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.

September 18, 1971 (Letter from Ralph and Al)

Well I guess you just said to yourself I'm having a good time so fuck everything else, fuck school I'm staying where I am and I'm going to dig and I really hope you still are digging whatever you're doing and I wish you the best of luck in hoping everything goes just great for you.  (Amen)

Right now Ralph, Tom and myself are back into the old swing of school and I myself am not digging it at all but c'est la vie because I don't have the balls to do what you did you sly bastard Nelson.  Anyhow after this year no more school for this kid for awhile.  Maybe a return to Europe which was really a fine trip.

Just to make you feel a little bit nostalgic, I'll describe a few bits about good old Buffalo.  Our apartment is cheap but the landlord sucks and he lives downstairs.  The other day the old buzzard came up and tacked a list of rules on the kitchen wall including no girls overnight then he told us no stereo after 9:00pm and no "niggers": over.  Too fucked up.  School's still the same I don't think it changed a bit since last year.  We found a way to call anywhere in the country for free so send me your phone number if you have one.  Anyhow send me a letter because I'd like to find out if you get this letter and I'd like to hear form you.  If you forget the address is 251 Jewett Avenue.

I'm still a vegetarian freak and Ralph I think is heading that way too.  I still haven't indulged in the evil weed although it might become necessary soon.  I might also proudly say that I haven touched a cigarette either.

What else?  Perhaps a word of advice and wisdom from the great seer and prophet mystical fucked up yogi maharishi, me.  As you ramble through life brother whatever maybe your goal keep your eye upon the donut and not upon the hold, but don't take that too seriously for the donut maybe stale and the hole nice and sweet.  A little abstract thought I felt like adding.  You know symbolic philosophy and anyhow I thought it sounded good.

And now a word from Ralph.

Greetings!  Blind Faith on the grammophone, right now.  Marmul and I sitting around doing next to nothing cause ain't got no car to split for Poverty Hill - remember that tract of land that Student Assn. bought south of here.  Had a good summer at Chautauqua -- good people, good times, and good payola.  In room $ something in 4230 Ridge Lea, there's some dude named Doctor Ono.   You'll never guess his real name.  No hit.  Dr Ono is alive and well in Buffalo.  Was able to register for photography for non-art majors -- I'm finally excited about a course -- after 4 years.  If this weren't' my last year, I would have packed in school.  The two weeks between the end of my summer job and the first day of classes were really soul-searching.  I actually came close to thumbing out West or flying east to Europe. Buffalo's the same old shithole -- just as easy to get into a rut, altho I'm confident that I'll be able to avoid that predicament.  Photography should help -- I have enough equipment to set up a darkroom her e-- so once I learn enough in the course, I'll have a very enjoyable pursuit to keep me going.  I'm really looking forward to it.  Seeing old friends this year has been good.  Many people have changed over the summer but I guess that's only normal.  My summer had the effect on me of making me blase and nonchalant and non-caring about even more, pretty things -- a lot of my uptightness has diminished and disappeared.  Runnin' lo on paper.  Tom isn't here right now (he's in Batavia), but he'll drop you a line soon.  Keep in touch.

September 9, 1971 (Letter from Barb Lucia)

Howdy -- you fucker!  What in the hell are you doing????  Don't you know that living at the beach is all a fantasy -- life that's only good for a little while -- believe me I know and don't I know that's why I'm the dud I am now!  So hep me Nelson, if you do what I did I'll kill you!  I feel like it's my kid or something...really, "what are you going to do?" -- GIANT QUOTES around that question.  When I first heard you were in California I was home -- in Warren Pa 16365 -- I went home for a week -- my mother had an operation -- she has cancer and they had to remove her breast -- it was really heavy for them, so I had to go home for the week.  So I casually call up your house to see where you're living in Buffalo -- I'm there -- California??  Then Mardi tells me you're staying there.  Well, what can I say?  Paul -- how can you, of all people, quit school?  You are the original enjoyer of school --I've never known anyone to enjoy it and get more out of it than you do -- when I quit I knew it would be a wasted  year for me to go on, but for you I don't see it that way.  Anyway, maybe I'm worrying all for naught -- why don't you write and tell me -- I'll only be here on the island till Sunday, then back to Boston and home for a few weeks to help my mother out.  So write to me at home -- OK?

