As Mom stated in the last letter she wrote to my grandmother during our stay in Los Angeles, she and I flew from L. A. to Dallas the evening of Sunday, March 3. Here is what I have been able to piece together regarding our final days in L. A. and our trip home based on a few of my memories, some pictures, and hearing Mom talk about it years later.
The picture of me standing in front of The Brown Derby restaurant (well, standing in the landscaping), which was previously posted with the July 25, 1967 diary entry, was taken the last day we were in L. A. There are several other photos in that same part of the photo album that were likely taken our last weekend in L. A., although their captions don't state that explicitly. Here are a few:
This is the Ambassador Hotel, which was located at 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, less than one mile from our apartment. This hotel opened in 1921 and hosted the Academy Awards six times through 1943. It was the location of the Cocoanut Grove nightclub, which was frequented by many celebrities from the 1920s into the 1970s. (If you zoom in on this picture you can barely see the large signs for the hotel and the nightclub.) The Ambassador Hotel is also where presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in June of 1968. It closed to guests in 1989 and was then purchased by a real estate developer who proposed a 125-story building for the site. The developer lost a long legal battle with the Los Angeles unified school district after the school board tried to take the property via eminent domain, and a school was built on the site after the hotel was demolished in 2005.
[Fun Fact: That real estate developer went on to become President of the United States.]
There were a couple of pictures in this part of the photo album of the building where Dad worked on Wilshire Boulevard, a few blocks west of the Ambassador Hotel. Nothing special about those pictures so I won't post any here.
Here is a picture of a bar called Thirsty 30s, which was somewhere on Temple Street based on the street sign I zoomed in on.
Mom's caption is: "This was just an old bar that we passed many times. Loved that sign." I was unable to find anything online about the bar or the Fred M. Atkins Tire Company next door, which had been doing dependable retreading for over 40 years at the time this picture was taken. (Atkins Tires and Wheels was established in 1997.)
The last L. A. photo in the album was the Bull 'n Bush restaurant, which Mom mentioned in the next to last letter.
Mom's caption on this one is: "An eating place where we ate with Hansens. Loved the prime rib there." According to the description of a Flickr photo of the Bull 'n Bush taken in the early 1980s, it was open from 1956 through 1985, and Jack Webb (Sgt. Joe Friday from Dragnet) used to hang out there. It appears to have been on the southwest corner of 6th Street and Kenmore Avenue, based on the tall white building behind it in the photo from the photo album.
As you know, since Mom was so far along in her pregnancy there was a slight possibility she could go into labor during our flight home. I must have been at Mom's last doctor appointment in L. A. because according to Mom, the doctor told me that if she started to have the baby my job was to collect shoelaces from the other passengers. I honestly don't know if that was just to keep me occupied so I wouldn't be in the way, or if the shoelaces might have served a purpose such as tying off the umbilical cord. (I don't know nothin' about birthin' babies!) In any case, I allegedly took the instructions from the doctor very seriously and I was prepared to do my duty.
Although the flight to Texas was my first flight, I really don't remember anything from the flight itself. No, Mom didn't go into labor. She always liked to tell the story that I was so excited about flying I went to the bathroom three times before the flight took off.
I do have one flashback memory of being picked up at the airport in Dallas, though. (At least I think this is from when we were picked up.) Uncle Wayne and Aunt Linda picked us up, and Mom and I sat in the back seat of their car. I remember Aunt Linda holding my cousin Steven, who was almost four months old, over her left shoulder in the front passenger seat, and him looking at us in the back seat. I guess since I had been hearing about Steven for a few months, and he was the first newborn in the family I was aware of, I thought it was really neat to finally see him.
We'll pause here and cover the days after our arrival in tomorrow's post.
Second letter postmarked February 28, 1968:
The CCZCC extends its winning streak to 29.
Dear Mother and Mike,
Get ready for my homecoming - March 3 (arrival time 2:30 AM Dallas time). I know you're all going to hate us for that ungodly hour and I can't blame you. Please forgive us and try to understand. Dave says he feels like we're no better than the Dirrs, imposing on y'all this way.
