 1/2 of a car (he split the cost with a friend of his).  I guess he is really looking forward to going to Berkeley.  Harvey is going to Boston which isn't bad either.

This past Saturday I drove to Paoli, Pa with Herb and helped him move into his apartment.  It's really nice, in a little suburbia.  He pays 165/mo for a 3-room apartment with air conditioning, dishwasher, garbage disposal, etc plus they have a pool he can use.  If you have to live in an apartment that's the way to do it.  From there we drove to Philadelphia, about 40 minutes, and walked around the Univ. of Penn.  It's a really nice looking school and it doesn't seem to be in a part part of the city.  I might go there but they' have to give me some money for me to be able to.  As of now I'm going to NYU.  Herb started work yesterday and he's supposed to be home this weekend for his sister's wedding.  Oh yeah, he bought Lloyd's car (VW) for $1000 the day before Lloyd's wedding.  Lloyd's wedding was last Thurs and it was really nice.  The place was beautiful and the food great.  I was really drunk on champagne and tom collins before they gave daiquiris to everyone, then at my table we started passing around joints, holy shit, did that do me in.  Barbara's father was dancing around with a joint in his mouth!

Lauren is in Europe and will be there until the end of July so I haven't been doing a whole lot.  She seems to be having a good time. Jackie (remember her) called from Buffalo last week and said she's coming to New York during June, just when my mother will be in Europe so we'll see what happens.

Chris fell into a lucky break.  He happened to get a job as trainee for asst-mgr at Steak and Brew Restaurants (like Scotch and Sirloin) and he's making $10,400/yr! for 50 hrs per week (6 days).  He works hard or says he does although I haven't spoken to him recently.

I better get going so write if you can. Take it easy and have fun(?)

September 25, 1971 (Letter from Kenny)

Sorry I haven't written but with coming back to school and getting everything set up I really haven't have had a shitload of time, as a matter of fact all I've been doing lately has been working.

I hope you're doing ok in old sunny Laguna Beach.  Just remember the old tropical Buffalo where the temperature is expected to drop to below 50 tonite and frost.  How's the restaurant business?  I got your letter a long time ago (sorry, again) and it sounds like you really had an incredible trip out there.  

I got up to school on the nite of the 7th.  My room was a fuckin' mess but I was too tired to clean up at all.  Naturally I was almost ruined trying to sleep on my $30 mattress for 2 nites.  I came across a 3/4 bed for $30 (3/4 of a double).  It's a real good one for the price and gives me a shitload more room.  Anyhow classes started on the 9th and all of the courses I originally registered for I eventually dropped and picked up new ones.  I'm taking 3 business courses and a Soc Sci College course (Law and Repression).  I have 0 classes on Friday which is pretty good but all my courses are double periods.  I originally registered for a course in Health Phys Ed and Recreation dept called Basketball Coach with old Len Sufristini.  It was really great, 2 credits, 1 nite a week for an hour and a half.  Then the second week the fuckheads said an undergrad couldn't get credit for it because it was a grad course.  All of the people in the class (8) were phys ed teachers in Buffalo schools. Shit, you should have seen the way they looked at me when I walked in the first week.

Chris is working a few nights at Sizzle Steak.  You should see him, really funny.  He's trying to be a freak, wearing overalls and letting his hair grow into a semi-Afro.  He's a real schmuck.  Herb is working about 4 nites at the computer center and sending out applications for grad schools.  Tony is working a lot at Sunshine House, taking 4 credits of Indep Study (really killing himself, sleeping till 3PM) he's got a Polak girlfriend, Chris, who's really nice.

I'm taking the Law Boards Oct 17 and I'm shitting in my pants already.  Something tells me I'm not going to go where I want because of that asshole test.

The fuckin Dodgers are sinking slowly but I guess you hear all about that in sunny Calif., but at least Aaron is having a good year.

Tony wrote a letter to Columbia Records telling them that you moved and left no forwarding address.  I told them that you were convicted to rape and are serving 20-life in SingSing and that all future correspondence be sent to you there.

Tony had put all of your records and stuff into the basement.  I decided they'd warp down there (I'm so nice) so I brought them upstairs and have most of them in my room.  (I hope you don't mind.)  I wrote your name on all of them, (some are in Tony's room) so none should get lost.  I haven't even had a chance to play them because my stereo is very temperamental and has decided not to work.

