Dear Charlotte,
Just thought I'd drop a line or two, to prove I do write once in a while.
I think Teresa is coming up there this coming weekend.
I'm going to group therapy every Monday night and the head doctor has put me on a medication like you're taking (it's safe). I feel a lot better taking it. I don't have those weird mood changes. Kind of levels me out. He thinks I have a chemical imbalance of something. And I sure can see a difference. Been taking it right, too. (You couldn't get high if you took the whole thing!).
Hope you'll take Teresa to the health place so she can get her birth certificate (or get it from Jay). And she's so excited about her new car she's getting. I'm excited for her.
P.S. I've tried to call you several times. Line busy or no answer.
Love,
Mom
~~~
"You couldn't get high if you took the whole thing!" Which Mom did. The bottle was empty.
This is the last of anything Mom wrote to anyone. It is written on stationary with a little girl on the front wearing a bonnet, prairie dress and patchwork apron. It is raining and her umbrella has a patch sewn on it. The girl is pulling a small cart behind her filled with bread, vegetables and daisies. I imagine she'll eat the daisies, smoke the bread, and throw the vegetables at her enemies.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Conversations With the Dead: 6/24/82 Seabrook, Texas (Letter from Mom to Charlotte)
Charlotte & Mike,
Here's your picture of the "crew" and one of David.
We're going to get our blood test Saturday and will be married at 7:00 PM, 7th month, 7th day, at Bay Area Park, in the "Oriental Gardens". It'll just be family and maybe Sally and Dan.
Let me hear.
Love,
Mother
~~~
I can't remember if Charlotte came to the wedding. I'll find out but I'm guessing not.
Mom tossed the bouquet over her shoulder and it came in my direction. I let it fall into a small pond. No effort at all. Scotty gave me a disparaging look and said, "Teresa..." He was right. I should have made an attempt.
Here's your picture of the "crew" and one of David.
We're going to get our blood test Saturday and will be married at 7:00 PM, 7th month, 7th day, at Bay Area Park, in the "Oriental Gardens". It'll just be family and maybe Sally and Dan.
Let me hear.
Love,
Mother
~~~
I can't remember if Charlotte came to the wedding. I'll find out but I'm guessing not.
Mom tossed the bouquet over her shoulder and it came in my direction. I let it fall into a small pond. No effort at all. Scotty gave me a disparaging look and said, "Teresa..." He was right. I should have made an attempt.
Conversations With the Dead: 1982 Letter from Charlotte to Nanny
Dear Nanny & Wendy,
Here's school pictures of the kids. Thought you might like to have them. They really did a lousy job on L's. Not centered.
Got a letter from Teresa today, says everything is fine. Coming down for Christmas. Mother's mad because I want her a week and because Teresa wants to come down for a week including Christmas Eve. She says we're ganging up on her. She's so paranoid. Why can't we have normal parents like most kids?! Just the thought of her makes me mad.
Guess I'll go for now.
Love you,
Charlotte & Gang
~~~
I can't remember if I spent Christmas in Fort Worth with Charlotte or not. I probably did. Sadly it was our mother's last Christmas. Maybe she knew this somehow.
Here's school pictures of the kids. Thought you might like to have them. They really did a lousy job on L's. Not centered.
Got a letter from Teresa today, says everything is fine. Coming down for Christmas. Mother's mad because I want her a week and because Teresa wants to come down for a week including Christmas Eve. She says we're ganging up on her. She's so paranoid. Why can't we have normal parents like most kids?! Just the thought of her makes me mad.
Guess I'll go for now.
Love you,
Charlotte & Gang
~~~
I can't remember if I spent Christmas in Fort Worth with Charlotte or not. I probably did. Sadly it was our mother's last Christmas. Maybe she knew this somehow.
Conversations With the Dead: 4/19/82 Indio, California (from David)
Dear Mom,
How are you Im fine todays the 19th I got 27 days left until I get out Gonna be nice to see the world again really nice. Not much going on in here just eating sleeping and watching TV Thank you for the money and everything else Well not much to say be good
Love,
David
~~~
Dear Charlotte,
How are you. I'm fine today's the 19th I got 17 days left until I get out. Gonna be nice to see the world again really nice. I thought Id write mom and let you mail it to her OK. Not much going on in here just eating slepping and watching TV havent heard from you what happend mom hasent written eather well any way 27 days left really 25 because todays over and my realease day I go home at 5:30 in the morning so its Cool Well see ya
Love,
David
~~~
I don't usually get upset about the letters but these really hurt. Again, I typed them with their original mistakes. David dropped out of school in either ninth or tenth grade. He, Dad and Charlotte always struggled with spelling, but David was also dyslexic and along with the schizophrenia and medication or the lack thereof...
