Writings

January 23, 1970

I have not been to school all this week because I have had a sore throat.  (Did I really?)  I have seen

Dark Shadows then but it isn’t being shown today because of some difficulties. I have started an oil painting (it is the one in my bedroom today which I have always called “The Spanish Lady”.  It’s probably still my best painting despite having done dozens since then).  And it looks like it will turn out quite well.  That history test I spoke of was terrible. I may get it back on Monday but I’m not too anxious. I have written an English essay on Puppy Love and my father said it was excellent. I hope Mr. Kennedy thinks so. I think I should start my history essay as its due February 19, I believe. Next Friday is my father’s birthday and I am planning to get him a broom. It is the straw kind that I call witches’ brooms. He said he wanted one because it would be the best thing to brush the snow off of the car. I’m going to tie packages of 10 cent licorice and peanuts on it! It should make great fun! I am anxious for the $10 government money (baby bonus) that is sent to my mother because I am 16, to come because I will get it. I won’t be able to get any other money until it comes again.

 I haven’t had my allowance in ages and I’m going to ask my father for some tomorrow. The government money should come next week some time. I have to buy the witches broom and I want so much to get a new pair of shoes because my black suede are 3 years old and are quite worn. There is a whole (sic) in the big toe of the right one and in the baby toe on the left one. I have some hush puppies but they don’t look nice with most of my clothes and my Italians hurt my toes till they fester something fierce! 

Here’s a little joke. Yesterday Lotte and Erik were playing. Daddy came in and Lotte said “We’re playing polar bears”.

Daddy said “What kind are you?”

Erik said “just an ordinary black polar bear.”

Then Lotte says “Your nuts, I’m an ordinary yellow and green polar bear!”

 Even now I’m laughing. It’s so cute and funny. Erik is 8, Lotte is 3 January 28^th.  Well Bonjour.

NOTE:  Oh, the part about my shoes makes me think of poor people! I don’t remember having such trouble with my shoes but then it’s good to have a diary to jog those forgotten things. Most of the time I wasn’t very concerned about clothes (to the despair of my mother) or hair for that matter. To this day I wash my face, put on makeup if I go out but otherwise I seldom look in the mirror the rest of the day (who wants to see an unrecognizable old lady in the mirror?)  I must have been more conscious of things than I recall though! 

As for my story we’ll see if I get my mark back with anything other than a B.  As I think I’ve already mentioned Mr. Kennedy profiled us with our first work and we seldom budged from that grade. He was a lazy teacher I think and certainly he could be cruel. I don’t know if my classmates remember but we had a girl in our English class who had a baby the year before. I understand that she kept it (how brave of her and her parents to do that in that time).  I remember several times Mr. Kennedy making snide remarks to her (I don’t quite remember what he said but they were mean remarks).  I felt bad for Tess but didn’t do anything about it. I also recall Mr. Kennedy making remarks about “fags” which at first I understood to be cigarettes but then realized he was talking about homosexuals. Again, not nice but at that time people didn’t talk about those things openly. Veiled and therefore crueler, at least that is how I felt in a nebulous sort of way. [And in case anyone is wondering, no, I am not gay but it is rather surprising how often I have first been asked “why did you never marry” and later “do you think you are gay” . . . . this topic should be explored more in another month series!)