Do whatever you think best about picking us up at the airport. If it would be better on all of you for just Wayne to be there (I realize Mike must go to school the next day and you have to go to work), that will be fine with me. Secretly, I am hoping maybe you can take Monday or part of Monday off, but that is just wishing on my part - there's always Monday night for me to talk you to death.
[Since 1968 was a leap year, March 3 was a Sunday. So our flight must have departed L. A. the evening of Sunday, March 3 and arrived in Dallas at 2:30 AM on Monday, March 4. We would have flown into Love Field in Dallas since DFW Airport didn't open for commercial service until January of 1974.]
[Fun Fact #1: The first landing of a supersonic Concorde jet in the US occurred during the DFW Airport dedication ceremonies in September of 1973.]
[Fun Fact #2: One night in the early 1970s, my parents were out with some friends (Jim and Bernie Pyland). I don't know if they took a wrong turn or what, but they ended up driving on one of the runways at DFW Airport before it opened.]
Needless to say, David Wayne is excited. He drew a picture the other night of an airplane, stick-figure people on the airplane, and stick figures of all of you standing on the ground. He said, "If Knucklehead is there and if he feels like it, I'm going to give him a sock in the nose." He hasn't mentioned any punishment for the rest of you, but you better have your guard up anyway.
[I must have grown out of this violent stage rather quickly, as I don't remember being that way at all.]
Dave is another sad story. He has been gloomy and depressed ever since he called the airport. He was all for me going (relieved is a better expression) and he was just fine until it came to actually setting the day and hour. Of course, he tries to hide it, but I know him too well for him to fool me. He's miserable! He won't know anyone here (Hansens are leaving Friday) and there just won't be anything for him to do. I just pray he'll only have to spend one weekend by himself. He admitted the other night he didn't think he could stand the peace and quiet without David Wayne here.
[Awwwww . . . And to think that Dad was a bachelor just a year and a half ago.]
And then, too, he's worried about me having to get all the utilities turned on, the house cleaned, etc. He feels he should be the one to take care of those chores.
I am pretty excited myself about coming home and seeing all of you again. I would be happier if Dave could be there, too. There is so much for me to do and tales to tell and people to see that I can keep very busy the two weeks Dave is out here. I do hope you've already called the Browns about the baby bed. I really don't feel up to a reunion with them. If Mike could get it beforehand, he'll just have to run over and get it, whereas if I have to go, it'll be like "old-home" week and I'd have a lengthy visit. Not that I dislike them, but I just want to spend time with my family, or shopping for baby things, or just plain resting. And I can't forget about the rest as I'm at that point of pregnancy where I am big, uncomfortable, and tired. The "tired business" has been almost from the first month, however.
[Thank goodness we won't have to hear about this baby bed any more. That was getting as old as the baby food warmer.]
We have just about everything packed - you should see the boxes! It will take a magician to get them all in the car.
[As previously mentioned, it's a 1965 Pontiac Bonneville. No problem.]
I still have my kitchen stuff to get ready, but I can get that done Saturday. Dave has done all the packing and I just supervised, so I'm not worn out in the least bit. We've been doing a little each night so this weekend with Dave will be pleasant and relaxing. We'll call this weekend and tell you the flight number - probably we'll call Wayne, too.
I received a disturbing letter from the Jennings. It seems Mr. J., having nothing better to do, called Wayne to make sure he'd pick me up. In fact, it seems he's called Wayne often lately. The man had also called an airport and found out that I'm not supposed to fly (against regulations during eighth month) so he was all stirred up over that and naturally, told us exactly what to do. As you know, I've never had any complaints about Dave's parents - they're wonderful. But for just a moment as I read that letter, I felt the same about Mr. J. as I did about Charles' dad. (Remember how he was always telling us how to do things.)
[Charles was my biological father. It sounds like Mom had issues with her first father-in-law.]
Dave is embarrassed about his dad calling Wayne. I hope it didn't make Wayne mad. I guess since he retired he's got nothing better to do than worry about his sons. Dave says he never has been that way too much before. Well, we will just have to keep in mind that he means well.