I don't know if he's writing from jail or a mental health ward. Could be either. I have nothing else from him.
We spent a few months together once I moved in with Mom in September, 1980 then I never saw him again.
They are buried side by side in Rosehill Cemetary, Fort Worth, Texas.
How are you Im fine todays the 19th I got 27 days left until I get out Gonna be nice to see the world again really nice. Not much going on in here just eating sleeping and watching TV Thank you for the money and everything else Well not much to say be good
Love,
David
~~~
Dear Charlotte,
How are you. I'm fine today's the 19th I got 17 days left until I get out. Gonna be nice to see the world again really nice. I thought Id write mom and let you mail it to her OK. Not much going on in here just eating slepping and watching TV havent heard from you what happend mom hasent written eather well any way 27 days left really 25 because todays over and my realease day I go home at 5:30 in the morning so its Cool Well see ya
Love,
David
~~~
I don't usually get upset about the letters but these really hurt. Again, I typed them with their original mistakes. David dropped out of school in either ninth or tenth grade. He, Dad and Charlotte always struggled with spelling, but David was also dyslexic and along with the schizophrenia and medication or the lack thereof...
I don't know if he's writing from jail or a mental health ward. Could be either. I have nothing else from him.
We spent a few months together once I moved in with Mom in September, 1980 then I never saw him again.
They are buried side by side in Rosehill Cemetary, Fort Worth, Texas.
Conversations With the Dead: 4/12/82 Indio, California (from David)
Dear Mom,
Hi Mom how are you I'm fine. Good to hear from you Say hi to Treasa and your Boy friend. Mom I dont even know how old you are. Well mom I spent about 2 years in the dessert and mountains living cooking it is nice water falls all kinds of animals really nice. up in Town I worked part time and later full time I found 2 gold Bracelets got $100 for each one Bought 2 Buckles and really had fun. Well got go By
Love,
David
~~~
I typed the letter as it was written in pencil, mistakes and all. He had just turned twenty-four. I don't know if he was taking his medication for Schizophrenia. Doubtful.
Two years in the dessert. He makes it sound like a vacation. I hope he was happy. I can't remember ever seeing him truly sad except when you and Dad divorced. That was the turning point in his mental health. He was never the same.
Hi Mom how are you I'm fine. Good to hear from you Say hi to Treasa and your Boy friend. Mom I dont even know how old you are. Well mom I spent about 2 years in the dessert and mountains living cooking it is nice water falls all kinds of animals really nice. up in Town I worked part time and later full time I found 2 gold Bracelets got $100 for each one Bought 2 Buckles and really had fun. Well got go By
Love,
David
~~~
I typed the letter as it was written in pencil, mistakes and all. He had just turned twenty-four. I don't know if he was taking his medication for Schizophrenia. Doubtful.
Two years in the dessert. He makes it sound like a vacation. I hope he was happy. I can't remember ever seeing him truly sad except when you and Dad divorced. That was the turning point in his mental health. He was never the same.
Conversations With the Dead: 8/13/80 Seabrook, Texas (1307 Bellgrove)
Dear Teresa,
You may still be gone with your girlfriend but thought I'd write anyway. Wanted to send you these pictures of Brandy. Red built her a scratching post with a wide top so she can have her food and water on it and the dogs can't get to it. It's got a hole in the top so she can get up there easily. She just loves it! And you won't believe this, but Charles and Puddin' both play with her now. In fact, Puddin' has gotten so playful lately. She just romps and plays with Charles all the time, and she never did that before. I think she's just calmed down a lot and decided she's "at home".
Scotty's doing real good. He finally told Liz that they'd have to break it off, and last weekend he and Bob went up to Lake Whitney for a NA & AA convention (a lot of young people go) and he really had a good time. He's been making a lot of meetings with Bob and it sure has helped him. His attitude is a lot better. Nancy and her mother were promoting this Liz thing but it didn't work. When you get time, why don't you write him? It would make him feel real good. Elizabeth's husband is going to fix my car and then Scotty wants to buy it from me because Red is going to get me one. Elizabeth goes on vacation in about a week, so I'll have it fixed by then. I've been using Bob's old truck when I need it.
Red got me a washer and dryer the other day. When I told him I went to the laundromat every week for seventeen years with Jay, he nearly croaked, and the next day, I had a washer and dryer! Isn't he something?
Sure thought we might be in trouble with hurricane Allen, but it missed us. Sure am glad too! Just get the house fixed up and have a hurricane!
