I’ve written a lot recently about a heartbreaking, but temporary, rift between Babu and Jake in the middle of 1940 but the crux of it was really surrounding the Nee-Wah trip to Brookside Campground in Chester, MA. These girls always get into trouble on this trip.
Check out this passage if you don’t remember 😉
I am surprised that it still hurts to see pictures of Cort. He was a pup I rescued but he wasn’t a right fit for us and our house. I gave him back and will always feel a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach over it but I am fully convinced that the family he went to is where he is supposed to be and we didn’t know it yet, but we needed to make room for Stella.
I’m sorry I got off track there. But check out that post for a past Brookside story. Here is the 1940 version. They’ve upped their game since 1938 and passing night caps through holes in the wall. Brookside is where these girls go to break bad.
Saturday, June 1st, 1940
Took a long time to get started but we all finally got to Brookside. Jake and Edmund drove us down, stayed for supper, played chess with our chaperones, Mr. And Mrs. Cawley, who asked them to stay at the counselor’s house over night. The boys went to town for refreshments. We had two quarts, ginger ale and coke. We mixed drinks and drank stiff ones. Jake entertained all of us girls by reading about wines. But when the boys left and we hit bed, most of us were sicker than the boys. Ernie undressed me and held my head out the window, put me to bed.
Sunday, June 2nd, 1940
What a place this morning. Almost everybody telling their undeveloped experience about last night. It all ended up the same – somebody holding our heads – a few stayed right to take care of us. Spent the day happily as usual. Didn’t see too much of Jake or spent with him. Once he got me in the kitchen and put his arms around me and said he was starved-not for food. Said now he guessed he could go on for a while. We got home after 9. He came up for a hour or so after he got washed a little.
Monday, June 3rd, 1940
Today I feel a lot different about everything, especially this weekend. Jakey has come down a lot in my opinion. I always felt I couldn’t trust him but it’s getting worse. He kissed all the girls goodnight Saturday night. It never bothered me then on Sunday but today I feel ashamed of myself for him. He lowers me that way. I guess they never should have stayed overnight. This love business is all the bunk. Drobe gave me a ride tonight and he didn’t seem to think marriage might not turn out. There’s still hope.
Well, that is certainly one way to start a month.
The back of the picture says June 2nd, but I fee like it must have been taken on the 1st. Some chaperones, huh?
The gang’s all here!
I love the way Babu just grabbed Zosh in this picture.
For what reason is there a mattress on the deck, huh girls?
Everyone’s glamor shot, even Zosh’s!
Since I began this project I have been wondering about the story behind this picture. Well, now I know! This is, what I hope is!, a reenactment of Ernie having to hold Babu’s hair back.
This outing creating some animosity but by the end of the moth things had gone back to normal.
Monday, June 17th, 1940
The moon has been beautiful all week. Cookie and I lolled around with cooling drinks on our front porch in the bright moonlight.
Saturday, June 22nd, 1940
Purposely stayed in bed and missed the first trolley. Wanted to make the second but missed that, so went to Jakey’s and got him out of bed to take me down. He said it was nice to wake up and find me there. Barbara Mathewson and Edith Pierce came down from VT and Ernie and I had lunch with them this noon and then Ernie and I went shopping for slacks. Got a slack suit for $6.00. Imagine paying that price for seersucker.
IMAGINE!
Monday, June 24th, 1940
I don’t think I can go to Taunton with the choir cause I missed three rehearsals in a row. Jakey came up and asked me to go to Vincent’s with him, so I did and missed another rehearsal. We stayed there all evening. Jakey felt like talking and riding so we did. His dream is to become a state auditor so I hope it comes true and I hope I can help a little – only I don’t see how.
Jakey? State auditor? I doubt it! (Not that he couldn’t, but he wont.) Way to want to support your man though! <3!
transcribingmemory 