October 29, 1973 (Letter from Mrs. Peroski)

Thanks Paul for your lovely ho-maid letter.  I really enjoyed hearing from you and sorry to hear that your classes are boring you.  I always appreciate hearing from Mardi's friends.

Wonder how Mike is doing with his classes and I hope his car isn't giving him too much trouble.  As yet, I have not received a letter from him, but I am sure when he gets good and ready he will write.

Guess what, Libby and Ellie are right here on the rug beside me.  Lately they have been staying in the house at night.  They are really good "poopies".  Libby seems much bigger.  When you come home for Xmas you will see.  Although, by then maybe they will be with Mardi and Marti on East Street.  They will be moving by the 15t6h of Nov.  I have been up to their home 3 times now painting and they sure have come quite away since the beginning -- two rooms and the hall upstairs has been painted and papered and tonite the man is papering the downstairs living room and sitting room.  Of course the whole downstairs was done from scratch, new wiring, new installation of new plaster boards and papering.  Now the new ceiling and light fixtures.  Then the kitchen completely new.  It will really be nice when it's all done.  They still have a lot to do yet; but the worst is all done.

Paul, I am telling you all this and you probably didn't even know that they had boughten a home.  I'm sure Mardi will tell you all about it when she writes you.  The home is on 407 East Street between 3rd and 4th Ave.

Well Paul we all have been real busy lately and with the holidays coming more so.

I'm hoping to see Mr. S the end of Nov or Dec.  He wanted to know how yo and Mike ere and what you both were doing now.

Think I'll put the dogs downstairs in the basement and go to bed, tomorrow is another.  I hope it doesn't rain.  It's rained all day yesterday and today.  Miserable weather!

Well be thinking of you and take good care of yourself and eat well.

P.S.  Don't let the goblins get you.  "Happy Halloween."

July 9, 1972 (Letter from Mrs. Peroski)

Thank you for the lovely letter.  It's always nice to hear from Mardi's friends.  I've been meaning to write to you sooner, but so many things have happened lately, as you probably have heard from Mardi. 

My dad past away on June the 12th and it's been pretty hard all the way around.  I still can't believe it.  The weather as you have heard has been awful.  Rain and more rain, although today it's sunny and warm and in the 70's.  I hope it keeps up.  Really we have been very fortunately because of lot of people around us have been hit hard.  You would never believe all the water behind the Kinzua Dam.  That really saved us this time because I think my little house would have been in the water if it wasn't for the dam.  Thank God!

Paul I'm so glad to hear that you are doing so well.  Keep up the good work and get a lot of rest.

Mike is home and leaving for Toledo, Ohio on Tues.  I guess he is going to stay with a friend of his and look for work until the right thing comes along.  I hope he finds what he wants soon.

When will you get home?  Maybe Mardi may get home again the last of July or Aug sometime.  I just hope when you get back you bring some of that good Calif sunshine, because we haven't had any yet and summer is almost gone.  I just hope we have a nice fall.  Myr. Sayles may be up next month.  I can hardly wait.

Well Paul I must close for now because I have to go to work soon and I want to mail this out to you.  So take good care of yourself and I'm sure you are eating enough and get a lot of rest.  Hope to see you soon.

April 18, 1972 (Letter from Mardi)

Glad to get your monthly report yesterday.  It's great to get a letter on a Monday night after working late -- it doesn't take much to make me happy....

My mother called last night too -- she's getting worse than I am with the telephone!  She just called me Wed night to tell me she is going down to Florida alone because Mr. S thinks they'll have too much to do and wouldn't be able to see m that much.  Dont' ask me what they are planning to do.  My mother keeps talking in riddles so I don't bother to ask any questions.  So I'm hoping to go to Boston about that time and go down to see Mr. S late on.  I don't know what Barb will be doing.  Her mother was operated on Monday morning and found more cancer spreading through her stomach and liver, I don't know how ad it is but it probably will only get worse I'm afraid.   I know if it were my mother I'd zip right home because I'm sure she'd need me.  I don't know how Barb feels about the whole thing.  I mean about moving back to Pa or what.  My mother had to tell me all the bad news -- my grandmother fell etc etc but she's fine!  Mr. S had a test for a lump on his nose -- could be skin cancer??  He'll find out Wed, they don't think so though.

