October 13, 1970 (Letter from Mardi)

Hey I'm good at writing letters -- I can't even get around to mailing them.  The only time I remember about mailing your letter is when I'm at work and when I'm at work I forget to get your address while I'm at home so I can mail it from work.  Understand?, not really.

Can you believe how time is just WHIPPING by?  The temp around here this morning was a big 30.  I'm waiting for it to snow any day now.

I talked to Barb last week (guess I told you that), she was sick with a bad cold.  She's still working for that temporary help place which must be a pain-in-the-ass!  It's bad enough getting up for a job you already have.  She has to be at a new place just about every day!  I wouldn't know where half the places were!  I guess they even have a TV now so she can watch "Comedy for Big Kids".  I hope she finds some job (permanent) that she likes soon.

We're going out on the town Friday for old man Anderson's birthday.  We ordered a birthday cake for him so they can bring it out and sing happy birthday!  He told us if we did that he'd leave.  He'll kill us.  We're going with Coleen and Joe.  Ding-a-ling is getting a stereo tape player for his car.  NOT SPOILED!  No wonder we never have any money!  But since he lives in a car longer than anyone I know, he and his hardy crew of paper boys only deserve the best.

Are you coming along with the financial problems?  The last time I saw you you didn't encourage me that you were in the best position concerning money matters.  Just WHERE is Tonawanda anyway?  WHERE are you? Do you take the bus to classes?  Your first class is no where before eleven!  If and when you do become a teacher how in the hall will you get up at 6:30 AM every morning?  Of course, knowing you you'll get a part-time teaching job on M.W.&F.'s from noon till four or something.

Try and write soon.  Have you heard from anyone?

Take care.

We're going to see John Mayall -- Grateful Dead are at the Guthrie Sunday  -- Pray for the repose of the souls of Janis and Jimi.  CLEAN!  May you and Skippy live happily everafter.

October 8, 1970 (Letter from Mardi)

Sorry I haven't written sooner but my letter-writing moods are experiencing some difficulty.  I don't have much "new news" to tell ya.  I just called Barb, who is suffering from a base case of flu and a cold, who gave me the address of a 1 Paul Nelson.  So, how is it going to be living in "the house".  Tonawanda Creek sounds like a booming metropolis!  You'll have to excuse me, I'm trying to dry my hair and write at the same time!  I've actually been setting my hair and drying it, but roller for roller!  I've been kinda busy for a change.  I've started taking classes in financing, that the bank is paying for 00 but then credits in financial learning isn't quite what I need but it's a start back at school!(?)  Good or bad, I don't know.  My good note taking has dwindled to a few scribbles!  I'm definitely out of shape on lectures -- not to mention typing a report, which I handed in today!  Blah!

What are ya doing for action man?  duh.

Anderson is not making a public nuisance of himself 2/ the guys.  He's playing football now!  The (fuckin) Twins lost a chance at the pennant last weekend, Vikings lost, Gophers lot, hockey tied.  We went to a hockey game -- St. Louis vs. Minnesota.  Hockey -- already!

There are quite a few things I could babble on about but I just thought I'd drop you a note to say hi -- write soon -- DIP SHIT!!!!!

Buy any pink jockey's lately?

September 18, 1970 (Letter from Barb Lucia)

Hi there cutie -- it's your jet-set penpal writing from Boston, Mass -- Roxbury, to be exact.  Good section to live in, if you like winos sleeping on mattresses in the bushes down the street and greasers standing on every corner.  Oh, it's good to be bakc - the house is really nice -- we have the whole second floor w/ porch overlooking the river and Huntingdon Ave -- it was shit for the first week -- raining, no heat, no refrigerator, no phone, etc. etc.  Everything has since shaped up -- we have a phone, etc., still no beds -- it's been sleeping bag for me and will probably stay that way till I get some money.  Have been happily job-hunting for 3 days -- everything I've found I wouldn't want on a silver platter -- I hope I find something I like before the money runs out.

Hi -- I'm back.  Just talked to Mardi and Bill and they're sitting in on a Friday nite with eight cents -- so nothing is new.  They got stuck paying both rents and you know how well they handle money.

Oh it's 9:00 on a Friday nite and Creedence Clearwater is at Boston Gardens tonite -- of course we couldn't get tickets.  They probably won't be back here for a year or so.  Shit -- oh well, "that's life", Paul.

Did you listen to the radio today?  Jimi Hendrix is dead!  I guess it was from an O.D. -- that's sick.  The "Foxey Lady" man -- that stuff is just sick.  Such cheerful news on the radio every day -- all these kids -- why would anybody shoot heroin?  Why why?!  Duh.

As I sign off from our "clean" little household -- hope this finds you settled and happy back in school -- 9 more months of peanut better sandwiches -- you'll make it.  Write when you can.  Take care.