The summer here ended as suddenly as if someone shut it down for the season.   Labor Day was everyone's last day at work and boom -- everything closed and everyone went back to where they came from.  Now the roads are deserted and we are just wondering what to do with the days until we go.  It's like country time -- we have gone through changes in our house lately -- Woodstock II has arrived -- everyone wanting just a place to be and music to listen too -- our house is it.  I can't explain the latest hassles but I will when I see you.  Why in hell can't people get along -- even people that you like you can't get along with anymore.  People are such fucking assholes to each other -- our time here-- I mean on the island -- is so short -- why can't we be generous.  Shit.  Time anywhere is fucking short -- it always seems that it will last forever until all at once you're remembering it.  Mardi told me she was coming here and then I got a letter that she's not and guess why -- no $$$.  Now what the hell kind of fucking excuse is that but with Mardi and Bill it's true.  So I didn't answer to call -- so she called me last night and we talked about all this shit.  There were 10 million people here-- 5 million of whom no one in the house knew and I couldn't talk really freely on the phone -- it's so rare you get to talk freely now-a-days -- it used to be you did it very day of your life!  Everyone's grown up!  I'm also running out of paper -- what am I babbling about?  Hey, I got a letter from Joan today.  Her life is like a fucking soap opera -- she moved on on Freddy -- she said she got drunk and tried to kill him (?) -- but they're together now and all is well.  Did you get all that?  She is also going back to Clarion in January and the government is paying for it.  If that marriage makes it, it will be all Joan's doing -- I hope she can do it!  And Mardi and Bill are not making it together either -- God, the whole thing just sucks -- people are just determined to fuck everything up.  But Mardi's staying tho -- working and going to school at night again this year.  Where the hell does she have to go?  If I didn't go back to Boston where the hell would I go?  I was thinking today -- up on the top of the back field behind our house -- why can't we all be back where we were 2 or 3 years ago, only be what we are now -- just have our new selves there-- I had it all figured out anyway.  I went out in the field w/ Harry to get away from PEOPLE -- I swear I'm going to be a hermit in another year or so -- so I hope I see you before then so I can talk to you.

I saw Mike when he was home -- he's applying to the Peace Corps for next year -- duh!  And Tina and Mark are just about goners -- they're both hitched by now.  So what else is new -- no new lights in my horizon -- for once in 3 years -- everything seems planned out and all I have to do is follow it all through.  I'm going home for a while -- then back to Boston to old Calumet St. and the old job at Mass Mental.  And every fall I'm usually freaking out wondering what to do -- it all seems so dull this way -- maybe something will come up and fuck me up -- if I'm lucky.  You know my Boston address -- right?  It'll be me and Doreen and Nancy and -- get this -- Doreen and John are getting married -- that's too much in itself -- and planning to live with us in the same place when they do.  Shades of Apt 203, Lake Street!  Oh we are just so unconventional aren't we?  Now I am going to end all this -- just write soon.  Take care Paul -- I hate to say it, but I will (see you at Christmas) SHIT!

September 1, 1971 (Letter from Chris)

There is so much to tell you, and I suppose that much of it is not going to be news to you.  Kenny or Tony have probably written you already.

To begin with, Tony called me last night and will be moving into the apartment.  This is the good news.  Now for the bad.

It seems that our apartment was broken into for the second time.  It was on a Thursday night.  Judi and I had been listening to your stereo.  We put the records away at 11:30pm and went to sleep.  Mike and Dennis were up at Goodyear.  At about 12:30 I heard someone pull into the driveway.  Then someone was walking around the house.  We both thought it was our roommates.  Well, it wasn't because M and D came in at 3:30am.  Dennis who has been living in both your room and Herb's noticed that the stereo was gone.  Also about 5-10 of your records and maybe 10-15 of his.  The front window of your room had been opened.  He thought maybe I had moved it, so didn't tell me until the next morning.  Well, we didn't know what the hell to do.

That Friday night (the next night), three young punks came to the front door.  One of them -- he wouldn't tell us his name,k but said something later like Joe P----, was really fucked up on drugs.  He said he left a radio here once, and wanted it back.  He said that one of us had it, that it wasn't in your room where he had left it -- and he hadn't even looked in your room yet.  He was with Doug Schrieber, and another kid with a car.  Mike told me later that Doug was the kid who he saw walk off with Sal's leather boots the day you left.  Anyway, they mentioned something about some raunchy grass.  I explained to them that we were robbed Thursday night, and that the radio and grass were probably taken also.  They seemed to believe otherwise.  Finally after showing them that it was not in any other rooms, they left.  Dennis then told me where the radio was -- outside in the garage.  We also searched the house for hits, and found about 6 oz. of crap in your room.  We figured we had to call the cops to report the heft, so we got rid of it.  Mike drove up to campus and left it on the parking lot.

Well, to make a long story short, we are pretty sure that Doug and his friends had something to do with the robbery.  But we can't be sure.  What kind of friends do you have anyway?

What else is there?  Oh yes.  1.  Do you still have the key to the apartment.  If so please send it back to us.