What's with all this misery?  Bill has to go in the hospital to get a cyst removed from his cheek.  He'll be known as scar face from then on.  "Oh that beautiful face."

Anyway, all goes well here, excluding the periodical bitching and screaming!  Please be sure and tell us this time "about" when to expect you, OK?  That's all I ask!!!!

The weather has been in the 70's and has now turned shitty again with rain and cold.  Yuck.  Why don't' you take Anderson out to Calif with you?  Isn't that a terrible idea.  He's always screaming about the weather and that he's going to take off and go West -- except who would pick up his unemployment check each week?

Anyways I gots to go to lunch and get busy here!  Going to see Tom Rush Sunday -- at least I hope so -- got to get tickets today!!!???

Take care and write a line now and then.

November 11, 1971 (Letter from Mardi)

Hi ya sweetheart -- I just saw Casablanca for the third time and I'm all psyched on Humphrey B again -- love that movie -- I couldn't remember if I owed you a letter or not.  My mother told me she got "the nicest" letter from you.  She called me Friday night to say she got a letter from Mr. Sayles and that we might be going to Florida this winter.  She sounded really excited and told me not to get too excited myself because he just may want her alone to go down. I keep hoping they will get married!  I can just feel something coming.  I can't figure out what's going on -- my mother never says anything.  I haven't heard too much from anyone else.  Barb is thinking of moving on for parts unknown -- she can no longer cope with Boston.  I hope she finds her "place" soon.  I know I wasn't too sure about this place for a long time and then it seemed to fit all in (that doesn't sound right?!) -- and now I really love this city.  I can remember a few? of the traumas I had!  Only 20 or 30.  As for the rest of my letter-writing friends -- I hear nothing.  I guess Joan is going back to school and her and Freddie were not getting along.  She never writes.  Nothing from Foster.  I'm waiting to see if the Peace Corps is still no. 1 at Christmas time.  It's really funny but I"m looking forward to going home for Christmas. Oh! before I forget to tell you!  I made my reservations the other day and since I had no idea when you planned on going home or how you planned going home, I made a reservation for you too!  Naturally it can be cancelled. I made the reservation for Mohawk this year so I don't have to go to Chicago!  Your fare is $60.00!!!  Oh for the 23rd of December.  I'm just trying to be fairly organized about this -- kind of!

I h ave to go now and hit the calculator.  Take care!

Hey! forgot to tell you!  Went to "The Rock'n'Roll Revival" last week.  Fantastic!  Chuck Berry was there along with a million old groups.  The thing lasted for 4 hrs.  Anderson was right at home -- he was born to be a greaser!!!

February 18, 1971 (Letter from Barb Lucia)

Hi there boobie -- have you forgotten your long lost roomie -- due to my great letter writing lately, I am losing every friend I ever had!

How's your semester going?  My life is at its usual February peak -- whoopee.  Both my roommates are away all this week -- one is a teacher and gets the week off and Pam has the week off too -- so they're tripping the light fantastic around the countryside -- so it's me and the dog holding things down here.  I am still spaced from last weekend -- duh!  I went up to Maine with a chick friend and stayed at a farmhouse 2/ a million freaks -- loaded from the word go.  I've never seen so much dope in one place -- bricks and bricks or hash on the kitchen table, canisters of grass, a canister of cocaine (powder) -- another one of orange acid -- what a freaky weekend.  I was waking up at night getting hits in my sleep -- they were doing cocaine but I passed on that one -- stuck with the smoke and the hash brownies.  They had a little kid about 2 years old who was up all night tripping-- she got into the acid.  Hey, safe!  I drove home through the mounds of snow not knowing shit -- duh!  And I was driving a standard which took my utmost concentration just to stay on the road.  This week itself was quiet -- I finally went to a doctor and got some BCP pills -- now in case I ever screw again -- oh such immoral lives we lead.  Speaking of the famed subject -- I got a letter form Mrs. Joan Stevens of Fayetteville, N. Carolina -- know her?  Yes, Joanie Pic did it -- she had a miscarriage while still at Clarion.  She sounds good in the letter.  I'm still freaked by the whole thing.  I heard through the Warren grapevine that Margie and Ward have completely disinherited her of the family fortunate.  Did you ever meet Freddie?  I can't remember if you did or not.  God, I can just see Joan's parents when she told them -- I guess Joan will never be in Warren again!  True to our predictions, Renee was 1st, then Joan -- now it's a toss-up between Tina and Mardi.  I don't know if Bill and Mardi will even bother to get married.  Can you see Anderson at a wedding -- not bombed!

