Sunday, 31 March 1991

Easter Dinner 1991

Turkey
Ham
Potatoes
Gravy
Stuffing
Buns
Butter
Corn
Peas
Cheese
Olives
Milk
Pineapple Salad
Mom’s Tomato Jello Surprise on lettuce leaves w/mayonnaise as a topping
Pumpkin Pie
Ice cream
A cherry dessert

10 March 1991

Last night I babysat for my boss.  I was lucky because last night both Kimmy and Ken fell asleep on the couch by 9:30.  First I carried Ken upstairs, changed his diaper & put him in bed with his nightlight and tape player on.  Then I carried Kimmy up.  I quickly took her clothes off and put her pajamas on before she woke up and had a tired tantrum.  I put her to bed, but had to wake her for a second to give her her medicine.  Neither one of them really “woke” up; they probably didn’t remember how they got to their rooms the next morning.

Later, as I was watching T.V., their big golden retriever, Blondie, came over to be petted.  I sat by her for a while, then got up to go to the bathroom.  When I got back, Blondie looked up guiltily from my purse and backed away.  I picked up my purse to find she had slobbered all over it.  She had even unsnapped it with her nose and slobbered on the inside!  I cleaned it out with Kleenex.

Tomorrow is Maggie’s 22(?) birthday and Amy is her birthday buddy, so since she had to work she asked Keiko & I to work on the decorations.  We made 3 signs and put one on the stairwell door, one in the bathroom, and one on Maggie’s door.  Mine is on the stairwell door.  It says:  “BART says:  Hey, man, wish Maggie a happy 22nd, dude.”  And I copied a picture of Bart Simpson in the corner of the sign from a picture on Poonam’s door.  Then Keiko & I decorated Maggie’s door with streamers.  We put a sign at eye level on the door and framed it with spiralled red crepe paper.  Then we took 3 different colored balloons that Keiko had blown up and put one above the door, one to the right of the sign, and one to the left of the sign; they were all on the door’s frame.  Then we took pink crepe paper and twisted it from the top balloon, swooping out & down to the side balloons, then spiralling straight down the sides of the door.  Then we took 4 short strips of the red crepe paper and folded them in half at an angle so they looked like “blue ribbons” given for the best apple pie at a fair, and put one in each corner of the framed sign.  For an extra touch we took 4 smaller strips of pink crepe paper and folded them in half the long way; we twisted them in a circle and taped one end together, then fluffed out the other end so it looked like a little pink carnation.  We put one in each corner on the red ribbons.

Later tonight Beth, Keiko, Andy, & I decided to bake a cake for a party tomorrow for Maggie.  LeeAnne had already measured the oil & added the eggs to it and gave it to Beth in a cup.  We each tried to be helpful, but no one was sure enough of their culinary skills to take charge.  Andy tried to clean a bowl for mixing in by using Ajax.  We all laughed & teased him about that.  We couldn’t find a cake pan, so we used a cupcake pan instead, only we didn’t have paper cupcake holders.  We just greased each cup, powdered them with flour, and poured in the mix.  Beth had to leave early because she was expecting a call from her dad, and the rest of us sat around joking and staring at the oven wondering if the cupcakes were done.  When we did take them out they were all crumbly, and we crumbled them into what resembled moist soil into a Tupperware container.  We had some mix left, so we added oil to it so it wouldn’t be so crumbly and spread it into a square on a cookie sheet.  When it was done we put it in a different container.  We laughed & joked about the ruined cupcakes & finally decided we’d make “dirt” by first laying the square in a bowl or pan or something, then smoothing chocolate pudding on top of that, and covering that with the moist crumblies.  For a final touch, we will probably put a flower in it so it looks authentic.

Update:  In the end, Andy just bought a chocolate German cake in a box; Maggie heard about but never saw her 1/2-inch tall birthday cake or her cupcake crumbles.

5 Marzo 1991

¡Hola Deborah!

As far as the apartment is going, it looks like you & Stephanie are going to be the only ones (I know) staying there for the school year, but I’ll be joining you guys in the summer (actually, you’ll be joining me in the summer).  Mom’s taking care of your leases, & I’m taking care of mine.

As far as Quantum Leap is concerned, we (meaning me & Amy) don’t watch much TV at all, even though we each have one.  She mainly watches MTV & I mainly watch the TV-10 movies.