Charlotte called me last week to talk to me about Nanny. Sure sounds to me like she had a stroke. Really worries me. so I called her and gave her my phone number. She was real nice. I'm going to work at it, and see if we can't get things "right" again. Maybe it's time. It would just kill me if anything happened to her and we still were on bad terms. Just not right.
What did everyone think of you taking a plane back? I bet Charlene thought you were "brave". What did Jan and Charlotte think? I can't wait until Christmas so you can come down. That will really be neat.
Well, guess this is all for now. Write when you can and fill me in. We all love you.
Love,
Mother, Red, Scotty, Puddin', Charles, Brandy & Sam
~~~
Brandy is my tortoiseshell Manx cat. One day Red will dip the dogs for fleas, then he will start to dip Brandy and I will question the safety of putting a small cat in dog dip. He'll look at me like I'm stupid and dip the cat anyway. Later that night she will wake me up with a paw on my arm, as if to let me know she is in some kind of trouble. She will hide under my bed and give birth. We hadn't known she was pregnant. The babies were stillborn.
Since the return address on this letter is Red's address and the only place you could possibly put a washer and dryer, he did not buy it for you, Mother. He bought it for you to wash his socks and underwear.
You're calling Dad "Jay", like you did when ya'll were married. I think this means that you are feeling the same security you felt with him now, that you see a long future ahead of you with Red. You hope you can make seventeen plus years with Red, too. You won't, despite choosing a 7/7 wedding date at 7:00 PM in 1982. I'm sad because I wanted you to be happy, but I never could imagine you with any other man as long as you were with Dad, and I knew Red didn't love you, despite what he would tell us later at Jack Rowe Funeral Home as Charlotte, not Red, foot the bill for your funeral.
Nanny is a little over a year away from her own death. She will call for you when it's time.
It is difficult to close this letter because it is the last from you. It's like saying goodbye again. It feels a bit like when I turned forty-six last year and we stopped sharing ages. I am traveling without you. These are years I never watched you live, ages you never made.
The next two posts will be letters from David to both you and Charlotte. There will be a letter from Charlotte to Nanny. The last two posts will be a note from you to Charlotte giving her the date/time of your wedding to Red, then a final letter to Charlotte, the last of your letters to anyone. You will tell her all about the "safe" medication Dr. Faust put you on to help you with mood swings. Seven months later the medication will prove itself "unsafe".
You may still be gone with your girlfriend but thought I'd write anyway. Wanted to send you these pictures of Brandy. Red built her a scratching post with a wide top so she can have her food and water on it and the dogs can't get to it. It's got a hole in the top so she can get up there easily. She just loves it! And you won't believe this, but Charles and Puddin' both play with her now. In fact, Puddin' has gotten so playful lately. She just romps and plays with Charles all the time, and she never did that before. I think she's just calmed down a lot and decided she's "at home".
Scotty's doing real good. He finally told Liz that they'd have to break it off, and last weekend he and Bob went up to Lake Whitney for a NA & AA convention (a lot of young people go) and he really had a good time. He's been making a lot of meetings with Bob and it sure has helped him. His attitude is a lot better. Nancy and her mother were promoting this Liz thing but it didn't work. When you get time, why don't you write him? It would make him feel real good. Elizabeth's husband is going to fix my car and then Scotty wants to buy it from me because Red is going to get me one. Elizabeth goes on vacation in about a week, so I'll have it fixed by then. I've been using Bob's old truck when I need it.
Red got me a washer and dryer the other day. When I told him I went to the laundromat every week for seventeen years with Jay, he nearly croaked, and the next day, I had a washer and dryer! Isn't he something?
Sure thought we might be in trouble with hurricane Allen, but it missed us. Sure am glad too! Just get the house fixed up and have a hurricane!
Charlotte called me last week to talk to me about Nanny. Sure sounds to me like she had a stroke. Really worries me. so I called her and gave her my phone number. She was real nice. I'm going to work at it, and see if we can't get things "right" again. Maybe it's time. It would just kill me if anything happened to her and we still were on bad terms. Just not right.
What did everyone think of you taking a plane back? I bet Charlene thought you were "brave". What did Jan and Charlotte think? I can't wait until Christmas so you can come down. That will really be neat.
Well, guess this is all for now. Write when you can and fill me in. We all love you.
Love,
Mother, Red, Scotty, Puddin', Charles, Brandy & Sam
~~~
Brandy is my tortoiseshell Manx cat. One day Red will dip the dogs for fleas, then he will start to dip Brandy and I will question the safety of putting a small cat in dog dip. He'll look at me like I'm stupid and dip the cat anyway. Later that night she will wake me up with a paw on my arm, as if to let me know she is in some kind of trouble. She will hide under my bed and give birth. We hadn't known she was pregnant. The babies were stillborn.
