Ben Edgar Williams Journals of a Gay Activist : Spring Secomd Quarter Journal 1968 April- June

April

""1 April 1968 Monday- April Fool’s Day

""10:15 Didn't go to school until 5th period. Didn't feel well. I cleaned up the front room and vacuumed and emptied the trash. Fixed tacos for lunch for Mom and me at noon. Went back to school and Mrs. Heming is still discussing Realists in American Literature. Brought my relief and collage paintings to 6th period art. I started my Surrealism painting today. Came home after school and finished it. Had steak for dinner. Mom made a cake. Watched "Laugh In" then took a bath. Rained here from 4:00 until 7:00 very hard. Cold and-damp is the weather. 55 degrees. In the news Johnson's announcement to not run is still making the news. Kennedy and McCarthy are going to meet with Johnson to discuss things. The stock market rose and traded more today than in 39 years, since the stock market crashed. You got to admire Johnson for this. He's truly a "great president" not like his predecessor.

""• The U.S. 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) begins Operation Pegasus to reopen Route 9, the relief route to the besieged Marines at Khe Sanh.

""2 April 1968 Tuesday

""Didn't go to school except to 6th period. Cleaned up the front room, straightened up the kitchen, and emptied all the trashes. I watched a Mae West movie. I think she's out of sight! In Art I turned in all my stuff and got an A on my prints, an A on my Surrealistic painting, a B on my Collage, and a B on my Relief painting. I helped Joey Calamitas finish her prints for the rest of the period. I came home and watched TV. I talked to Viv the crosswalk lady before going to art. At home had nothing really for dinner. I had a sandwich and ate some peanuts. Reading "Captain from Castile" which is one of my all-time favorite books. I have an Algebra test tomorrow and I tried to study some. I didn't feel well and have a runny nose. Went to bed early before 10 p.m. Weather is warmer in the afternoon and damp in the morning. 67 degrees. Sure, was pretty in March what happened to April? Buddy Husky's 19th birthday. [The influential science-fiction film "2001: A Space Odyssey," produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, had its world premiere in Washington. Senator Eugene McCarthy won the Democratic primaries in Wisconsin. ]

""3 April 1968 Wednesday

""Went to school all but 2nd period. I feel achy and my eyes waters and my nose runs. I had a miserable day at school. Folded towels in PE. In art I tried some wood block prints but none of them came out right. Yesterday I gave all my money to Mom. She's upset that she might have to go back into the hospital. We had chicken and milk gravy for dinner. And Mom made an orange cake. Yum- Yum. I worked on my Algebra the rest of the night. "HONEY" is #1 on KHJ. I went to bed early feeling bad. Weather is cool and slightly gusty. 70 degrees. Today Hanoi said if the U.S. stops the bombing 100 percent, she is willing to have peace talks and Johnson has accepted. This is the best news I've heard all year. Bless the Lord and His mercy. The stock market sold and traded more today than Sunday. If God grants maybe this bloody war will end! [Less than 24 hours before he was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn., civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "mountaintop" speech to a rally of striking sanitation workers, "It really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountain top, and I don't mind." North Vietnam agreed to meet with US representatives to set up preliminary peace talks.]

""4 April 1968 Thursday

""10:30 Went to school all but 5th and 6th period. I really felt lousy today. Throat's sore. My nose's stuffed up and I ache. Had a. test in Algebra, a medical in PE, and a test in History. Came home at lunch and found something to eat. There's not much. Had spaghetti for dinner and watched a TV special on "California Girl". If California was a nation of its own, it would be the 6th riches in the world. Terry took me down to the book store to get a book on baby names. Donna sure picked out some weird ones. Daniele for a girl! Charline was gone all day. Weather was finally warming up 75 degrees. Twisters in Arkansas and Tennessee. Today Martin Luther King was assassinated in Memphis Tennessee by a white man. I can't say I'm sorry for that Niggar. He got enough other people killed but he'll be a martyr just the same.

""• Civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King is assassinated in Memphis. Racial unrest then erupts in over 100 American cities.[Civil rights leader Martin Luther King, 39, was assassinated while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn. James Earl Ray (d.1998) confessed and pleaded guilty in Mar, 1969, but later tried to recant and said he was a fall guy. In 1993 Lloyd Jowers (d.2000), a Memphis businessman, said on ABC-TV that he had hired King's killer as a favor to an underworld figure who was a friend. Jowers said he received $100,000 from Memphis produce merchant Frank Liberto to arrange King’s murder. In 1997 Ray identified an arms smuggler named "Raoul" as the real killer. In 1998 a former FBI agent produced documents from Ray’s car with the name Raul. In 1999 a civil trial jury in Memphis ruled that the 1968 killing of Rev. Martin Luther King was a conspiracy. The jury concluded that Lloyd Jowers, a former café owner, had conspired with elements of the Memphis Police Dept., the federal government and organized crime to kill King. In 2000 a Justice Dept. report rejected allegations of conspiracy. In 2002 Rev. Ronald Denton Wilson (61) said that his father, Henry Clay Wilson (d.1990), had shot King. Martin Luther King Jr. spends the day at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis working and meeting with local leaders on plans for his Poor People's March on Washington to take place late in the month. At 6pm, as he greets the car and friends in the courtyard, King is shot with one round from a 30.06 rifle. He will be declared dead just an hour later at St. Joseph's hospital. After an international man-hunt James Earl Ray will be arrested on June 27 in England and convicted of the murder. Ray died in prison in 1998. Robert Kennedy, hearing of the murder just before he is to give a speech in Indianapolis, IN, delivers a powerful extemporaneous eulogy in which he pleads with the audience "to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world." The King assassination sparks rioting in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, Newark, Washington, D.C., and many others. Across the country 46 deaths will be blamed on the riots Bobby Kennedy spoke at a black ghetto in Indianapolis just after hearing of the assassination of Martin Luther King. His speech registered the enormity of the event and began the work of healing. Riots over the next few days hit 76 American cities, but Indianapolis remained quiet.

""5 April 1968 Friday

""Just went to 5th period to take a test. Had warmed over spaghetti for dinner. Watched "Your Cheating Heart" about Hank Williams. Was a very good movie after that I watched TV for the rest of the night until 3:00. Donna and Terry went to the show and saw ''Wait Until Dark". Mom isn't feeling well. Strange weather. It feels warm but at the same time cool. 67 degrees. In the news the President had to call out the Militia to protect Washington City. Chicago and Detroit are having looting fires too. It’s just an excuse to get something for nothing. If they really respected Martin King, they wouldn’t; be out in the streets. 14 Niggars have been killed now. Sunday is proclaimed a day of mourning. See if I will! The Sahn is almost secured from the Viet Cong now. No more peace talks yet. The stock market loss today. [Riots erupted across the US following the King assassination. Robert F. Kennedy assured the nation that "no martyr's cause had ever been stilled by an assassin’s bullet." In Vietnam, the siege of Khe Sahn ended after 76 days.]

""6 April 1968 Saturday

""Got up and cleaned up the front yard and mowed it. Spent most of the day out there weeding and watering it. Mom went over to Milton and Marie' s all day. Dad and Terry had to work. Didn't have supper just nibbled on corn chips and other snacks. Donna, Terry, Mom, Dad, and I went over to Frank and Barb's. They played poker and I looked at some of the books there. On coming home Mom and Dad got into a big fight. Dad was drunk and told Mom to get out and leave. She packed a suit case and said she was going back to Texas, and so did I. I wasn't going to stay there with Charline and him. Mom and I were out in the car when Dad stormed out of the house and did something to the engine to stop Mom from leaving. So, we sat in the car just thinking what to do. I felt so bad because Mom was crying and seemed so helpless against him. We just sat there for two hours in the car in the driveway in the dark. Dad just went to bed. We finally went back into the house and Mom slept in my bed and I slept on the couch. It was horrible. Granny Rose is dying. She is 94 years old. [Black Panther member Bobby Hutton (17) was killed in a gun battle with police in West Oakland, Ca., and Eldridge Cleaver was arrested.]

""7 April 1968 Sunday

""Got up and went in my room and slept. When I got up didn't do nothing all day. Dad apologized to Mom. I copied down the names for girls I like. Listened to Country Western Music most of the day. Had Barbequed hamburgers for dinner. Mom gave me two dollars to get a haircut. We're planning on going back to Texas with Grandma and Grandpa Williams because Granny Rose isn’t expected to live. On TV watched "Hud" with Paul Newman. Real good. It made me long for Texas so bad. Went to bed around 11:00. In news today was a memorial to "Martin Luther Coon". The siege on Khe Sahn is believed over. I suddenly developed a test for country music. Hank Williams, Jimmy Rogers, all the old ones. Going over to Marie’s tomorrow. Weather was warm 76 degrees.

