June 20, 1977 (Letter from Barb L)

Just thought I'd drop you a note before falling into bed -- hope your return to Springfield was pleasant.  I have been working my butt off lately in preparation for my week's vacation next week.  I am going to the Cape on Friday the 24th -- arrive in Hyannis 4 p.m. Will stay till July 2nd.  Maybe if you get a chance you can come down -- you will be welcome at Linda &^ Kinky's for sure.  I will be at Linda Johnson's, So Yarmouth, 617/394-1559.  Give me a call or I may call you at work.

I still don't know how I'm getting back.  If you are planning on coming for the 4th weekend -- let me know!  I will take the bus to Springfield and ride with you.  You, me, and the lobsters.  Mardi wants to do the lobsters on Saturday the 2nd.  If I am not back by then I'll put them on the plane in Hyannis & ship them but if we both come back we'll bring them.  Maybe we can talk her into doing it on Sunday.  I guess that's the day Reene was planning on having everybody up to the cottage. Why not switch days?  No big deal but Mardi wants to be sure & get the lobster I guess.

Yesterday we finally got the babies baptized.  I'm Jeremy's godmother & Gino is his godfather. Mardi put on a big spread.  Don't know how she does it all but she really came through with the manicotti and meatballs, etc. etc.

I don't have any other news.  Seems like all I've done is work.  Did go to Lilydale with Rita.  That's a story in itself.  Had a really good experience there.

I got a roommate last week -- Karen Werner.  She's young (20) but not too Warren, ya know?  I like her anyway.  don't know how long she'll stay.  She's having boyfriend troubles & will probably get the hell out of town soon.

Won't we all....

Patsy's boyfriend/future living mate is here this week.  The first couple days he just stayed high & cruised thru the Warren scene.  I'm out of grass -- boo hoo.  It's rough.

Well Paul -- take care & do give me a call sometime about the 4th weekend or just shoot on over to the Cape if the feeling moves you.

See you soon.

P.S.  Guess who called last week -- Terry (of Humboldt St. fame).  I gave her your address -- she's still too shy to call you though.  She's doin fine.

October 5, 1974 (Letter from Tony)

The foregoing (photocopied letter) was written awhile ago but I figured I'd send it along just to fill you in a bit.

I'm finding that living alone has a great many advantages.  I now must assume a great responsibility over what I'm doing with my time and my future.   It's very comfortable to have others around to play with whenever one wants, but it can also be very restrictive.   Now I can do things with others if I want to expend some effort, so my social outings are now much more selective and, consequently  consist of doing what I want, when I want to.  I guess I've never felt more free than I do now.  My classes this semester were purposely arranged to fall mainly on Tuesday and Thursday and consist mostly of those subjects that I'll need for the bar exams and haven't as yet taken.  Conceptually, the main three are quite simple and my time can be spent more on the remaining course, Lands Use and Development and the Sanctioning Process.  The latter is almost an undergraduate style course, but with a major paper requirement, Land Use is the most interesting of my courses because it ties in most directly with the city planning area of the law that I expect to go into when I graduate.

This is my last year of school!  Grades now mean less than the little they have meant, and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  This contributes to my sense of freedom.

I guess it's all the factors mentioned about, plus a certain amount of wisdom gleaned from the Dark Ages of the past two years, which have put me in my present "high on lie" state of mind.  I've been experiencing a joy, that I thought had been lost, in just walking or shopping or talking or being with others, yes, even in studying.  I feel confident that whatever lies in my future, I will be able to appreciate it.  I'm also quite confident that I will get into something I will enjoy as  work, whether by luck or skill or perseverance.   

When I was home I went to Lilydale with my mother, my younger sister Bonnie and Harvey.  I guess that you've heard of the place.  It's a spiritualist colony just outside of Cassadaga.  We were directed to Mrs. Isabel Ferguson by my aunt who used to go there frequently.  I was invited in by Mrs. Ferguson.  She didn't ask my name of any questions, just started out by telling me that she saw that I was going to law school in California.  Her powers of seeing the situation each of us was in at that time is undeniable.  She told Harvey he was looking for a job, saw that he had a former connection to law, etc.  Most impressive.  If her powers of seeing the future are as good then I have another reason for feeling confident.  She told me I'd live long and be very lucky.  She gave me names of people I'd meet etc.  She told Harvey he'd get a job along an ocean coast far from Lilydale.  If old Harv lands a job on the west coast, my future is golden.

Have you ever read any of the works of Celine?  He's a tremendously powerful writer.  I'm reading Death on the Installment Plan and it just sweeps my mind from its mooring in this torrent of dreamlike scenes.

Now then, here's the plan.  I would like to come up to Deer Lodge for a visit around Thanksgiving time.  I'll be looking for a ride up anytime after Nov. 20.  Our vacation is Nov 28 & 29, and with only a few classes being missed, I can extend that to about 1 1/2 weeks.  What's really tempting is the prospect that I could, after Thanksgiving, not come back here, miss only 2 weeks of classes and then not have any commitments until Jan 8, the day for my first final.  More pragmatically  I could come back here by Dec. 1, then fly to Buffalo Dec 12 and stay until Jan 6.  But anyway, let me know if you'll be around Deer Lodge from Nov 20-Dec 1, and if I could come visit OK?

Enough for now.  Take care and write back with your usual promptness.