Since the return address on this letter is Red's address and the only place you could possibly put a washer and dryer, he did not buy it for you, Mother. He bought it for you to wash his socks and underwear.
You're calling Dad "Jay", like you did when ya'll were married. I think this means that you are feeling the same security you felt with him now, that you see a long future ahead of you with Red. You hope you can make seventeen plus years with Red, too. You won't, despite choosing a 7/7 wedding date at 7:00 PM in 1982. I'm sad because I wanted you to be happy, but I never could imagine you with any other man as long as you were with Dad, and I knew Red didn't love you, despite what he would tell us later at Jack Rowe Funeral Home as Charlotte, not Red, foot the bill for your funeral.
Nanny is a little over a year away from her own death. She will call for you when it's time.
It is difficult to close this letter because it is the last from you. It's like saying goodbye again. It feels a bit like when I turned forty-six last year and we stopped sharing ages. I am traveling without you. These are years I never watched you live, ages you never made.
The next two posts will be letters from David to both you and Charlotte. There will be a letter from Charlotte to Nanny. The last two posts will be a note from you to Charlotte giving her the date/time of your wedding to Red, then a final letter to Charlotte, the last of your letters to anyone. You will tell her all about the "safe" medication Dr. Faust put you on to help you with mood swings. Seven months later the medication will prove itself "unsafe".
Conversations With the Dead: 6/18/80 Seabrook, Texas (Nasa Rd I)
Dear Teresa,
Got your letter Saturday but been so busy, just now answering. Found me a dining room set for $50 (six chairs with it, too) so all I need now is a chair for the living room. And a TV. Doc's sister's TV went out so he gave her his and is keeping the one he got me. But I'll have one by the time you get here. He can get me one anytime.
I'm "babysitting" for Red's dog, Puddin'. She's a little Yorkshire Terrier and as cute as a bug. In fact, Charles is madly in love with her, but she won't give him the time of day! We gave both of them a bath the other night and I laughed my head off at Charles. Have you seen some birds do their courting dance? Well, Charles was acting like that and I nearly cracked up! I've never seen him act that way before. It was so cute.
I think I'm going to take off the Saturday I come and get you so I can leave early and get there in time to go to Carswell and pick up some stuff before they close. Everything's about half price there, including cigarettes. So I may be there about 10:00 AM. So be ready and we'll boogy!
Well honey, guess this is all for now. I'm washing and I need to go downstairs and put them in the dryer. (We have an elevator here so we don't have to use the stairs! We're on the 2nd floor). Be sweet and let me hear. And Red and Scotty both said Hi.
Love you gobs,
Mother
~~~
Oh goody, another man to tell me Hi.
Your description of the dogs' relationship reminds me of the dynamic between you and Red. Only you're the needy Mr. Charles, and Red is the aloof (in time) Puddin'. I wish it weren't so.
You won't write to me again from this address. So much for independence. So much for being on the right track.
Got your letter Saturday but been so busy, just now answering. Found me a dining room set for $50 (six chairs with it, too) so all I need now is a chair for the living room. And a TV. Doc's sister's TV went out so he gave her his and is keeping the one he got me. But I'll have one by the time you get here. He can get me one anytime.
I'm "babysitting" for Red's dog, Puddin'. She's a little Yorkshire Terrier and as cute as a bug. In fact, Charles is madly in love with her, but she won't give him the time of day! We gave both of them a bath the other night and I laughed my head off at Charles. Have you seen some birds do their courting dance? Well, Charles was acting like that and I nearly cracked up! I've never seen him act that way before. It was so cute.
I think I'm going to take off the Saturday I come and get you so I can leave early and get there in time to go to Carswell and pick up some stuff before they close. Everything's about half price there, including cigarettes. So I may be there about 10:00 AM. So be ready and we'll boogy!
Well honey, guess this is all for now. I'm washing and I need to go downstairs and put them in the dryer. (We have an elevator here so we don't have to use the stairs! We're on the 2nd floor). Be sweet and let me hear. And Red and Scotty both said Hi.
Love you gobs,
Mother
~~~
Oh goody, another man to tell me Hi.
Your description of the dogs' relationship reminds me of the dynamic between you and Red. Only you're the needy Mr. Charles, and Red is the aloof (in time) Puddin'. I wish it weren't so.
You won't write to me again from this address. So much for independence. So much for being on the right track.
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