GATSBY & ZELDA ON LONG ISLAND - JUNE 1986

JUNE 6, 1986

Friday

I talked to John last night for almost two hours. We talked about quite a bit of varied things.

First of all, John’s Glee Club (which he is president of) have been honored in being asked to sing at the unveiling of the Statue of Liberty July 4. And not only all this, but singing with the Boston Pops, televised. That is something that he’ll be glad he did for the rest of his life. Last night when he first told me, my heart sank because we had planned to go down to the lake cabin for a few days (3) for July 4 with Mom and Dad and whoever. Then quickly, my feeling was “Forget the cabin, this is a once in a lifetime chance.” By the end of the conversation, he definitely decided not to sing. The main complication is he’ll be down here already for Summer and he’ll have to fly back up just for that. Most of the people in the Glee Club are already up there at that time so have no problem. He has no money himself, and would have to get his parents to fly him up. But I’m sure they would. He said he would rather be with me, but I don’t want to stand in his way of wonderful memories. It’s kind of a complicated situation. When we got off the phone, all of a sudden it hit me that he HAS TO go to New York for this gig. It’ll be something he can tell his children and grandchildren. He really can’t miss out on it. I’m going to call his parents and get them to talk John into it. He’s already told his director and others that he WILL not be doing it.

I just talked to his mom, Jeannie, just to make sure they knew about The Boston Pops opportunity and they did but have not thought much about it. John apparently told them about it but made it into no big deal, because he already made his decision not to go. I guess, as Jeannie said, this is a decision that John’s going to have to make for himself; which is very true. You know, the more I get to know her, I see her as a very wise woman. I love John with all my heart and I just want him to be happy with whatever decision he finally makes.

We also talked to considerable lengths about religion. In case I never mentioned, his mother is Catholic and how strict his mother is about it. She couldn’t be too terribly strict if she married a Methodist. But according to John, she’s very devout. She goes to mass every Sunday and truly feels it’s a sin if you do not (go to church of some sort.) Bob, her husband, never goes to church. He goes to mass with her on Easter and Christmas.

June 8, 1986

It says up ON THE calendar - Kevin's graduation party - I remember that vaguely and unsure whether John was there or not - but I went. I also remember going to a concert of Kevin's way out in West Richardson at his high school. (Was that the night that John and I were leaving somewhere North - Richardson/Dallas, quickly traveling more South and I needed to change clothes - so I did in the back seat while he was driving?!!)

I think I’m going to DeeAnn’s tonight and get her viewpoints on Catholicism since she converted from Baptist. My main reason for liking it, almost above all, is it’s about the only religion that still believes that divorce is a sin and majority of Catholics are totally against it. That’s great. In this day and age, I feel that religion is about the only thing that holds marriages together. Now, you don’t HAVE to be Catholic because the truly devout churchgoers at Axe (my church) have excellent marriages. And these people are truly respectable, loving, faithful people. Now a few people have been divorced; Bill Flynt and Ann who are constant churchgoers. But that doesn’t make someone truly devout. I know for a fact, that Bill wouldn’t go so regularly if it wasn’t for the music. I just love John so much and if we DO get married, I want it to work, and would do anything humanly possible for that to happen.

I just talked to Bea on the phone. You know, she’s truly an inspiration to me. Always has been. We talked about how marriages today seem to break apart unless they’re involved in church. I do believe that’s true. When John and I get married, it’s a necessity that we find a church together. Whether it’s mine, his or a new one, doesn’t matter. What matters is that we both like it, basically believe in the doctrine and have a place to raise our children. It would be great if he falls for my church, but his only experience with it was not a good one. Nothing was normal that day. No Sunday School lesson and a considerable amount of liberal talk and the sermon was not by our regular minister, but the assistant, who gave a talk of Evolution vs. Creationism that was incredibly biased towards Creationism and put down Evolution. That drove John crazy. Maybe through this Summer, he’ll have better experiences with it. I want him to love it like I do. But at the same time, I’ll go to his Catholic church also and understand why he may love it.