[That's a good way to look at it. Consider the intentions. Another suggestion I heard a few years ago that really helps is to assume stupidity before malice.]
I better get this in the mail. Can't wait to see you and talk and talk and talk. I'll just never run down.
Love,
Linda
[And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the final letter. On March 4 I'll have a blog post about the trip home.]
Letter postmarked February 28, 1968:
I believe this letter was written Monday or Tuesday, February 26 or 27.
The CCZCC extends its winning streak to 28.
Dear Mother and Mike,
Maybe I can do better on corresponding this week. The post office holiday fouled me up last week - also I ran out of stamps and envelopes. More than anything, though, I'm just excited about coming home and I can't seem to be able to get anything organized - thoughts, packing, etc.
Dave didn't get around to calling the airport last week so I still haven't been able to make definite plans. This special "night coach" just runs on certain days (I have no idea which days) so I can't say for sure - around March 3 though. I hope none of you mind us coming in at night, but it's so much cheaper that I can't see doing it any other way. I wish we'd known about this flight when you came out - on second thought, I don't think it was available then.
[That's the first mention of a possible departure date. I guess we aren't going to take that trip to San Diego.]
We did quite a bit of packing on Thursday as Dave had a holiday. We have accumulated so much "junk" since July it's just unbelievable. Even if I get things packed, I don't see how Dave will squeeze things in the car.
[It's a 1965 Pontiac Bonneville. No problem.]
Your letter really puzzled me about Les Mills. I will be anxious to hear about that and even more anxious to hear about the Hawaii trip. Ye Gads! - they aren't really serious about Mike going? I was awfully proud of Mike when he refused that trip this summer - and I sure hope he says "no" to this proposal.
I was so glad to read that Mike was going to work this summer. I sure hope he does as, personally, I think it's the best experience for a young person. I know I didn't like it at the time, but when I really think about it now, work was the best thing I ever did. You know, I'm glad Mike has gone all these places, but if he goes everywhere what can he look forward to when he gets older?
I certainly appreciate Wayne getting the car ready for me. Did you say he put on a new tire? I guess I'll just wait until I get home to settle with him. You also said Bob was with him - did you mean Jim Pyland?
[The car being referred to here was my mother's car, which I'm guessing was something like a 1964 Chevy Bel Air, or perhaps a Biscayne.]
I didn't get the letter in time to send Daddy a birthday card. I knew his birthday was in February but I never even thought about it until too late. Linda had never told me about the picture they got from Daddy. You and Mike will get a kick out of this: A few weeks ago we received a letter from Adelia. (She doesn't write very often because she says her hand fits a hammer better than a pencil.) In the letter she mentioned that the weather had been terrible and that all of their yard was one big mud puddle. She always puts in one or two lines especially for David Wayne and it's always been something about their livestock. In this letter she wrote, "Tell David Wayne that my cats have been going crazy running all over the yard trying to find a dry place to crap." When I read the letter, I just howled but I wish you could have seen Dave's face as he read it - his reaction was funnier to me than what she wrote. We did not pass the information on to David Wayne.
[Well, crap. I missed out on a good laugh there. I do remember one instance during my pre-teen or teenage years when I used the word "crap" in a similar context and I was surprised Mom considered that foul language.]
I just can't believe I'll be home in a few days. I am kinda leery about seeing Dr. Tatum because I never wrote him. I must see him immediately - say like the day after I get home. I really think that I should be taking some kind of vitamin K (?) or something for my blood. The doctor out here said (this was way back in September when he thought I'd be his patient only a couple of months) that my Texas doctor would probably prescribe something since he knew about the bleeding problem. I forgot about it and the doctor forgot about it, so I'm not taking anything. When last I saw Dr. Tatum he said I had a cyst and he also gave me another prescription for the "pill." I'm going to walk in his office and say, "I'm going to have a cyst in a couple of weeks." When I do find out for sure what flight I'll take, I'll call you. Then you better call Dr. Tatum for me and make an appointment - the soonest one you can get. This may even qualify as an emergency!