What happened with your stereo and the insurance company?  I hope you got money for it.  Do you need any of your stuff sent to you out there?  What else is going on?  Let me know.

Oh well, enough bullshit for now, write soon and let me know what the hell you're doing.

August 11, 1970 (Letter from Kenny)

Hi there shithead.  What's new?  I am sitting at my desk at work with about ten minutes to kill before I have to go and get some more mail so I figured I'd get the letter off to you I've been wanting to write for some time now.

Yesterday "Sam Goody" a big record store started their annual inventory sale, the prices aren't great (2.94, 3.44) but adequate.  The best thing is that absolutely everything is on sale not just a few.  I bought Bridge Over Trouble Water, Bread, Creedence's new one, and Live at Leeds (Who) and they're all great.  Bread is really the kind of record that grows on you and will probably be one of my favorites before the end of the summer.  Lauren got the Woodstock album and it's really good.  I"ll probably be getting a few more before long.

How is everything there?  Not much is doing here, I got wrecked Saturday night and my mother will be coming home Thursday (89/13) so not much more dope.  I might go see the Guess Who in Central Park in a couple of weeks.  Also will see the Met-Braves game on Aug 26.  This weekend I'm either going to see "Getting Straight" "Joe' or "Woodstock".

Before I forget you Polak you have my Buffalo Springfield album because the one I have is your corroded one with the bad track.

The main thing I want to talk to you about is when you are coming down.  I have a reservation for Sept 9 but hope to get a ride back instead.  If Herbie doesn't go with Chris I probably will although I'd prefer not to because I know he wouldn't be able to take enough of my stuff (mainly my stereo).  So here's my plan.  If you can come down as early as possible in September that would be best, say be the third so that we'll have about a week to screw around unless you don't want to spend that long in "the big city".  What would be really good is if you could drive your little Mustang here.  You would first off save money as opposed to planes and we could both drive back to Buffalo together and I could get my stereo up there.  It's all hypothetical so let me know what you think and nayu suggestions as soon as you can because I'm going to have to make some kind of plan.  I know the trip down here is long, so it's up to you.

I'm home now and have just about run out of things to say, oh yeah I told Tony to get us all tickets for the Jet-Bills game, I'm sure you will want to go but if not we can get rid of it.

That's about it for now big kid, take it easy and regards to Mardi.  Write as soon as you learn how.

July 25, 1970 (Letter from Kenny)

How has it been going?  Sorry I didn't write sooner but with my mother leaving for Europe things were pretty hectic.  She left Thursday night on a 747 and it left a half-hour late which is pretty amazing.

I don't remember whether I told you about the Sly concert (7/11) but it was very good but not great.  Rare Earth was also there but they were only pretty good.  The next week was Simon & Garfunkel and naturally it was what you would expect from S&G.  The only problem was that they were alone and played for 2 hours which is a lot but the concert seemed short.  When they finished "Bridge Over Troubled Water" the house came down and were given a 5 minute standing ovation after that one number.

Now that my mother isn't here I have the car all the time which really doesn't excite me overwhelmingly.  Yesterday I bought my new stereo, the same on as you except that instead of "50" speakers I got "50A" which are the same size but the new model.  They had a sale and for the same price I paid ($180 with tax) I could have gotten these huge, great speakers.  They were the same height but twice as wide as the "50A" and sounded really great.  I couldn't figure where the hell I'd put them so I didn't get them.  It's just as well.  Last night after I set up the stereo I got stoned and listened to most of my records.  I haven't gotten many new ones only Melanie and Let It Be.

I've tried to call Michael a few times but he's never been home.  I still have his check.  I see Herb and Chris pretty often and I've seen Eric a couple of times.

So when are you going to come to the "Big City"?  Let me know so I can contact and mayor and maybe he'll give you a key to the city.  On Aug 5 outside concert in Manhattan will have Chicago and Guess Who and I'm thinking of going even though I saw Chicago last month.

Oh yeah, a while ago we went to the track and in one race a horse name Fort Nelson was running so I bet on him for win (1st) and show (3rd)  Herb bet him to win and Chris to place (2nd).

The whole race we were all screaming "come on Paul" and everybody around us thought we knew the jockey or something.  You did pretty good, a photo finish but came in second, so remind me to hit you when I see you.  Well that's about all for now.  Take it easy and write when you can.

P.S.  I read Catch-22 also, and the Godfather which was great.