AUGUST IN NEW YORK/SOME LIKE IT HOT - SUMMER - PART 1

https://youtu.be/rI_lUHOCcbc

Some Like it Hot Trailer

August 1, 1986

Friday

Dear SS (Sweet Sugars); 503:

How are you? What’s up? Que Pasa? That about covers it! Bye now! TEE HEE!

I can’t wait to see you next Friday at 1:08 p.m.! Here is my whole flight information:

Braniff - August 8 #598

9:00 a.m. departing - 1:08 p.m. arriving

August 10 #587

5:15 p.m. departing - 7:48 p.m. arriving

Got it? Got it? Good!

I can’t wait to hold you! Like I said last night, I think I’ll melt in your arms when you hold me. You know, I’m really glad this ring dance is on a Friday and not Saturday. That leaves us all day Saturday free. Which by the way, I meant to say last night I really want to see a show. Really! This may be my longest weekend until next year, and I really want to see another show. These are some shows I’d like to see:

The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Drowd, or something similar)

My One and Only

The River or whatever you’ve heard is good. (2021 comment - saw both My One and Only AND the River at DSM)

Dreamgirls is showing here Labor Day weekend. We ought to get half price tickets and go. I’d love it! CATS is showing September 30- October 19. Since you’ll be home during that time, I’ll have tickets waiting for us. Okay? I really love a good stage show.

There is a job opening here at work that requires an English Degree and I’m getting Mary to look into it. If she got hired, I’d get $200 Finder’s Fee. You can’t beat that!

Remind me in person to tell you all about what’s happened here at work this week. I went and talked to Mary Faye today. I’d tell you in this letter, but I want to get it out ASAP so it will get to you before I come next week.

I am having an all-consuming weekend. I’m not looking forward to making two desserts tomorrow, though for our meeting/party Sunday for Musical Class.

I love you, but need to close now.

Janie

P.S. I can’t wait to hold you!

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Feel the Heat

AUGUST 4, 1986

Monday

I had a really good weekend, especially compared to the last two weekends.

FRIDAY - I went to a Sunday school party. It was a combination going away party for Kathy Walker and Frances Bach. I had a lot of fun. I talked to Ginger Flynt (Bill's daughter-in-law) for quite a while, maybe an hour or two and was fascinated by her life. I always liked her and felt a closeness toward her, but never really knew a lot about her. She really has the life. Before she married Larry (who is also precious) she told him “I’ll be a great mother and wife and be extremely loving and creative, but I am no maid and never will be.” From that day forward, she had a maid. She said it’s really worth just $45 a week. Boy that sounds like what I’ve wanted to say or do all my life. She also didn’t work the 2 ½ years before she just had her baby girl, Gabriel. She spent that time helping other people, volunteering for things at church and just being around when someone needed her. I think that’s great! I would love to live my life that way. Of course, Larry is a computer analyst and makes about $50,000 a year. But I see no problem in John making that much by the time he finishes his masters at SMU. God, I love him!

SATURDAY - I didn’t do much until that night and Kevin, Sherri, Randall and Barry (who I feel totally comfortable around as just friends) went and saw Haunted Honeymoon with Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner and Dom Deluise (as a woman.) It was totally stupid, but funny. Everytime Dom Deluise came on screen, I’d crack up. We then went to Bennigan’s and all had a pina colada or similar. Then back to my place. We really had a good time.

SUNDAY - After church, I went to Judy’s for our musical meeting. That lasted a couple of hours, then we (some of us from Voice Class) went to Bae Lyn’s (a cute 70ish Spanish lady who sings) for a swimming party. It rained; of course. But some of the crazy people still swam. I got to talk to Steve for quite a while. He’s seeing a 26 year old girl. I feel happy for him, but a part of me still wonders why we didn’t date. Truly date, not just going places, because we did that. It’s obvious how well we get along and everyone else sees it.

I’m going over to John’s parents’ tonight. I need to get his tennis racket and his classical music book. I haven’t seen them since he left; nearly a month. I don’t know if John has told them about my $6,000 yet or not. So… I’ll have something to talk to them about. I’m not going to want to stay too long. I want to be home and showered by 8:00. In fact, I may take a shower beforehand. Yeah, yeah that’s it!

Oh how I can’t wait to go on Friday! My body needs some serious holding! Yes Sir!

I just called and canceled going to Jeannie’s tonight. I’m dead. I’ll already be out that way tomorrow night (voice lessons) so I can go after that. It makes more sense. I don’t know why, but I’m totally exhausted.

AUGUST 5, 1986

Tuesday

I called Gerri last night. She was really excited I did. She couldn’t believe I was calling all the way from Texas (she’s in New Jersey.) She gets off at 3:00 on Saturday and may meet us for dinner and partying at night in NYC, maybe Greenwich Village. I’m going to call her when I get in New York on Friday. John will have to talk to her since I won’t know where anything is.

I’m going to his parents’ house tonight. I have a voice lesson at Richland tonight so I’ll already be in that direction. Maybe we can really have a worthwhile visit. I still want them to know me better. There may be no hope of his father, Bob, getting to know me since you can’t keep him down. He has to be busy at all times.

