February 15, 1974 (Letter from Kenny)

Sorry it's been so long since I wrote but as per usual, I've been pretty busy.  I can't seem to find your last letter but I remember distinctly being quite surprised at several things. I didn't know Mardi was married and I was even more shocked to find out that she didn't marry that guy from Minneapolis.  Also I was mildly surprised to find  out Joe and Mary are going to have another kid.  It must have been good to see them though; right now I can't even remember that last time I saw Poskanzer -- probably just before graduation.  I always thought that he was going to Florida or something -- I just don't know how he can afford to support a fairly on a salary that can't be that tremendous.  In any event I hope everything works out for them.

How's things going for you?  How's school and Pittsburgh?  When are you going to be finished?  Things in Phila are about the same -- gang killings etc.  Lauren is still going to school and will be going straight thru the summer at which time she'll be done.  She's been applying for teaching positions for next September and we're pretty optimistic.  School has been shitty as usual, I'm taking 2 Wharton courses this semester which I thought would make things easier.  1 is pretty easy but the other one is killing me because stupid me took it out of sequence and I can't drop it because of very strict credit per year requirements.  So naturally things aren't going too well on that front.

I've pretty much decided to let go of any ideas that some high class job for the summer.  I figure I'll do shit-ass research for a professor for $2.50/hr and maybe take 1 or 2 Wharton courses.  I guess things could be worse.  In a way I'm kind of looking forward to it -- I've never gone to summer school before.

Speaking of Wharton (that's funny I didn't know we were) Herbie might be going next year.  He got in and he's seriously considering it.  Imagine that, little Herbie going to graduate school.

How's your social life going?  Anything to do in Pittsburgh besides cheer for Pitt's basketball team.  I hope so for you sake because you definitely aren't getting any younger and besides someone told me it helps your skin clear up!

I'm going home next weekend for one of Lauren's friend's husband's party (a lot of possessives and I lost track).  We haven't been home since Christmas so it should be pretty good.  Oh yeah, my mother bought a condominium in Florida recently (somehow my grammatical structure leaves something to be desired).  She is going to rent it out on a permanent basis for about 4 yrs until she's ready to move down there.  She bought it now to preserve the low price for the future, which is pretty smart I must confess. So in any event in the future we'll have a place to go free in Florida.  What are your summer plans?  I figure you should be about ready to go continent -hopping now that you've covered this country.  So let me know what's going on.

Got to go now, so take it easy and write back.

July 19, 1971 (Letter from Kenny)

 Well it's finally happened, all those hot nights at Gleason's and the Galaxie have finally shown their effects on your poor down-trodden brain.  It took me about ten minute to realize the old pogo Nelson meant A.M. (meaning morning) when he wrote ayem and a quick check showed that Buffalo must be the same place as Buphalo.  Oh well it's all right just drink lots of warm milk and have the Polish kid tell you lots of stories.

The bit with Pattie and Merry and their apartment is about over with Mr. Mann decided they could stay as long as he is invited to their nursing school orgies.  I talked to Chris last week for the second time this summer and he is as wonderful and loving as ever.  HE said he'll be going to Buffalo around Aug 20th which means he'll change his mind at least four more times before he finally goes.  Seems he wants to work for a week there, maybe even in your little haven, the lovely, enchanting Blue Galaxie.  Somehow I think big chef Lauer is going to end up being the head waiter at McDonald's.

I heard from Herbie for the second time finally after more than a month and I"m happy to report that he's isn't lying dead in Baghdad with his Sammy jacket on.  He says he likes his job and he's having a really good time. He said he was going to ask some German girl to go to a German movie with him, imagine that, our little 17 yr old Herbie.  I also got a card from Jane and was quite shocked, I don't even remember when the last time was that I saw her lovely face (sigh!).  As you most probably know the Mets are playing some fine baseball and me and some of my friends challenged them, but they only wanted to play underhand pitching.  Some shmucks from Pennsylvania are leading the league.

Speaking of leagues (were we, I didn't know that) I'm in a baseball league in Wantagh on Friday nights.  It's really well organized; under the lights, referees, uniforms, even a few slutty cheerleaders.  Last Friday was the first tame and with 2 1/2 minutes left we were up by 9 but in true Tuchman fashion we lot by 2.  I'm really beginning to think I'm a jinx.

The past weekend I went bicycle riding on a bicycle built for two, it was great, I thought I was going to kill  myself.

How is Tony tell him to write me sometime, I haven't read anything Polish since Dostoyevski (holy shit I can't believe I said that, I think you're rubbing off on me.)

Bruno is in the process of buying a car, what kind he's not sure of.  Lauren't family just got a new Duster for $2575, not bad, she's supposed to get the car a year from September.

