Sunday, May 5th, 1974

I listened to two different radio shows tonight!

We went to my Aunt's birthday party. All my cousins were there. Rachel is really getting big. I still think of her as a little girl! Jeff actually got to meet Debbie recently! No need for me to be jealous, though. He thinks she's ugly. So what does he know?

I saw GOLDFINGER for the third time on TV tonight.

NOTES: It's all relative. Rachel would have been ten years old. She still WAS a little kid. LOL! 


The way Jeff met my old girlfriend Debbie was that he was hired to give piano lessons to her sister. I don't know if he actually said she was "ugly" or if I was talking editorial license. Doesn't sound like something he would have said.


My Aunt was old my entire life and eventually she lived to age 104 or 105. One of the last times my cousins and I all got together was at her funeral...not that many years ago now!


GOLDFINGER was and remains my favorite James Bond movie. A near-perfect mix of a good story, colorful villains, macho heroics and sixties spy gadgetry. All tied together by a great script. 

Saturday, May 4th, 1974

I stayed up to watch part of the late movie last night but fell asleep on the couch before it ended.

My glasses weren't fixed too well, today but I guess they'll do.

I picked up a couple fanzines and some magazines including one with a big review of THE EXORCIST.

The guy at Kidd's told Terry and I that there was soon to be a big sci-fi convention here in town and that Gene Roddenberry was here just last week!

IT.

I finally heard CBS RADIO MYSTERY THEATER last night at about 10 and I think I'll listen to it tonight, too.

IT again!

NOTES: THE CBS RADIO MYSTERY THEATER had gone on the air in January. I had developed a minor interest in old time radio after a substitute teacher a year earlier had simply played us a record of two episodes of THE SHADOW. This, however, was my first time actually finding it on the radio locally. In fact, seeing as how the official listing of the series doesn't even show an episode as being on the evening of May 3rd (or 4th for that matter as it only aired on weeknights), I think it's safe to assume the local station was delaying broadcasts anyway. Because of that I have no way of knowing which episode was my first. Here, however, is a site where you can not only find everything you could possibly want to know about every episode but you can actually listen to them all!


http://www.cbsrmt.com/

Friday, May 3rd, 1974

I got a pen-pal letter today.

I saw CAT BALLOU on TV while eating coneys for the first time in a long time.

The day was marred, however, by learning in tonight's paper that Theresa Burkley, one of three girls who went with Debbie and I for a particularly fun day at the Public Library in the fifth grade, was missing. Says she has been missing since March.  On our trip that hot summer day, I remember when we walked through the lot where the old house had been and we found a dead dog lying in the overgrown grass. Theresa stopped to say a prayer for it. At school she was always reading horse books. I sure hope she's found okay but at this point I'd say the chances aren't very optimistic.

Also, I broke the other side of my glasses today. I'll have to have it fixed in the morning.

NOTES: CAT BALLOU was a 1965 western comedy starring the version of Jane Fonda that ceased to exist soon afterwards, replaced by the controversial feminist political activist.


For many years, I kept the newspaper clipping about Theresa (not her real name). It was just a school photo with a caption saying she hadn't been seen since March and giving numbers to call if anyone knew anything. I may still have it somewhere but I'm not sure where. Over the years, every time I'd see it, I'd wonder what ever happened to her. She was a very pretty girl, almost ethereal. We weren't close although I did talk with her a lot when I sat behind her in class for a while. She got me to read her favorite book, MISTY OF CHINCOTEAQUE, a horse book. By this point, in the ninth grade, I don't think I'd seen her in several years. She had moved or something and attended another school. I had a;ways remembered her, though, for that incident with the dog. At one point I even wrote a story around that scene (although in my version, the characters were all adults crossing a hot desert rather than kids crossing a vacant lot). Did she run away from home? Was she kidnapped? Taken by an estranged parent? Tortured? Murdered? Was she perhaps found and that never made the paper? Is she alive today? Even with the Net I wasn't able to find any info on her. Sigh...

Thursday, May 2nd, 1974

It rained hard tonight. We didn't even try to go over to work until late.

George gave me a dollar for helping him carry something upstairs in the rain.

Wasn't able to get over and get a TV GUIDE this week yet.

Haven't heard from Terry since Saturday. That's weird.

NOTES: I'm continually amazed at how some things don't change much. In 2012, it rained extremely hard last night and in 2012 I DID, in fact, see Terry both Monday and Tuesday. Sold him some disks. 


I gave up TV GUIDE when there was less and less on TV that I wanted to watch.


George was an upstairs neighbor who at one point would be desperate for 50 dollars. He gave my dad a gold diamond ring for security, my Dad gave him the money and we never saw him again. Years later, I would take the diamonds from his ugly ring and have them put into my wedding band. I didn't realize at the time that I was one of those people who just can't wear rings. It sat in a drawer for twenty years. Times being what they are, I had to sell it recently. Sigh...

Wednesday, May 1st, 1974

We got our second paycheck today. Less than two weeks after the first.

I might visit the International '70 again this weekend.

In Health soon we'll be starting a chapter about sex. I can't imagine myself reading that chapter but I know I'll have to. He always picks me to read. Another worry More grey hair.

I saw two programs about love on TV tonight that had a big effect on me. One starred Bill Bixby and the other starred Leonard Nimoy.

NOTES: The year before I had been called on in English class to read a story aloud that contained the word "Hell." I dreaded it for days after I saw it in the book when I read ahead. I was so nervous and sure enough, it was me she called on to read. I knew what was coming but the other students did not. When I got to the phrase--"Run like Hell!" They laughed for several minutes!


The thought of reading aloud about sex hit me about the same. 

Tuesday, April 30th, 1974

Another month is over now. I mailed off for my book today.

It rained nice and hard all day but the temperatures were still way too high.

I only know of one movie I'd like to see next weekend...if Dad will go with me.

I got a big box to put some books in. May not use it, though.

I found out that I've lost my last year's Top Ten list. I might still be able to remember it, though.

NOTES: So weird. Here I was writing about high temperatures yesterday and again today and in 2012 I spent Sunday evening at the ER with my sone for what appeared to be a febrile seizure--his temp spiking way too quickly! The paramedics and the doctors all said it was extremely rare at his age (15) but it was very much like the one he had when he was two. He's okay now but it scared us half to death and not knowing what caused it we'll still be worried for some time to come! Sigh...

Monday, April 29th, 1974

We got out early today and I hurried home to listen to the album some more.

Tim was glad about the money I got him.

I got the money order for the book but didn't mail it yet.

The temps went up into the eighties today. I can't stand such high temperatures.

NOTES: I've always been a Winter person more than a Summer person. To this day, a hot sunny Summer day is reason to stay home and doze in front of a fan...with the AC on if I can afford it! It doesn't help that the Ohio River valley here tends to have thick, humid air for much of every Summer making sunny days just miserable sometimes.