Tonight I volunteered to do Telefund calling (you know, calling alumni to get them to pledge money to the university).  It was really fun, even though some people got rude about it.  Afterwards they said we could call anywhere in the U.S. free so I called Trudy & Ricky for awhile, then I called Jack.  Gladys was taking a nap so I didn’t get to talk to her.  Trudy & Patti positively hate each other, according to Trudy.  Also, Trudy turned herself in for treatment, for both depression and chemical dependency.  Did you know Trudy, her friend, Ricky, & his girlfriend are all living with Gladys?  Trudy also told me Gladys’s thinking of moving and (“you can’t tell your mom”) Ricky got his girlfriend pregnant.  I guess no one outside of their family knows, yet.  And she made it clear that Mom’s not to know yet either.  Ricky doesn’t have a job yet but they’re going to keep the baby.  And both Jack & Bob quit their jobs.

On to less depressing subjects, did I tell you the Mambazo concert was great?  Don’t worry, I have a copy of their Shaka Zulu tape from Andy & a copy of some other guy’s CD of them, so you can hear it when you get back.

You’ll have to write me details about these trips you’re taking!  And just how tan are you guys getting?  If you don’t stop having so much fun, I just might break & fly down there for Spring Break!

You got my pictures by now, didn’t you?  I’ve still got the negatives, and I know you didn’t get a picture of Sarah & Delilah yet.  Everyone wants one so I have to make reprints.  And with your camera – they lost it.  Mom kept asking them for it & finally they gave her your money back.  So you can buy a new one when you get back.  And Barbara and Bob want their New Years pictures.  Barbara wasn’t pleased when she found out I let you take them to Mexico.

Susie stayed with me last Saturday night while Amy went to a friend’s house.  She was sick & I had to babysit that night so we didn’t do much.  On Sunday we walked around a lot and she took pictures of the ducks.  I nearly went broke eating all my meals at BK & treating her to ice cream later.

I just wore my contacts for 40 hours straight.  I put them in around 9 AM on Thursday, stayed up that night until 4:45 AM working on English, and fell asleep with my clothes on and contacts in.  When I woke up a few hours later I only had time to change clothes and put a drop of Saline in each eye before I had to go to class.  And tonight I ended up babysitting late for my boss.  Before I left, I quickly took them out, cleaned them, and put them back in.  I just took them out again at 1:15 AM.  They were a little sticky, but I got them off fine.

Would you like to hear the explanation of why everyone thought Stephanie got sick & left Mexico?  Here’s the story:  Andy & I were talking about the latest news from Mexico (comparing notes).  We were talking about Stephanie when he suddenly mentioned that he had heard Maggie had gotten sick and had to go home early.  (Don’t worry she had tonsilitis but she’s fine now.)  Anyway, I was so busy thinking about Stephanie that I didn’t connect that he said Maggie instead.  So we talked about it for a few minutes, not realizing that the other person was having a completely different conversation.  Later when Mom picked me up, I mentioned what Andy had told me and asked if Stephanie’s parents had mentioned anything.  She got all worried that Stephanie was so sick she’d drop out of college, so she called Stephanie’s parents to see if she should pay the $140 rent down payment the next day or not.  Stephanie’s parents in turn got all worried and called Stephanie to see what was going on.  Stephanie didn’t know anything (except that it wasn’t true) and called both Andy & LeeAnne.  Meanwhile, Mom tells me she (& possibly Stephanie’s parents) think that Andy had just started the rumor to be popular or something!  I assured her that wasn’t true & went to ask Andy what went wrong.  After talking it over we realized it was just a tiny misunderstanding that got blown way out of proportion.  It certainly got people jumping, though, didn’t it?

Did you know there’s a nationally known author of children’s books living in Springfield?  I interviewed him for an English paper.  It was a very shocking interview:  he’s not anything like I had expected.  He’s 38, tall, and thin like a basketball player.  He’s also gay, “living in the 90′s” as he puts it.  It’s weird because at one time he was married for 5 years and now he’s living with a man.

I started this letter on the 5th and now it’s 2:00 AM on the 9th.  I better say goodbye now and get some sleep!  Get it?  (Ha!)  ¡Hasta Luego!

Love,

Jolie

P.S.  Talk about hurting hands!