June 9, 1986

Train Map of Long Island (we took train to Manhattan)

(I did not write in detail so am writing with as much memory as possible - 2021)

OH! I remember John telling me to NOT talk to anyone, no smiling - NOTHING (reminds me of Bryant, somehow) and of course i said Hello to everyone, laughed and ALL people were friendly back!!

https://g.co/kgs/cgH1Mw

Berlin - Take My Breath Away

June 13, 1986

I flew in LaGuardia and I believe we spent a lot of time walking around NYC. I remember going to see Top Gun and going to a night life place where I had Long Island Tea. (John confirmed the name of the dance place/bar was The Underground)

This was the view from my motel on Long Island.

Below left is the house of F. Scott Fitzgerald - where John's band played on the lawn. It was so picturesque as if from a movie. Later I found a secluded walkway path behind the house. If I recall correctly, the concert (where John played the trumpet) was off to the left of this house. Wish I had pics - I do remember wearing the seafoam green Mexican, flowing dress that I bought in Martinique (I still have that dress) with John on our cruise. I felt very Daisy-esque (Gatsby) and tho I didn't have one, I felt like I had on a big Spring, garden hat!

June 14, 1986

The night of the Merchant Marine Ball. We went to Top O' Sixes to eat first with Gerri S. and Johnny. Had sooo much fun - they were a blast!! I have one funny memory of trying to cut (you know, trying to have manners) a small tomato and it squirted across the table into John's wine glass... Oh my!

wish that one on the right was a better copy

JUNE 27, 1986

Friday

I haven’t written in a while, but let me assure you that I have been very busy and having an incredible amount of fun.

All last week I was off work and spent the entire time (from Friday the 13th, 10:30 p.m. to the next Thursday night about the same time) with each other. To make a long story short, I went to New York on the 13th.

On the 14th, I met Gerri Sallemi and Johnny (a great couple) and we all went to a nice restaurant “The Top of the Sixes,” then a formal dance celebrating the end of the Merchant Marine school year on the 14th. A wonderful evening.

The 15th we went to a garden party wherein Johnny and John played in the band and Gerri and I cut up and the 16th went to the graduation wherein John played again. This was very much in a nutshell, but that garden party where I found a secret walkway behind F. Scott Fitzgerald's house is one of my favorite ALL time memories of my life. I wrote a story about it in Creative Writing class in 1996.

I had a credit card holder book with this latter pic on it. When I first came across this Monet picture/painting, I lost my breath it reminded me so much of the Secret Staircase below..

THE SECRET STAIRCASE

BY Janie Boren Wallick

1996 approx.

Setting: Long Island, New York in June on the fresh-mowed lawn of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s house. The grass was emerald in color and the aroma of fresh flowers was impending my soul. I was supposed to be devotedly listening to the harmonious music of the Merchant Marine Band. But I found my thoughts and senses drifting astray. I let the sweet smell of the daffodils and other exotic plants arouse my curiosity.

Suddenly a soft, abnormally cool breeze blew past my body flitting across my dress beckoning me to explore. I smiled at its refreshment and looked back at the band once more. All patrons were oblivious of my exploits, so I ventured around the corner of the sergeant’s summer cottage.

I was strolling a little further when I almost missed a small, vine-covered path to my left. When I was sure of my aloneness, I trotted with a sense of new adventure toward the trail and hid out of sight. To my amazement, I realized the path was really a small staircase traveling downward. On either side of the stairs were numerous aromatic flowers and more lush greenery. My third step down brought on a powerful gust of wind that blew through my soul and sent my crinkly, cotton seafoam green sundress flowing behind me. I instantly felt thrown back in time as a subject in a Monet painting. This was pure romance and yet I was alone. I found myself giggling in spite of myself and skipped down the rest of the flight of stairs.

But nothing surprised me more than what I saw when I reached the bottom. My feet landed in cool sand. I was on a secluded, private part of the beach. The view of the sound was so breathtaking I had to sit on the lowest step and just gaze. I was tickled to realize I was just wearing sandals and kicked them off with vigor. I ran across the small beach area and sat down on a private bench by the water. Someone was very fortunate to have all this. And I was lucky to have stumbled upon it.

As I reflected upon the scene, I felt splendor knowing I was just walking distance from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s house. The sheer poetry and romance of the setting immensely stirred my inner being. I still find myself fondly in memory of this tranquil, ethereal spot - possibly the same path Zelda once took for comfort. And unfortunately knowing I will never be quite utterly at peace again.