August 25, 1970 (Letter from Kenny)

This letter will be in duplicate with one sent to Warren and one sent to Minnesota just in case I miss you at one.

I am doing all right and have been having (?) a pretty good time.  I saw the Guess Who last Friday.  The concert started 3 hours late but they were pretty good.  The new Moody Blues album still isn't in the stores here but I've heard parts of it on the radio and it's really good.  The new "Band" albums is good and I'll probably get it within the next week or so, that has been in the stores for awhile now.  Led Zeppelin came out with a new album but I haven't heard anything about it yet.

I'm probably going to go up to school Sept 8 or 9 with Chris.  I'm getting tickets to see the Bway show "Company" on Thursday Sept 3.  But the big news is that this Friday on my last day of work when I should be happy and bubbling I won't be.  I have to have 4 wisdom teeth extracted that afternoon (I'm leaving work early) by an oral surgeon with intravenous to put me to sleep and everything.  I know a lot of people how have had it done recently and the pain has been long and hard.  I expect to be OK I hope by Wednesday.  Which leaves us a problem about you calling me.  Try to make it Aug 31 or Sept 1 to make sure hopefully that I'll be able to talk by then, seriously.  I haven't heard from Tony in awhile so I don't know if he found an apartment.  I seriously doubt it, even doubting whether he looked.  I know two people so far who have recently gone up there and found apts with people looking for roommates.  You are welcome to stay with me as long as you like but, although he hasn't said anything, if it becomes awhile Christ will probably get all pissed off.  You really should contact Tony and find out what the story is. If you do go to Buffalo rather than NYC you can still come here Thanksgiving so don't worry, New York will still be waiting for you.  I hope you find something to live in you Polak.  Try to call if you can either from Buffalo or Warren.  Take it easy and write.

P.S.  Tomorrow is Women's Lib Day so I'm not going to wear a bra!  (ha!ha!)  Some women in the park are supposed to burn theirs.

August 25, 1970 (Letter from Dody)

It sounds as if you're really ready to go back to school.  Well, join the group.  For the past 3 days, I've been so "school sick" that I just haven't got the ambition to do a thin.  I'll really be glad to get back.

I met another girl 4 weeks ago from DuBois.  I don't really know what will become of it but it's fun while it lasts.  We communicate real good.  She's 5'3", blond, and has an impish mischievious smile.

My brother (John) came home from Alaska about 2 weeks ago.  He was here for about 5 or 6 days.  At the most he'll be up there for 9 more months.  Then no one knows where he'll go.

I paid my first semester last week and it looks like New York has to wait for awhile.  They raised my tuition so I'll be working right up until I go back.  (Hey, this summer's getting to be too much like work!!)

By the end of August I should have the American Legion just about finished.  As for the State Hospital--.  Today I shoveled cow shit for about 5 hrs.  That's what I call a lot of bull----!

Amy Baker called the other day about being an usher for Grant Geer in his wedding in April.  She seems to  be pretty happy about their marriage.  All I can say is good luck.

Kathy Schneider and Gary Tuller are getting married sometime in December.  I saw her about 1 1/2 weeks ago and she's also pretty happy about it.

Hey, how's it feel to be free?  I think it's a pretty good feeling.  Life's too short to mess it up with marriage so early in one's life.  Notice I said the above statement softly because the love bug strikes people between the ages of 18 and 26.  (Draft age.)

My botany professor and hopefully my future fraternity brother were here when I got home from work today.  He brought his sailboat and he's going up to Kinzua for two days.  Unfortunately I couldn't go.  But, eh said that in a couple weeks he'll be up again and then we can go out for about 2 or 3 days.  Nothing like brownie points, huh??

Dad put a deck out in back of the house this summer and he's also having aluminum siding put on our house on Oak Street.

All in all this summer's been pretty lousy with very little time to enjoy oneself.  Maybe next summer will be better.  Here's hoping.

My address for school should be the same but I'll let you know for sure.  Are you going home before you go or what??  Let me know so that we can get together and go over things.

Take care and write soon.

August 12, 1970 (Letter from Patty)

I hope you're still in Minnesota, otherwise you probably won't get this.

Sorry I haven't written sooner, but it's been a busy summer.  I finished summer school last Friday and decided not to go back for the second semester.  Right now I'm not doing anything.  I looked for a job a little, but don't really want to work, so I guess I'll just live off my savings account til school starts and my father takes over.

It's been a heavy drug summer.  Acid, mesc, grass, you name it I've probably done it.  I can't say my heads that much together for it either.  I haven't done anything for a couple weeks though and that's not helping out either. Basically, what I'd like to do is get out of Syracuse for a while, but I don't know where to go.  This guy I know from Boston is coming up tonight to stay in Syracuse permanently, so maybe I can get things together in that direction.  The way my lucks been going, I doubt it though.

So, what's your summer been like?  Having an outasight time I hope.  Write and tell me all about it.

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.