[Now that we know Mom had a prescription for birth control pills at the time, the question we'll probably never know the answer to is whether or not she was trying to get pregnant while we were in Los Angeles. Initially I would think not since they surely didn't want to run the risk of having, as my dad would say, a foreign-born child. On the other hand, when we first moved there they thought we'd be moving back before Christmas, so maybe she was trying to get pregnant.]
We had a lovely weekend - weather wise and all. David Wayne caught bugs outside and he wore short pants, light T-shirt, and went barefoot. Even with that dress, he had to come into the house to cool off - we ran our air conditioner all weekend.
Saturday I felt kinda blah - I hadn't slept too well Friday night. Dave had to get a haircut and when he returned he brought me a bouquet of flowers. Remember that little flower stand not too far from our apartment? You commented on the sign "BOKAYS." Well, he had walked to the barber shop instead of driving, just so he could go by there and get them. I was just delighted with them. He also offered to cook supper that night. I hadn't planned on that so I didn't have the right kind of meat for cooking out. Well, the food was not a success and after we took about three bites, Dave said, "Get dressed you two, let's go eat out." David Wayne jumped up from that table and was dressed in two minutes, but it took me a little longer - five minutes. We moved so fast, poor Dave was stunned and didn't have a chance to back out. I left dishes, food, etc. on the table and we went over to the Bull 'n Bush for a delicious meal of prime rib. We really made a mistake introducing David Wayne to prime rib as he can eat as much as anyone. You know how the waiters come around after you finish and ask you about dessert? Well, Saturday night this happened and Dave said no and I shook my head no, but David Wayne said, "Nothing for me, thank you." The waiter took about two steps away from our table, stopped, looked back at David Wayne, and then started smiling. Later, we could see him telling everyone in the place about the little boy.
[If he only knew what a little hellion I could be the rest of the time . . .]
Sunday we sat outside with David Wayne most of the afternoon. He played with all his Matchbox cars. Dave is full of surprises - he suggested we call the Hansens and eat out again! This we did and, as always, enjoyed being with them.
Today I've got to get busy and pack some more. Dave promised to call the airport today and check on when I can leave. He knows we have to leave and he wants me to, but still he hates to set a definite departure date. Things will be awfully quiet without David Wayne around and I don't think Dave is going to be happy - he's used to David Wayne's noise and my moans and groans. He gets a big kick just watching me getting up and down from a chair with my big stomach - who is he going to laugh at? A lot of men would enjoy being away from their wife and kids for a week or so, but not Dave. He's really a nut - yesterday as we sat outside, he said, "I wish I could be home mowing the yard." This from the man that told me before we married that he wanted green concrete for a lawn!
[Dad did like mowing the yard, and one of his favorite things to do was stand outside on the front porch and watch the grass grow.]
I better get this in the mail or I'll never get anything done. I'll call soon.
Love,
Linda
Letter postmarked December 28, 1967 (dated December 26) (Part 3):
Here's Part 3 of the letter Mom started writing the day after Christmas in 1967. Today we'll cover late Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Hartford left early Sunday night so we could put David Wayne to bed and get started on our construction work. We let David Wayne open one gift before going to bed and he chose the Disneyland game. We played it with him and then sent him and the pup to the bedroom - we got no static and he fell asleep quickly. Dave and I leisurely drank coffee, rested, and talked before we began fixing the toys. We got to bed at 3 AM Christmas Eve - talk about tired . . . but neither of us could sleep as we were just too excited. Actually, the toys were not hard to put together, but Dave played with the Johnny Lunar set until I just knew the batteries would go out. We had more fun playing with the toys than David Wayne did the next day.
[Here's a picture of Dad playing with my Johnny Astro Space Control Center very early on Christmas morning.]
[Yes, Dad is smoking a cigar in that picture. Also note that Mom got a picture of the balloon in flight.]
[Also, since I haven't posted it on the blog yet (but I have posted it on Facebook), here is a picture of the Christmas tree ornament that's a picture of me on Santa's lap taken at Santa's Village in October. This is the photo I mentioned in the discussion of the October 17, 1967 letter. It's mounted on a piece of particle board.]