So much for Joan and Renee and Mark.  When's he getting hitched?  I wish Mrs. P and Mr. Sayles would have a wedding so we could go to it but if they do get married, I don't think they'll have a big deal.

More news from the home front -- Timmy flunked out of Edinboro.  I don't know how that can be done but he did it.  So now he's home and happy about it.  He has to get a job and pay back a $400 bank loan cause he didn't get his state money naturally since he didn't pass.  My father is there, "Well, that's three out of three!"  He's so witty!  Of course, we're all so stable anyway.  Timmy is making me look sensible lately.  Of course, I haven't done anything drastic lately either.  What's up for the summer?  Or should I ask?  I've got the urge for going but I also have got a good job (I don't believe I just said that -- oh I've got a good job!)  Of course I won't decide anything until the summer is upon us -- can't feature a pleasant summer in Roxbury, with the garbage, heat, etc.  Yech, I'd have to have a damn good reason to stay here and I don't have a good reason!  So there.

Mardi and Bill are looking for a new place (that's new) -- they still have no money.  Hey, dink, did you get my valentine -- I'm so cute, sending valentines -- I even sent none to Mrs. P cause I knew she'd send me one.

Well, kiddo, have to close now -- just hang in there till spring.  Mardi says she's coming out here in the spring -- hell will freeze over too.  If you get a vacation you come too -- you're always welcome and we could all be together again -- wouldn't that be neato, Paul?  (Take out the garbage!)  Take care and write.  Peace and love and all that.

February 7, 1970 (Letter from Mardi)

Hi honey -- how's Buffalo surviving?  I've gotten into this amazing writing mood so I'm putting it to its fullest advantage.  Barb is sleeping -- what a bum!  Duh.  Last night was ACTION.  Barb and I watched some old Fabian move -- "I dig you."

I've heard from Mark.  He's as busy as ever, of course.  I imagine you've probably heard from him by now.  Mike wrote me a short note this past week.  Everything seems to be at that  post-winter-pre-spring standstill.  I should be working for the next two weeks.  I'm actually feeling a little bad about quitting.  The people are great but it's not for me.  Bill called last night and we made some more plans for Denver.  He's really excited about it.  It would be fabulous if you wanted to work in Colorado this summer!  So all I really know right now is I'm quitting my job in two weeks, then leaving for Minneapolis.  Then I'm going to meet Bill and we'll probably stay there till we both get a little sum of money.  I'm not too worried about it.  I know we'll both be ok.  I realize the fact that they'll be finally catching up with my on my loan sometime in Marcy -- HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I must admit my letter are information (?)  No need to apologize -- we both know it's a great time!

Mr. Sayles has returned from the Bahamas -- LOUSY -- not too tan!

Please take care and I will be keeping in touch.   Tell Ken "hi".

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 27, 1969 (Letter from Mardi)

Here I sit at Warren General Hospital with a shattered skull!!  Great.  I've been here since Monday.  Mr. Sayles was showing me how to use the 9 iron to get the golf ball on the green and I was standing off to his left and he swung and smacked me over my left ear -- immediately fell to the ground -- they took me over to the emergency room and naturally no doctor was around so I had to go to Dr. Yerg's office because he was the only one in, and he said I was ok -- I can't remember anything -- so I went  home and went to bed.  Sat and Sun.  So Monday I came here for Xrays and sure enough over my left ear my skull is in about five pieces!  So I've been here since Monday!  Can't wait to get home.  Everybody has been so nice I can't believe it.  This stupid lady here with me is always hot and she has to have the damn air-conditioner on full blast and I'm freezing.  She'll probably yell at me for turning it down.  Oh well.  I'm supposed to have a job interview with the Warren County Assistance Agency for a job July 1, but I won't be working for awhile.  This is terrible!  Now that I'm all set to work I can't.

