Friday, May 3^rd, 1940

Tonight I was going to wash my hair before anyone came.  I was just about to dip my head in the water and the doorbell rang.  As a result, Jakey, Billy, Yvette, and I went bowling.  Now I have a new score to brag about – 92.  We bought a bag of gooey candy and played cards at Yvette’s.  We walked up and back but it was such a grand night, no one minded.

So many times, I can’t even tell you how many, Babu has just got in a bath, just started to wash her hair, etc. and someone comes up.  This girl has the worst timing.

I love how much she cares about her score even during a friendly game.  She is so different from me that I can’t even tell you if that really was a good bowling score or not, and i’ve actually played that game!

She doesn’t hold back on hyperbole – a grand night?  Well, who am I to assume.  Maybe it was truly grand.

Sunday, May 5^th, 1940

The airport air was sweet.

Large swatches of this month were sweet like this.  Not saccharine sweet, just fresh and light.  Between all of those passages, Babu and Jake are having serious troubles.

Young and In and Out of Love

The “European War” looms dark in the sky over head and her mother undertakes a serious surgery.   (That was terrible phrasing.  She recovered just fine!)

Tuesday, May 21^st, 1940

Ernie and I went straight to the hospital this noon and found mother in a bad state.  I cried most of the afternoon.  Got out at four and hurried right up.  She looked better tonight.  Stayed till Daddy and Jake came.  Ernie, Jakey and I came home and had supper and went to the meeting.  People who have found out about mom are so solicitous.

That is Babu’s way of saying:  Mind Ya Business, People!

Saturday, May 25^th, 1940

Late hours have given me a headache today.  Jake and I met at the hospital then shopped for new shoes for him.  I guess we spent all afternoon driving people to and from Springfield.  The only trouble is that we shouldn’t be left home alone together.  I cooked supper for us and we had steak, etc. Which tasted good, thank heavens.  Peaches even took a bath here.  It was all on the up and up.  We went to the republican dance in the Falls and had a good time.  Peaches had a lot of beers but they didn’t hurt him.  He began to feel woozy when we got home.

Her mother needed a goiter removed and took some time to recover but at least Babu still found time to relax a little.

Tuesday, May 14^th, 1940

Tonight Ernie and I were drawn to take care of the food at Brookside when we go in June.  What a headache!  We left the meeting just as the boys came for us and walked home.  We were getting ready for bed when they drove into the yard and tooted their horn.  Donning bathrobes and sweaters we joined them and spent a couple happy hours on the back porch steps.

Happy hours.

Friday, May 17^th, 1940

I washed my hair and had it half put up when Billy and Jakey arrived.  Dressed and put a bandana over my wet head.  We three took a long walk through Bemis park.  Back to our old haunts.  The boys looked for tribals they had carved in the years back.  Some were obliterated but some remained.

See I’m not making this up!  Washing her hair and in come the boys.  And what could be more nostalgic than looking for graffiti you left long ago in a youthful attempt to leave your mark on the world.

Val said it right:  “I’m glad she managed to get on with living her normal, daily life, during the war years.”  I’m also glad she’s finding moments of tenderness amid the turmoil of love, and time to breathe, and even get in a little trouble, during a family crisis.

Thursday, May 30^th, 1940

Just because I could have slept all morning, my eyes wouldn’t keep closed so I arose around 8 and went to church to see Zosh stand up for her cousin Lattie Janik.  Aunt Nellie, en group, came down but Jake and I and Emily Pasternik and Eddie Zimba went to play tennis.  The courts weren’t dry so we spent the afternoon in the park.  Had a driving lesson and Jake and I got under the coverlet on the cot on the porch and sort of slept.  It got so cold we came in to finish on the couch.  When he left I got an awful lecture about sleeping under the covers with a boy.  I know it’s wrong but we were good.