We were all up about 7 o'clock Christmas morning and David Wayne just couldn't have been more thrilled and excited. He opened his stocking first and it was jammed full of little toys. I even had a little net stocking for the puppy with a rubber ball in it. We took as many pictures as we could get David Wayne still for, and we plan on sending some to everyone if we can bear to part with them. It would take me three letters to list all the things he got and I couldn't describe in three letters his happiness (or ours either!)
[Here are some pictures from Christmas Day. First is me and Dad standing with our stockings. I remember helping Mom put our names on those stockings with glue and glitter.]
[Here is me giving Dad the gift I made for him with Suzie Dirr's assistance.]
[That gift was a box for knickknacks made from a cigar box covered with a collage of colored paper and pictures cut out of magazines. Dad kept it in his desk at home until he died, and Mom kept it in that desk until she died. I have it now in a larger box of keepsakes of Dad's. Here's a picture with the lid propped open.]
[Here is me giving Mom the gift I made for her. It was a candle centerpiece. I don't have a great picture of it, although it can be seen in a picture of me and Dad eating leftovers on Christmas Day. Sadly, the candle centerpiece is long gone as far as I know.]
[Finally, here's a picture of me with my Johnny Astro Space Control Center and some other Christmas gifts.]
Christmas morning and early afternoon were just great, but were we tired early that night. All of us needed to get to bed and David Wayne was even willing, but . . . we had to stay up so we could play taxi cab for the Dirrs again. David Wayne was cross and fussy and he just cried from being worn out, and David and I weren't much better. Dave pleaded with me to go on to bed, but I had found a shorter (about half the time) way to the airport that he didn't know. And, of course, I couldn't remember street names so I could explain the way to him. So at 10 o'clock we loaded into the car and fought traffic, drunk drivers (only 1000 DWI tickets in L. A. on Monday night), a fussy little boy, and a wiggly puppy.
[This sounds awesome, leaving for the airport at 10 PM with an exhausted five-year-old kid and a puppy that isn't housebroken. What could go wrong?]
NOW! Here was the real blow . . . Gene had told us not once, but several times that his airplane got in at 10:33 PM. On arriving at the airport, we discovered that the damn nut had told us wrong and it wasn't due until 11:33 PM. We literally sat there and fumed for one _long_ solid hour. We didn't want to take the puppy to the airport, but we wanted to get rid of it (more about that later) and them as quickly as possible. If the airplane had gotten there at the time Gene had said it would, the pup wouldn't have been in the car more than 5 minutes, but as it turned out, well, if that puppy had chewed up or wet on anything, Dave would have gone berserk! David Wayne went to sleep on the way home from the airport, but Dave and I were so mad when we got home, we couldn't go to sleep even as tired as we were.
Now, to fill you in on the puppy trouble. Firstly, the puppy isn't housebroken and we now have little circles all over our rug. Putting paper down didn't help and she didn't even have the courtesy of having a "special" place - just everywhere. Secondly, we did try to take her outside for her big business, but the apartment owners up and down the street are raising cain about all the dogs using their LAWNS. (You remember those 2 x 2 splotches of green that you saw occasionally out here.) So when I did catch her in time and took her outside, I had to carry paper towels with me, pick the mess up, and then deposit it in the trash cans. but that did not happen often as I usually couldn't get her outside in time. Thirdly, we had to let her sleep in bed with David Wayne because she whined and scratched on the bathroom door all night. Then she would wake him up _early_ every morning and he just flat missed a lot of sleep. Fourthly, she is going through the chewing stage - we have one living room chair with the corner chewed, the underneath side of the divan will have to be replaced, and she even enjoyed chewing up pieces of the rug. I can't recall how many messes of chewed up bits and pieces of things I had to clean after.
[When Mom wrote that we'd be keeping this puppy while the Dirrs were gone I was hoping she would give us a full report of how bad it turned out. She did not disappoint. It was even worse than I was expecting. But wait, there's more!]