Jack – 1990

I’ve always felt a little in awe of Jack.  True, he dropped out of high school whereas I went on to college.  But my life is heading right into the center of the people – the world – as Jack’s life is more attuned to nature and the finer things in life.  No matter how hard I try to go the other way, a part of me has always envied his individuality, strong will, and peace of mind.  He has something no textbook can give you – wisdom.  I get the feeling sometimes that he thinks we look down upon him.  I wish he knew the truth, that we really look up to him.  I’ve never been suited for the people – life, but somehow I fell into the trap that money can buy happiness.  I can promise you, if ever I get that impressive career, I’ll be sitting at my desk wishing I was a little more like Jack.

Wednesday, 7 March 1990

Edith’s funeral.  Stayed at Dale & Nancy’s last night.  I love waterbeds.  I wish I had known Edith better because it seems those who did loved her.  After funeral, there was a luncheon – then the family went to Edith’s to take what we want, since the city would get all else.  I took very little, a couple of books & such.  At first it felt like we were those bugs that are found only on dead animals.

Thursday, 15 February 1990 11:10 P.M.

I am a loner. I actually prefer being alone. I work better when I’m alone, and I pray it’s not for me when the phone rings. I don’t know why this is, but it is. My best time is at night, because the house is so quiet I feel alone. Once when I had the house to myself for the weekend, I felt more energetic than I had in a long time. I did the dishes and cleaned the house some, but the most amazing part was that I cleaned Susie’s room. She had stuff piled nearly a foot high (honestly) with no floor showing. I sat in there for hours straight, happily working right up until they got home from Dolly’s. I love to read and think. But don’t misunderstand me; I also love my family and friends. Nearly every night I thank Jesus for them. I used to be the shyest kid around but, although I’m still a bit shy, now I have a much greater self-esteem. Once where I used to let anyone make fun of me, I now have a toughness that has kept me from being ridiculed for the longest time. I think people can sense I won’t take anything from anybody. I am what you might call a self-absorbed person. I know it’s a flaw, and it makes me feel guilty; but I tend to wear the attitude that the world revolves around me. I am a Jefferson High tutor, so the principal sent me a letter of appreciation. I laughed out loud when I read it, because it said that I had avoided the stereotype of today’s youth: lazy, irresponsible, and self-centered. Funny, but those are the exact words I use to describe myself. Of course, the principal couldn’t be expected to know that; after all, he wouldn’t recognize me if I wore my name in neon on a hat. Everyone was hoping tomorrow would be a snow day, so we could stay home from school. I hope against hope that it is, too, but I doubt it. By the way, you’ve probably noticed that I don’t use paragraphs. The simple reason is that it saves room. I like to use the whole line. I’m getting so tired my eyes are shut almost as much as they are open. You want to hear something amazing? I don’t quite understand it myself. I live in a time when everyone swears, especially high school kids. Yet I refuse to swear. I haven’t for years, and even then never intentionally. It might’ve just slipped out by accident once every few years. Even my mom swears all the time, even on Sunday. And here I am, feeling as though I’d be committing the worst sin possible if I said one bad word. I think maybe I was told something very terrible would happen if I swore – when I was a little kid – and it stuck in my subconscious. It’s getting closer to midnight, and I have school tomorrow. The other day I set a record for getting up late. I woke up, and ten minutes later was riding on the school bus. Somehow, in that time, I managed to get dressed, do my hair, get my candy bars together – as well as my books, – go to the bus stop, and head toward school, all in the span of 10 minutes. Not very wise. I usually have lengthy, interesting dreams with plots, and when morning comes I hate to cut them off. Because I know I won’t remember them later. It’s 8 minutes to midnight, so I’d better say good night. Good night!

Friday, 16 June 1989 2:43 P

I got back 10 minutes ago from picking up Tony & Addie. I said Joey could come along since Tony’s his friend, but I’m not sure I’ll let him come next time. I’ve had my license for 13 months now, but I’ve only driven a few times until recently, when I was elected to pick up the Elkos’ kids from camp. I used to be real uneasy about driving, but after picking up Addie the first day (2 days ago) by myself without an adult in the seat next to me, I feel much more confident. Angie, Barbara, & Bob are leaving right now for Payless because Angie went & bought a pair of shoes with 2 different sizes. I’m babysitting Sarah who’s taking her nap. Tomorrow me & Angie are going to help serve drinks & things at a wedding with Angie’s friend Ashley. The wedding is for someone we’ve never met, the daughter of our bus driver. Darlene, the bus driver, asked us 3 at the end of the school year.