2.  Bill for Aug came to $7.00 plus change -- please send me a check as soon as possible.  (I am in desperate need for money.)

3.  Send us an estimate of your stereo, amp, speakers, head phones, etc. for insurance purposes.

The cops came Sat Morning and took down all info and left.  No big deal.

Tony moved all your stuff downstairs.

Listen, I've got to go.  In a hurry.  Best of luck with your job, etc.  Be good -- write --

August 28, 1971 (Letter from Kenny)

Well to begin with I can't actually believe that you're not coming back to Buffalo but all power to you.  It must be really great in Cal.  Are you a chef or a short-order cook?  How much are you making?  You must be really tan by now I guess.  I really can't believe you're out there for good.  What did you tell your parents?  They must be pretty upset that you're not finishing school.  You should you schmuck.  Whether you finish at Buffalo but at least take courses at UCLA or something.  You are going to eventually come back to Buff I only to visit aren't you.  How was it hitching that far?  You made pretty good time though.  Enough bullshit for now write me and let me know what th ehell you're doing.  Now the business shit.

This will come as an unpleasant shock but Chris called Herb yesterday to tell him that our apartment was broken into at nite and yes you guess it, they stole your stereo plus some of Dennis' records.  I talked to Chris last nite and told him to call the police and tell them is was discovered SAT morning so you can collect insurance.  You have to either phone or telegram your parents to have them report it RIGHT AWAY.  If you want me to call them, let me know.  I'm really sorry.  It seems it happened between midnite and 3:30.  Chris went to sleep at 12 and Mike came in at 3:30.  They think it was some kid from Snyder, N.Y. you knew so let me know who it is.  Chris heard someone walking around but thought it was Mike.  Take care of this right away shithead.

What's the story with Tony, have you heard anything from him?  I hope he moves in because if not Mausner might and I hate his guts.  I'm going to have to call him to find out but please write back and let me know what you told him and what he told you.  If everything dies (because I refuse to live with Mausner) you might have to cover part of Sept's rent that whoever moves in will not.  It's a remote chance but I'm just preparing you if it comes to that.  Another thing Brenner or Christ or somebody said, you owe $7 for the month's bills so I guess you'll have to write a check but it the money's tight let me know and I"ll cover it for you.

This is important stuff so please let me know what's going on.  You really screwed me up when you left because now I have to face Christ alone but it's really great that you're having good clean American fun(?).  Take care of yourself and let me know what's up.  Sorry this couldn't carry better news but I guess the next letter will.

August 27, 1971 (Letter from Mike)

I knew you weren't in Boston because Boobie was home and said you hadn't called.  But I didn't say anything to her.  To be truthful, it didn't surprise me in the least.  If that's what you need, then who am I to comment?  I hope your parents are taking it okay.  Just make sure you don't wind up a cook the rest of your life.  Do me a favor and try to get a hold of Bagwell as long as you're there.  Her father's address is:  Box 3266, Grover City, Cal.  Please do me that favor.  My application for the Peace Corps is in and the references should all be in within the next week so I should either get canned or interviewed within the next month or so.  I'll let you know.  After Sept. 22:  101 A Heritage, B-W College, 44017.  I'm hoping to hear more form you soon.  Good luck buddy.

I could use a box of California sand.

August 26, 1971 (Letter from Mardi)

I was really racking my brains out wondering where the fuck you'd end up!

Write and give me all the highlights of your trip out and "California dreamin'" adventures.  By what route did you do?  Shit, I'd never go back to Buffalo!  Will he stay or will he return?  My mother and Mike thought for sure you'd be in Boston, at least that's what Foster said?!  You should send him a "knock" postcard or something!  My mother had to fill out a Peace Corps questionaire for Mike.  She's there "duh".  I'm sure she wrote a decent letter to them though.  I heard on the news that the first Peace Corps volunteer was murdered!! That might scare him off.

Sue Smith has been out here this week and we've really had a good time just seeing old friends we both hadn't seen in awhile.

Well, Tina's getting married Sat.  Mark is getting married Sept 11!  Jodee Scalise I hear is engaged to Bill Andrews that dud!

Barb was home for about four hours -- sure I mean four days.  Her mother went in the hospital when she found a lump in her breast and they removed it and found that cancer had already spread so she's having cobalt treatments. They said it was the "slow spreading" kind.  It's really a shitty thing to have happen.  I'm planing on going out to Boston for a week and then Barb is moving home for a month or two.  I really don't know what's to happen.

Anyway I better get going.  Take care and write soon.

(8/30/71)  Hello again, Sept is almost here!  Have you made any major decisions lately?  I must get to work now, so write soon!