The poor little pup was nearly killed Christmas night. The Jennings sent me a beautiful dress for Christmas. When I tried it on, it was too long. Dave just loved the dress and I pinned up the hem to show him that I could take it up. As I walked out of the bedroom, the puppy jumped up and one of her toenails caught in the dress - a big hole right in the front of the dress and no way in the world to fix it as it is one of those no-iron jersey dresses. I just cried and Dave just lost control. Thank goodness David Wayne thought Daddy was playing chase with the puppy. You know, Dave and I both are dog lovers, but we had just had too much trouble and a ruined Christmas dress is nothing to laugh about.
[Man, oh, man, I bet Dad did lose control when that happened. It sounds like I almost got to witness some animal cruelty. I bet Mom had to calm him down to keep him from catching and attacking the dog.]
I suppose you're wondering how the Dirrs reacted to all this news - they laughed! I received a not very convincing "I'm sorry" from Suzie and that's all. My calm, easy going, congenial husband has turned into a raving maniac at the mention of their names. By the way, David Wayne was the one who told them about the dress, chair, etc.
[Well, it seems as though recent events have put a bit of a strain on the relationship between these two couples. It will be interesting to see what happens going forward.]
[This concludes Part 3 of this letter.]
Letter postmarked December 21, 1967:
With this letter the CCZCC sets a new record of 12! Mr. Zip is happy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._ZIP
Dear Mother and Mike,
I finally got your letter and I, too, thought it had been too long since you had written, but I know you've been busy. I couldn't believe you had not done much Christmas shopping and I hope you at least have a start by now. Do you reckon you'll ever learn about ordering from Sears? Don't worry about sending us anything, especially David Wayne as he is getting plenty.
[Hey, wait a minute. You can't tell a grandparent not to send a Christmas present to a grandchild. That's not how it works.]
What is Linda Kay doing about the feeding dish? I hope she isn't using the broken one. They have that dish at the Penney's in Irving, so why don't you just give the money to Linda and let her get it. She is getting out now and I know she has more time, car, etc. Does she know about me asking you to get one?
[My cousin Steven did survive his first year, so I guess he was fed somehow.]
I'm so glad to hear that Mike has a job and I think Craven's is a good place. It won't hurt him to miss out on a few parties and such during Christmas. He maybe will learn that making money is not such a "snap" thing. Tell him I'm really proud of him for getting a job and I hope his broken arm (you did have to really twist his arm, didn't you?) is healing fine.
[Uncle Mike did not actually break his arm, as that was another broken arm joke by Mom. Craven's was a family-owned department store on the square in Denton. They announced in 1990 that they were closing due to declining sales, no doubt in part due to the opening of Golden Triangle Mall ten years prior.]
[Uncle Mike said Craven's was probably just a seasonal job for him. Here's a funny story about Craven's: Before he worked there, Uncle Mike was shopping in the store and a lady came up to him to ask if they had something and he walked her over to what she was looking for. Then another lady and a third lady came to him for help. They all THOUGHT he worked there and was helping them.]
I had not heard of any of the violence from Texas - I thought just the weather was bad. And don't worry about me keeping my doors locked - in this city you just don't do otherwise. We have been having a lot of rain too, and even some snow in the mountains around. We've been reading about all the snow storms. If we were coming home now (as we had thought), we'd have to be going through some of the worst parts in New Mexico.
I'm sorry to hear you are having so much worry with Taffy. David Wayne laughs when I read him about what all she's doing, but I know you are having a time with her. If it's just too much trouble and you really get afraid for her, why don't you have Mike ask Daddy to keep her out at the farm? Poor Taffy, I really miss her and when I think about the torture she went though raising David Wayne, I'm afraid she'll run away when she realizes I have another baby.
[Mom got Taffy around the time I was born, and supposedly she helped Mom raise me.]
I know David Wayne will enjoy the cars. He has no idea about the Build-A-Road set and it will be a complete surprise to him. I believe he'll really be happy to see some new cars to go with his road. You are right about presents from people here - the Sivells, Dirrs and Hansens have all gotten him something. For under the tree, I got him a game about Disneyland. This store had six different games - Pirates of the Caribbean, Fantasy Land, Adventure Land, It's a Small World, Monorail, and one other I forgot. I got him the Monorail game - it had the fewest pieces.