They've had a bunch of concerts in New York recently but I haven't gone to any.  Oh well enough said tomorrow work when I hopefully will mail this.  Write soon and don't forget to brush your teeth after every meal.

June 15, 1971 (Letter from Kenny)

Hi shithead!  Sorry I haven't written sooner but I've been pretty busy.  I've just finished mailing out 41 letters to law schools asking for applications and 21 to business schools.  Besides that I've had so much to do at my job it's beginning to remind me of school.  The job is in the same investment survey firm that I worked for last year except that I'm adjusting clients accounts this year.  The place is so disorganized and has so many mistakes that there's always plenty to do.  It almost reminds me of the cartoon with he army guy getting this huge pile of work to do in the morning and gradually lowering the pile by the end of the day.

Outside of work things are OK.  Lauren's fine.  We've seen two Met games so far.  I saw the Braves in May (Hank Aaron hit a home run) and last Wednesday Lauren's father got us tickets to see San Diego.  They aren't too exciting but we had seats 2 rows behind the Mets dugout.  Last Friday I saw Elton John at Carnegie Hall. It was strange.  I had never been in the place and had $5.50 seats which were pretty cheap for that concert.  The place is so high that you really can't see the stage from where we were.  Anyhow, he came out and sat at the piano at the beginning and didn't say a word outside of announcing the names of the songs.  He fist played "Your Song" and followed with everything else.  It was really good, he sounded exactly like the record but you felt like you were sitting in on a recording session.  He played for a little over an hour then intermission.  Second half he came back with a drummer (Nigel Olsson) and bass and tore the place apart.  He sang "Friends", "Country Comfort", etc. along with Honky Tony Woman and Mercedes-Benz (Janis Joplin's).  He was dancing on top of the piano and jumping in the air while playing.  Despite the showing off it was really amazing how well he can play.  He really overcame the lack of closeness of the hall.

The Mets right now are losing 2-0 to the Dodgers.  Guess what?  Herbie's in Germany.  I really can't believe it.  I saw him the day he left and he was really scared.  Oh well I'm sure he'll do OK.  How's the job and everything?  Do you see Tony at all?  Sorry I can't write longer but I've got to get some sleep.  Take care and write back.

July 31, 1969 (Letter from Kenny)

Sorry I haven't written but I just haven't had time.  Not that I've been doing anything great.  A lot of things have happened.  My mother went to Europe on July 21 until Aug 12.  The 26th I had a party.  It was supposed to be dated but not many guys came with dates and I was only able to get 2 single girls.  First of all the week before that me, Eric, Chris tripled.  He and Eric doubled he had a 15 yr old blind date and I went out with the 16 yr old I told  you about while Chris went out with one of his many 15 yr old girl friends.  It was a piss.  She said she was depressed.  I was in a great mood and me and Eric had a pisser.  We met Herbie and Barbara at John's (ice cream parlor, they probably don't have then in Warren.)  I can't possibly write all the funny things me and Eric were saying but you can imagine.  Chris has gone hippie, horn-rimmed glasses, uni-sex shirts open to the navel to show his hair.  A long thick mustache.  Guess what?  I got bell-bottoms.  3 pairs already!  I don't think they look too bad.

Getting back to my party, I had a great time.  Hal, Billy, Rosen, Nick (Hal's friend from UB), Eric, Vignola, Jack all came stag.  Gary and Patty, Herb and Barb, Chris and Karen (after BS&T concert), and a few couples from Wantagh.  A lot more from the concert never made it.  Eric had a bad time but it was because he didn't have a date.  I didn't have a date but I got drunk and really had a good time.  Hal, Nick, and Rosen smoked and got wrecked and at 4 AM left for upstate to visit Howie's camp.  I almost went.  Herbie's having his troubles with Barbara, but I'm sure they'll work out, just minor.

The Mets got ridiculous again yesterday, 16-3, 11-5.  Today my mother called from Madrid.  It was great getting a transatlantic phone call.

Oh well, that's about it.  Regards to everyone.

P.S.  Taking my road test Aug 7 here's hoping.

June 28, 1969 (Letter from Kenny Tuchman)

My dearest Everett, (I never wrote that before)

It was splendiferous hearing from your.  The summer is going too fast, almost 1/3 is over already and is it shiity.  How is summer school?  Hope you don't flunk out.  Guess what?  I pulled a 3.3 last semester groovy, huh?  I got another C in economics, how I don't know, otherwise I would have had a 3.5.