""8 April 1968 Monday

""11:00 Got up and didn't do nothing until 1:00 p. m. and I walked to the barbers and got a haircut. Then I asked Mom to drive around with me so I could practice. I got brave and went down and took my driver's test and miracle of miracles I passed it! I was so nervous. I didn't pass by much. 72 I got on it. I'll get my regular license in 60 days! Came home and called up Jerry Smith, went and picked Donna up from work and I went over to Jaeger to visit and show him I got my license. When I came home Marie was there to take me over to her house. On the way over we stopped and got a hamburger. Watched TV for a while and talked to Marie the rest of the day. Weather was beautiful. 81 degrees. Warm dry weather. Viet Nam is ready to begin talks. I'm so happy I got my license. Can't believe it. Earthquake today. 5.0.

""• The siege of Khe Sanh ends with the withdrawal of NVA troops from the area as a result of intensive American bombing and the reopening of Route 9. NVA losses during the siege are estimated up to 15,000. U.S. Marines suffered 199 killed and 830 wounded. 1st Cavalry suffered 92 killed and 629 wounded reopening Route 9. The U.S. command then secretly shuts down the Khe Sanh air base and withdraws the Marines. Commenting on the heroism of U.S. troops that defended Khe Sanh, President Johnson states "...they vividly demonstrated to the enemy the utter futility of his attempts to win a military victory in the South." A North Vietnamese official labels the closing of Khe Sanh air base as America's "gravest defeat" so far.

""Letter from Cousin Kay Johnson 8 April 1968

""Dear Junior. Well, I was glad to get your letter as usual. I really appreciate you writing me. I know it’s a bore writing someone in Texas. (Now I'm not cutting down Texas, it’s just that I know it’s not very "in" compared to California.) We get out the 10th for Easter. We get out four days. I'm going to Oklahoma with a friend of mine. Grandma and Grandpa came up last week. They got a new boat. Dad says its big and nice. I haven't seen it. Listen how would you like me to teach you how to ski when you come out this summer? Big thrill, huh? This teacher of yours Mrs. Herning must be a real swinger. ha! I wish we had one like that back here. Its "shut-up", "read the chapter", work the questions. "Shut-up". It all makes me sick but just 6 more weeks of it. Praise the Lord. We get out May 21st. I know how you feel about Buddy and Judy. Once John was sort of half way engaged to this girl and her sister and me got along really well but when John and she broke up the girl hated me. Oh well. I didn’t like her anyway. But like you say. you weren't the one who broke the engagement. I don't know Buddy or Judy, but they don't seem like the type who would hold a. grudge against an innocent person. Thanks for the picture of Donna and Terry. When did Donna get her hair cut? I didn't hardly recognize her. No, I'm afraid we didn't get that special 'TV thing about babies. You know Texas. Nothing like that would ever come on TV out here. Out here it’s something really groovy like "Super Bingo.” A! The only special we've had around here lately is Petula Clark. WOW! How'd you like ole Martin Luther King getting shot? I was already asleep the other nite when Mom comes screaming in "Martin Luther King got shot!" I go “Martin Who?" I don't know about her sometimes. We’ll have anymore more guys crashed into any cops lately? I got a. big laugh out of that. Sounds like fun. I'II have to try it some time. Hey, some new people moved to Hart Camp. Now it’s about this big →▪ I don't know what we'd do back here if it wasn't for going to the show. I think I'm fixing to run away to California. I can't stand this place any longer. It sounds so neat out there. Well, the Hemis-Fair opened today in San Antonio. I can' t wait to go to it. Do you know about the time you guys will be coming out here? You see I'm gonna stay with John and Ginger for a while this summer, but I don't want to miss you guys. How are your parents? Mine are the same. How are Donna. Terry, and Charline? Fine, I hope. There's no news so I'll close. You know I'm getting good about writing real soon. What do you know? Write back soon, ok? I always love to hear from you. Bye. Love Kay PS Enclosed is

""a little taste of' Texas humor. ha!

""[HemisFair '68 was the first officially designated world's fair (or international exposition) held in the southwestern United States. San Antonio, Texas hosted the fair from April 6 through October 6, 1968. More than thirty nations hosted pavilions at the fair. The fair was held in conjunction with the 250th (semi quincentennial) anniversary of the founding of San Antonio. The theme of the fair was "The Confluence of Civilizations in the Americas."]