[Even after watching this YouTube video of the Monorail game (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZLw8zLCrS8) I have zero recollection of ever having it or playing it.]
To celebrate Christmas we are taking David Wayne to the Music Pavilion on Saturday to hear the school children sing Christmas carols. The Sivells were over last night and they told us it was a really good program. When they said it was free, Dave was sold on going. It will be a good chance for us to see the Pavilion also. On Sunday we will attempt to eat my turkey and dressing and if we aren't too sick, we'll open presents Monday morning. Dave gets off Friday at noon and since I won't keep the baby that day, we may do something then.
Speaking of the baby . . . I wish you could see David Wayne with Eric - he just wags him around, watches him, talks to him, plays with him. He does get upset when Eric slobbers on him or tears up his toys, but he might as well get used to that. We had to take Suzie to the airport yesterday (which was bedlam!) and I let David Wayne hold Eric in the lobby while Suzie got checked in. He was so proud and every time another baby appeared, David Wayne would say (and not quietly) "That baby isn't as cute as Eric." Everyone sitting around him just died laughing.
I must be getting very old (being around Suzie makes one feel very old and mature) because David Wayne reminds me of Mike at that age. I can't explain exactly why - it's not that they look alike, and David Wayne certainly isn't as sweet a child as Mike was, but there's something. I've really felt it this week with the baby here. I've had no trouble with David Wayne when the baby has to sleep - he just tiptoes around, turns the TV down, and one day I heard him telling Ginger, the puppy, that he couldn't play with her now because the baby was asleep. He doesn't look like Mike, I said, but he is built like him - tall and thin. No one will recognize David Wayne (except for his brown eyes) when we get home.
[No surprise that Mom said I wasn't a sweet child. I've always heard I was a little hellion.]
The puppy is getting along okay. She has done all her "business" outside so far and only puddles on the floor when company comes (twice with the Sivells). I'm sure I'd enjoy her more if I had offered to keep her instead of being told. Suzie has been most considerate about keeping David Wayne for me, but she has been most inconsiderate in other ways - example: she told me that she had told Gene to come over to our house for supper one night while she was gone. And Gene is one of those people who thinks the world should be proud to have him - example: It's been hard on me this week with a puppy and a baby and it's really hard to drive them to the airport - twice. Dave suggested to Gene that he catch a special bus that takes people out to the airport (it is very cheap). Gene said, "Why? Linda can take us." Also, we have to pick them up about midnight on Christmas day and Dave has to go to work early the next morning. Now again we were just more or less expected to do these things and we never even had a chance to offer! Also, Gene could have taken the 2 o'clock fight so Dave could have driven him (he knew Dave was getting off at noon), but no! He takes off two hours earlier from work and makes reservations for a 12 o'clock flight. If it rains Friday, Dave will have to wait until about 1:30 for me to pick him up. Until this morning I thought I would have the baby on Friday and Gene had told me to pick him up at Eric's nap time and I wouldn't have gotten home until long after his feeding time. I guess they just don't think or care. Please don't think I'm terrible for writing this way.
[No, I don't think you're being terrible. It's pretty obvious they're being a little inconsiderate. Ok, maybe a lot. On the other hand, what's the big deal about a pregnant woman making a quick trip to the airport with a baby, a five-year-old, and a puppy?]
The baby is up from his nap so the chase is on. The puppy licks the baby, the baby loves to pull Ginger's tail, David Wayne goes crazy watching them both, and me - I just laugh. I'm enclosing a couple of pictures, but they don't show the change in David Wayne. We'll be sending more for Christmas.
Love,
Linda
Letter postmarked December 19, 1967 (dated Tuesday):
The CCZCC has now tied the old record of 11. And there was much rejoicing!
Dear Mother,
[You might think Uncle Mike is slighted once again in the salutation, but this envelope was indeed only addressed to my grandmother. You'll see why.]