Many jobs have fallen thru but I'm finally settled now.  The Wall Street job fell thru then my cousin got me in as an apprentice carpenter at $125 for 35 hrs a week but then there was a strike and the boss couldn't hire me.  Then I was going to work in a diamond and jewelry place really cool though.  You have to wear a badge and doors open automatically and there was a lot of kids (20's) working there full-time and the guy really liked me and gave me a summer job, the only one, the salary wasn't good but I figured I'd have a good time.  You have to take a lie detector test before you work to see if you're an addict (?) or alcoholic and would steal stuff because it's all real valuable.  So I took a day off from where I was working for the test knowing the job was mine and the machine was broken and would take 2-3 weeks to fix.  So I'm working in a tag factory that my cousin got me into.  They make all kinds of tags for everything.  I work real hard though lifting heavy stuff and running errands all over the city.  I get 2.25 an hour which isn't bad and have to get up at 6:30 AM which is terrible.

My social life is awful, even worse than that.  Last nite I went out for the first time in two months.  Herbie and me doubled he set me up with a really cute girl Barbara knew.  Her name was Bobbi.  She was really nice 5'5" thin light brown hair with a flip at the shoulders.  I don't think we went over too big.  What's new?  We saw "Finian's Rainbow" which was pretty good.  Bobbi has a sense of humor exactly like mine.  She was ranking the hell out of everything and anything and was really funny.  She had the same fake voices and facial expressions as I usually do when I'm out with a bunch of guys.  I was quiet in a way but pulled off a couple of goodies.  Fuckin' Herbie was zapping everyone he destroyed me.  If I would have been on form I would have killed him, but I was trying to impress Bobbi and wasn't myself which was bad.  I wasn't aggressive enough I guess because I didn't even kiss her goodnight don't ask me why.  I was waiting for her to move towards me and she was waiting for me to move toward her which was the right way.  Anyhow it was a standoff.  Oh well.

I talked to Eric about a week ago and we were bullshitting about our many blind dates.  Me and him are gonna double on a blind date and rank the shit out the girls.

I'm going to see Rosen tomorrow (Sunday).  HE's been pretty low, too. I think I'm going to go to a monastery and forget girls.  I can't wait for my mother to leave because I've got big plans for the parties, July 21-August 12, come on down.

The Mets are returning to reality they even lost to the Pirates.

Take it easy and write soon, call me sometime if you want (212) 847-9718.  Don't call collect because I won't accept the charges and will laugh my ass off.

P.S.  I saw Peppermint Patty and she's gorgeous. Jerk off once for me too.
eaVE BECAUSE i'VE GOT BIG PLANS FOR THE PARTIES, jUL

June 6, 1969 (Letter from Kenny)

It was really great hearing from you.  I got so fuckin' excited I started to cry and pound my feet against the wall.  Glad to hear you had an exciting time in the TKE apt.  I imagine what Buffalo is like when you really have nothing to do.  I've talked to Herbie a few times and have seen him.  He told me bout your trip to Colden, it must have been a piss.  I've talked to Chris, Rosen, and Hal also.  I'm gonna see Bucelli tonight.  He's going to California Wednesday for good (work and grad school).

Guess what?  I got my hair cut, it was a real pain, but it's not too bad now but I had to go for job interviews so I had to look like a clean-cut kid.  I got a job selling Collier's encyclopedias from door to door worked for a week and a half and quit yesterday.  It had its good points and bad.  Training was 1 week you didn't get paid and you worked on commission the next week then you started salary $155 per week a lot of money but if you didn't produce you were out.  The hours were ridiculous 2PM until by the time I get home 1AM so I could never talk to anyone so I gave it up.  I won $10 for having the best presentation by a college kid.  I told my boss I had to go to summer school and asked him if he could get me a job in the Buffalo branch during the school year he said he would.

Some of the things that happen from door-to-door are hysterical.  One day it was 95 and with a jacket and tie on I was dying.  I went to one house and the door was open so only the screen door was there.  I knocked and glanced in.  The living room was off to the left an lying on the floor was this young fat lady with her bra and panties on and her husband, real fat and just wearing his boxer shorts and they were rolling around together it was a piss I almost died laughing when she saw me she screamed and ran to get dressed.  Another time I was working with my field supervisor watching him work and we knock on a door and a single (unmarried) girl comes to the door just wearing a CPO nothing else.  It was rather nice, I saw some real nice girls that way while I was working.  I should be getting a job on Wall Street now.

Herb is parking cars and making a fortune.  He started yesterday.  Chris is pounding baloney.  Rosen is working on Wall Street.

Did you find out your grades yet?  I still haven't got mine.  Oh yeah if you want to go out with that girl Barbara I went out with at the beginning of the year her number is TF9-2939 she's some action so try it.  Have you done some shit lately?  I haven't though I'll probably be starting soon I'm sure.  My mother is going away July 21-August 12 so come down if you want.  That's about it for now.  Take it easy and regards to everyone.

P.S.  If you need shit ask Borelli he's at Englewood.

Paul, remember always the passion-filled evening we spent together.

RAQUEL

P.S.P.S.  The day I left when you woke up I thought you were going to throw the clock at me.