AUGUST 6, 1986

Wednesday

I was dead tired again last night. I canceled my voice lesson, but still went on and picked up John’s stuff. When I got there at about 6:10, Kevin was the only one there. We visited for quite a while and I, of course, enjoyed that. His parents came in right at 6:30. I really enjoyed visiting with them also. Sometimes my mind just plays games. They seemed really glad to see me and were quite friendly. I think what the deal is, they’re comfortable around me, so they don’t always (they did last night) give me their immediate attention. We talked about my car settlement, etc. Bob went and found HIS ring dance picture and showed it to me from 1958. Bob and Jeannie had not met at that time. John will be getting married quite a bit before his father. Even if we waited THREE years (which we won’t) he’ll still be about three years younger.

You know, I was thinking a lot last night, all quiet in my apartment. I’m really not sure I WANT to get married within the next year. Possibly the next two years. Now, I know my mind might change tomorrow. But when you think we really haven’t spent that much time together, it makes it rather scary. I tell you what scares me. It would be great to spend all my time with John and to have him around with all the pleasures of marriage (if you know what I mean) but, I would die if I had a child within the first three years or more after we married. And you just never know. I sort of always felt that you shouldn’t get married unless you’re prepared to have children, because even when using birth control, you just never know when you might get pregnant. (2021 comment - THAT happened to me - got pregnant on the pill just a few months after marrying Keith.) Especially in my case, when I’ve never taken birth control and don’t know how my body will react. I might be immune to it. Some people are. I want at least three years with my guy. He deserves that special attention. One thing for sure. I’m going to quit telling people that we’ll probably be married within two years. Because today (it may change again after this weekend) I feel like we need to be around each other more in order to be engaged. We need maybe that year while he’s in SMU to work out things. Right now, things seem almost perfect, and that just can’t be so. We haven’t even had a fight. That’s because we’re with each other so seldom, that we don’t want to start ANY problems. Though I’m sue we’re not coveirng anything up, nothing has really bothered us to even fight about. But give it time. Something will happen. But most likely, not on our short weekends. We just need time!

William Schraeder (first and longest artificial heart recipient) died today. He was 54 years old.

AUGUST 7, 1986

Thursday

I really enjoyed last night. First of all, we had two more applicants at church for choir director. As I said before, I was still impressed with Mike Gillespie from last auditions. He had a very mature (at 32 or so) attitude with a laid back style. I mainly was very impressed with his enthusiasm for church music and his patient attitude. But last night we had two more.

The first being a young (24) woman, Dana Effler, from Greenville, South Carolina. She was very pretty, bubbly and just precious. Yet more than that, she had a tremendous amount of talent. She sang well and was SO enthusiastic about everything. I also liked the music she brought. My main deterrent was her age. She also has two years at SMU working on her masters. That made me wonder how long she’d be around. I really liked her though.

The second was a 54 year old man, George DeFoe, whom lives in Garland. He’s the Garland Orchestra leader. Bless his heart, it was hard coming in after Miss Congeniality of the Miss America pageant. No one really laughed at HIS jokes and I found myself rather embarrassed for him. He was recommended by Bill Flynt. He was fine, he just didn’t stand up to Dana or even Mike for that matter. After he left, we voted. There didn’t seem to be any hesitations from anyone except me, Melinda and Bea. We really liked Mike so much before that we couldn’t decide. Finally I let my pen put Dana’s name down. She was very sweet and her face beamed with love for God and his music.

Later after Choir, Melinda and I went to Richard and Bea’s and had a wrap session. He later counted the votes and it was 18 for Dana and 2 for Mike. No one voted for George. Poor guy. EVERYONE voted for Dana. I just hope she’s around long enough to make it all worthwhile. I tell you, we may get more guys in the choir now. I really feel I’ll be able to work with her well and enjoy it. That’ll be nice for once.

(don't remember why but Dana was hired - but didn't stay for long, like I predicted... they hired Mike Gillespie and he stayed for years... I enjoyed singing under his direction)

I’m going to lunch with Carolyn Smith (a lady I eat lunch with) to find some earrings for the dance tomorrow night in New York. I’m also getting cash for $200 for the weekend. Oh, am I ever ready to get out of town. I really need John, especially right now.

AUGUST 11, 1986

Monday

This past weekend in New York was great! Maybe the best ever! The Ring Dance was great, but it would have been super if Johnnie and Gerri had been there. But even if Johnnie was not out at sea, he wouldn’t have been there because he’s not a first classman. He’s a second.

We tried to get Gerri to tour the city with us on Saturday, but between her not getting off work until 3:00 and missing Johnnie, she didn’t. John and I went into the city about noon and went to the Museum of Natural History. That was fascinating! Then we went to a Hungarian Restaurant and I ordered viener schnitzel. I thought it was going to be some sort of sausage and it was a veal cutlet! We laughed a lot at that.

(2021 - it really does help me remember things typing up/keeping journals. Unless Boston has a whale also in the middle of a room, I always thought it was Boston, not NYC that had this. I even recently told my kids we needed to go to the Boston museum, aquarium, to see that whale in the middle of the room... 99% sure this was all used in the Ben Steller movie - Night at the Museum?)

Things between John and me were better than ever and they have always been great! I mean everything! I got a little scared, especially Saturday night because we got maybe a little TOO close. If you know what I mean. I never wanted to give it all up so bad… ever. Luckily, John has strength and knows what I REALLY want and who I am. John made the comment yesterday that he hasn’t even BEGUN to tempt me. Oh dear! I am so much in love with him!!

Before I left, I told Bea, Melinda and Richard that I hope to have the strength to tell John I want to think about it before I just blurt out “yes” to a marriage proposal. It’s still early.. But I know, without a doubt, after this weekend, that “yes” is the only answer.

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God Only Knows