3:06 P

Have you ever read the ‘Novels of the Month’ in the Good Housekeeping magazine? I think they’re good! I used to read them almost every day the last 2 summers while I was babysitting for Jordan. He would be gone almost the whole time, so I’d have hours to myself & cable got boring sometimes. I made a couple stupid mistakes while babysitting for him since he’s only a few years younger & I’m very influential. Sometimes I hate being influential, but hopefully I’m improving. I used to be very stubborn, according to my father. I remember him telling me I was as stubborn as a mule when I was in 5th & 6th grade. I was a terrible tomboy until around 9th grade. Practically my best friends were my brother Joey & my cousin Ricky. We would climb trees, go on hikes, & bother my sisters & female cousins. It seems to amaze my aunts how much I’ve changed.

3:18 P

I used to be a really ugly kid. I looked like a boy, had those big dark-brown freckles all over my face, and got ugly brown glasses when I was about 9 years old. For this reason, along with the facts that our family was poor and we moved every two years, I was picked on a lot by kids. I don’t remember it bothering me too much, because I used to spend a lot of my time by myself. I’d play games pretending I had friends with me if I felt like it, usually boy friends. I played a lot of Barbies, but what I really liked were little inch-tall to 2-inch figurines. I loved building little homes and imagining what it would be like to be them and sleep in a little cave made by a bump in a blanket. I treated them like they were alive, making sure they weren’t alone before I went to bed. It was the same way with my dolls. Me & Angie would take our dolls and give them complete care treatments: shampooing & conditioning their hair; blow-drying it; curling, styling, & sometimes trimming their hair; massaging their bodies & putting lotions & powders on them; sometimes doing their faces & nails; and dressing them in their most stylish clothes. The whole time we did this, we pretended we were a beauty salon and took turns bringing our children in so they would look good before their concerts or appearances on TV. We would talk to them while we massaged, listening to them chatter enthusiastically about day-care & how they’re geniuses at the ages of 2 and 3. My favorite doll, Timmy, was the only boy doll I had. He was like my real baby. I loved him. I remember one fourth of July when my family were going to go to Lincoln Park to see the fireworks. I told Timmy & I knew he really wanted to go. It would be a terrible thing to make him stay home and besides, I felt I would have more fun if I shared the thrill of watching colorful lights explode in the black sky with him. I must’ve been about 13 at the time, so I hid him in my coat and let him peek out to watch the world go by as we drove to the park. I think the most thrilling part was being the only person to know he was there. It was like we were the only two people there as I turned to him and asked him if he was having fun. Even though it was my voice that answered me, it didn’t make him seem any less real. We shared a lot of intimate moments like that one. I kissed him goodbye and told him to be careful of strangers when I went somewhere. Of course, I would do the same with my other dolls, but he was always my favorite. I can’t remember exactly what happened to him, but I remember somehow he was chewed up by my dog. I felt terrible about leaving him outside. I’m not sure what I did with the remains. Maybe they got mixed in our garbage and were burned. When I was younger, like in 3rd grade, I used to carry a couple of my little figurines with me almost everywhere I went. I would take them on bike-rides & walks. I used to pretend I had found them and was the only human they could trust. I had to keep them hidden at all times from other people because they would put them in the circus or something. I loved finding different figurines amongst the piled-up clutter called our playroom. And I loved finding furniture for them so I could build them a terrific home on the stairs, under the coffee table, or amongst the books in the book shelves. I had toilets, bridges, beds, stoves, drawers, even some dishes and food. What we didn’t have, we made with blocks, kleenexes, and pictures from magazines to glue against the walls of some of our homemade cardboard-box houses. Often I’d play with Angie. One time, when we’d collected a very impressingly large amount of figurines & furniture, we were climbing around in our cluttered garage and came across a display for Timex Watches. It was round, had 4 or 5 shelves, and was protected by a clear plastic shield that went all the way around it. There was a door in the clear shield, so people could put the watches on the shelves. The best part was that when we plugged it in, it lit up and slowly began to revolve around, so people could view the watches better. We knew it must’ve came from our mom’s store, which she had while we lived in Oaktown. We only lived there 2 years, so it was very temporary. Anyway, me & Angie took the display to a work table & cleared a space for it. We plugged it in and, as it revolved, we built a house with 4 stories. Each floor had walls and a ceiling, and was lit! When we got all the furniture in it, it looked magical. It was enough to make anyone wish they were tiny just so they could live there. As the rooms slowly revolved, it was like peeping through someone’s living room window on Christmas night when everything is homey and you can sense peace in the air. Of course, to keep up interest, we would often redecorate our dream home, putting the bathroom with its tub, sink, and toilet on the ground floor or give Megan the lounge chair for her bedroom instead of Tommy. I don’t remember when we stopped playing with it or where it is. Perhaps it’s still buried in the garage somewhere. And we no longer have that gigantic cardboard box in the playroom filled with tiny toys, each with its own adventures, each with its own tale to tell. In fact, the playroom is now a laundry & storage room, without any toys in it. I don’t even know where all our magnificent figurines and their little pieces of furniture went to.