How are you doing handsome?  I'll get out to see you!  Will you be home over the 4th?  I hope you are!  How is work going?

I really can't say too much right now, later I will.  I'm getting so lazy!  All I do is lounge around and eat.  I was flat on my back for awhile.

Take care lover and hope you come home for the 4th.  I'll be coming out some time.

P.S.  You father just stopped in and said hello.

February 5, 1969 (Letter from Mardi)

I'm movin' and a groovin here in Dud City!  "Get me out of here." -- and I'm not perverted -- you are, boy.  Changing to Pall Mall straights!!!  I just don't know what to say; it's a crime punishable only by death.  Pall Mall straights?  Actually, I think you changed so Barb and I won't bum all those cigarettes off you.

I hope you did better this quarter than I did, I really don't know how I did for sure because I haven't got the grades yet but I know I went down in Psych.  I knew I would; I got an A and I couldn't keep that up for more than one quarter.  I promised myself to hit the books hard 3r4d quarter.  God, after Christmas -- Blaaa!  I'm going crazy w/ all these fruity girls.  I hope you make Dean's list.  That would be great.

When do you plan on coming home for Easter?  When I leave it will be March 28 after school either Northwest flight or United.  They both get into Buffalo about 9:15 p.m.  You would probably leave earlier in the day, right?  Nancy's father is picking her up so I can go with them or Mr. Sayles and my mother might come out if my father will.

It sounds like a lot of fantastic groups are coming to Buffalo.  I don't even look anymore.  I'm broke.  Unless Hendrix gets here again.

I've been doing tons of reading, some for school and some on my own.  I read "The Confessions of Nat Turner", the Temple of Blood and In Cold Blood and we're supposed to read Manchild in the Promised Land some time.  I've also read a book of short stories -- English, blaaa.  I've also read the poetry of Frost, E. E. Cummings, Ransom, and Emerson.  So now you can actually see the time I have -- mostly on weekends, I've become a regular bookworm.

The weather has been another pain in the ass!  -42 one day, my forehead went numb again.  Now, yesterday and today it's been in the 30's which is a heat wave out here.

I don't have a chance of getting into trouble so don't worry.  I must go, I'm starving -- I've been starving since I got back!  Please, please take care.  Have you heard from Mike?  I think he died!  He's going to get it!!

P.S.  You'll be surprised that I'm the sophisticated type!!!  That's what she told me in Charm!  If she only knew!

November 26, 1968 (Letter from Mardi)

Hope you're enjoying your vacation.  I know you are!  I'm just sitting here all alone.  (It seems so good.)  Everybody should be gone by tomorrow night for sure.  Jim Mead got here today.  Nobody knew.  He came to see Peggy.  It seemed funny to hear him talk about the Gloves and Shorty's.  It was like old home week.

Nothing too much is happening.  Saturday night Wendy and I went party hopping.  We took four pint size cans of Bud and two cans of Colt 45 and brought it back to the apt.  You could bring in a case and nobody would know.  Then we went back out and drank Southern Comfort and we stopped at one keg party and I swear I never drank so much beer!  I was up all night drinking ice water.

Jan is supposed to have a big bash at her apt Thursday.  But I really don't feel like going.  I think I'd like to spend a nice quiet day and night.

I've getting spastic waiting for Christmas.

Today in Charm we started make-up.  You'll never recognize me.  We're starting with the eyes and today she shaped my eyebrows.  I'll be my own duddy self, don't worry.  My hair is getting long!  I'm trying to get rid of the bangs.

I hope you can make it out here in January.  I forgot to tell you that Mr. Sayles told me when I talked to him that he's supposed to come out in January some week for a convention, second or third week.

I must go and do some speechwriting.  Take care, waiting to hear you on the phone.  I sent Mike some pictures for you to look at.  They're really cute.