I am enclosing this little sock and a check for Mike. Would you mind getting this check cashed and then stuffing the money in the sock? Then you can use your imagination on how to present it to him - hang on tree, put in envelope, etc. I hate to ask you to do this, but we are afraid to send money through the mail. Also, please let me know if and when it gets there as I am just hoping it will make it on time. I'm not too happy about giving Mike just money, but under the circumstances we both think this would be more practical. And if he doesn't appreciate the sock, just save it for me - I thought it was the cutest thing I'd ever seen.
This is my big week - a baby, a puppy, and a five-year-old that is excited to death. That's not all, either, as I have to make two trips to the airport with all three - once to take Suzie and once to take Gene.
Yesterday was my first day with the baby and it was just too easy - David Wayne did most of the work and I just sat back and watched. He's just wonderful with the baby. I know Linda Kay will want to "borrow" David Wayne so she can get her house cleaned. The little boy, Eric, is a good baby - eats well, goes to sleep with only a minimum of crying, and has a general good disposition.
All hell broke loose last night when they brought the pup over - the pup was excited (just ran around and wet on everything), David Wayne was excited, and Dave and I were just a wee bit peeved with the Dirrs. We had to put the puppy in the bathroom to sleep as he would just love to tear up packages around the Christmas tree. Yes, she whined all night because she's been sleeping in bed with Suzie and Gene.
[Taking care of the Dirr's puppy is getting off to a good start. This should be a good source of drama.]
I've got to close now because Dave has to mail this for me. It's raining so I'll have to take him to work - with a sleepy five-year-old, and a baby (no car seat - that should be fun).
[Car seats? We don't need no stinkin' car seats!]
[Don't worry about us not having a car seat for the baby. We weren't wearing seat belts back then, either.]
[Before the 1960s, the purpose of child seats in cars was to hold the child so an adult (or larger child) didn't have to, and to prop the child up so he or she could see out the window. That was pretty much it. Child safety seats weren't invented until 1962, and the first car seat regulations were implemented in 1971. Those regulations simply required car seats to use a seat belt and a harness, and no crash tests were required until 1981. Children under a certain age weren't even required to ride in a car seat in all 50 states until 1985.]
I have to keep the car because I take Suzie to the airport (I'll be gone during the time Eric is usually taking his nap). I just don't know whether I'll make this week or not. Oh yes, the Sivells are coming over tonight so when I get back from the airport (if I get back) I have refreshments to make, house to clean and deodorize, and all of this while keeping one eye on David Wayne, two eyes on the baby, and I need a dozen eyes to watch the pup!
Love,
Linda
P. S. Did you ever get the other package I sent you - not the broken one?
Diary entry for September 6, 1967:
Cleaned house in AM then drove to airport to pick up Mother. No trouble for a first time on freeway, but I was scared. The airplane was late which meant I had to drive home in 5 o'clock traffic.
We did nothing that night. Had spaghetti and meatballs for supper. David Wayne very excited about the visitor.
So on the day of Mom's introduction to driving on Los Angeles freeways she was lucky enough to drive in rush hour traffic. At least our apartment was only about 30 minutes from LAX airport.
No clues yet on how long my grandmother's staying, but I'm sure we'll be busy.
Although today was a big news day with the arrival my grandmother, there isn't a whole lot to say about it so we'll take another trip in the Wayback Time Machine. Today we'll revisit the post from August 20, 1967, which was the day we went to Little Tokyo for the Nisei Week parade. The first picture here is the only one in the photo album from the parade. It's a distant picture of one of the floats.
If you zoom in you can see the front of the float says "Fun Time." (Maybe "Fun Times.") If you compare this photo to the one of Martin Landau and Barbara Bain that I found on the Nisei Week web site . . .
. . . you can tell from the building across the street with the tall rectangular windows (in groups of two) that the two photos were taken from the same side of the street, maybe a few hundred feet apart.
Next up we have a picture of the bank that was purchased that day, which is a caricature of a Japanese woman. This one is painted ceramic, with no chips or cracks that I could see. There is a small sticker on the bottom that says "Japan." Not "Made in Japan," just "Japan."