4:58 P

Now I’m 17 & 1/2, and am thinking about the college I’m going to go to. I take the valuable & advanced classes in school and have plans to go to Spain next summer. I’m selling candy bars in school next year, as I did at the end of this year, to raise money for the trip. When I first started out writing about my childhood a few pages ago, it was with the intent to explain a little why I am the way I am, but I got a bit nostalgic – as I often do – and started reminiscing. Because I spent so much time by myself as a kid, I consider myself self-centered and inconsiderate. I am often in my own world, talking to myself in my head.

I just got done dialling for 5 minutes, trying to reach a local radio station to answer a trivia question. The question was: What kind of food substance was invented 99 years ago as a protein source for elderly people who couldn’t chew meat? The answer was: peanut butter. I knew the answer, but I couldn’t get in in time because Barbara & Bob’s phone is strange & it doesn’t have an automatic ‘redial’ button like ours does. And I could’ve gotten a free dinner at a good restaurant, too.

5:48 P

Sarah woke up from her nap a little while ago. Her diaper had leaked, & there was poop on her sheet. Oops! Sarah just sprayed 3 decks of cards all over the floor. Now I’m sorting them out to see if they’re all here.

Miércoles, 31 May 1989

Last day of school my junior year. Stayed after with Michele Stifler & Angie & Ashley Ozmet & looked in all the lockers for stuff left behind like notebooks, pens & pencils, calculators, & odds & ends. I found a cute doll that I kept. The floors were covered with school papers that the kids just threw there. Next year I’ll buy a yearbook. For memories.

18 April 1989

Dear Jack

I thought you might be interested to know that I am presently sitting in my sixth hour typing class. I finished my assignment early, so I’m using my spare time to type to you. So how’s the life? Would you believe perfect little Jolie got a C in typing third quarter? It’s true. I can’t do timings to save my life. As to other things that are currently happening in my life, I am at this moment in a rut. I have very little to no money (income) coming in. I believe there is a conspiracy against me, for all of a sudden no one needs a babysitter. I do have a job tonight, though. I am going to be babysitting for Mrs. Todd at the bottom of the hill until nearly midnight tonight. Maybe now I’ll be able to pay Mom back for the money I borrowed from her about a month ago. I would have paid her back sooner, but now that I’m selling candy bars, half my income goes to mom and the other half goes toward candy bars. So far I’ve earned $72.00. Soon it will be $96.00, as soon as I empty this case I have now. I’m planning on getting a good paying job this summer, as well as selling more candy bars next year (my senior year). I think school is going by too fast. I know I sound like a geek, but that is where all my friends are.

The bell is just about to ring so I had better say good-bye.

Your devoted sister,

Jolie

P.S. Been nice typing to you!

 

Tuesday, 21 February 1989 10:40 P (2/22)

As is becoming common, I’m writing this tomorrow. It’s freezing weather. After school (it ends at 2:45) Mrs. Peterson picks me up for babysitting, usually around 3:00. Today I waited until 3:15, then called Barbara on 1 of the pay phones inside (25¢). I had her call the Petersons (to save money) & Alden called Patti at work. She had completely forgotten! By the time she picked me up & got me to their house, it was already 3:40 & Alden had to work at 3:20. I never found out if he was really mad or not. After they left for wrestling at 6:15 I suddenly started snacking on things. They took Claire with so I didn’t have to worry about her wanting some, too. Now for tomorrow.