""Letter from Grandma Johnson 8 April 1968

""Dear Grandson Jr. Will answer your letter. Sure, was glad to hear from you and to get the pictures. Donna and Terry look happy. I hope they will always be though don't suppose anybody will ever be happy again since old King got killed. I'm so glad he got to the top of the mountain and viewed the promised land. You know there were others that got that close, but God wouldn't permit them to enter in. Just hope old Robert Kennedy can get him buried somewhere. Oh, the turmoil the world is in. I sometimes wonder just how long it can stand. Looks like they're going to burn down the White House. Oh Well there's nothing I can do about it. You should see our new boat. Starcrest. Oh, what a time we will have when you come back. I want you to stay till school starts. Yes, I squall every time I think about Donna not coming back but I'm sure everything for the best. I'm glad they taken over Charline’s car. Don't blame her for not wanting it with all the memories with it. Maybe she and Gary can get one when he gets a back. Well, the fair has started. Would like to go. Know full well I'll never be this close to another one. But if the niggers are on the rage all summer won't be safe to go anywhere. Maybe we can go to the rodeo. John Warren came down when we were home. Sure, wish we had of been here. Not catching many fish. Maybe after Easter the weather will settle, and fishing will be better. Make June take care of herself, or she won't be able to come back this summer. Hope Williams do come back. Has Milton and Marie give up coming back? Pauline and J. W. were still looking for a thank you note from Donna. Wondered if she ever got the electric fry pan. I don't know any news. Just riots and killings. Have a nice birthday. Hope you get to go to Grandma. Write again. Love Grandparents.

""[The Academy Awards and Baseball's Opening Day were postponed because of the M.L. King assassination. In Vietnam Khe Sanh was officially relieved after 77 days by the US 2nd Cavalry. US forces in Operation Pegasus finally retook Route 9, ending the siege of Khe Sanh. Khe Sanh had been the biggest single battle of the Vietnam War to that point. The official assessment of the North Vietnamese Army dead was just over 1,600 killed, with two divisions all but annihilated. Thousands more were probably killed by American bombing.]

""9 April 1968 Tuesday

""Got up around 9130 and watched TV some. Then Marie let me drive her car down to the Unimart Store. She bought me a Hank Williams Album for my birthday day. After we got back, I took the kids for a hike. We went 5 miles, and it was hot! Gregory is only 6 and he said he was so tired, so I carried him piggy back for about a mile. We ran out of water, so we were really tired when we finally got home. Stephanie and I have blisters on our feet. Marie fixed spaghetti for dinner. Watched the 6 O'clock movie but was called next door by Stephanie who was staying there because she thought she heard a burglar. After everybody went to bed, I stayed up to watch some TV, but nothing was on.

""Went to bed around 11 p.m. Very warm weather when you are out in it. 85 degrees.

""10 April 1968 Wednesday

""My birthday. 17 years old. Jerry Smith's 17th birthday. 9:30 p.m. Got up around 10 and watched TV some. Mom called here in the morning. Marie made some cookie dough to be cooked later. I helped Marie scrub and wax the dining room and kitchen. Marie' s Mom and Dad came over and I talked a while with them. They brought Marie's nephew's over too. I took Gregory and Al to the store, but I had to go ack again later. Mr. and Mrs. Beulhman left in the afternoon and Milton came home. Gregory was all upset over Little Al for some reason. While Marie made cookies Mom called again. She said a letter from Kay and Grandma Johnson came. Milton, Stephanie, and I went to West Covina and Milton bought me a cake. We had fried chicken for dinner. Helped Marie with the dishes and I played monopoly with Stephanie. I'm sure tired. It was a nice day though. Warm 85 degrees windier. I sure like my record, but I still don't feel 17 years old.

""[In the 40th Academy Awards "In the Heat of the Night" won as best film. Rod Steiger won as best actor for his role in the film. Katherine Hepburn won as best actress for her role in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” President Johnson replaced General Westmoreland with General Creighton Abrams in Vietnam]

""11 April 1968 Thursday

""Got up early and started in helping Marie make Easter Cookies. I decorated most of them. It took three hours to do them all. We made bunnies and horses. I took the kids up to their school to fly kites. I got two up, but one wouldn’t fly. On coming home Milton took us out for Pizzas. I got to drive. Watched TV with Marie when we got home. Watched a movie "Kings in the Sun" about Aztec Indians. It was pretty good. Was tired and went to bed soon after. The weather is getting cooler now. It’s been around the low 70's. In the news they got the car of the person who got old Martin Luther King. I have something in my foot that hurts.

""• President Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1968, a week after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. This included a Fair Housing Act and the Indian Civil Rights Act, which limited sentences that tribes could hand down on any charge to six months. In 1968 Congress increased the maximum to one year. The Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae - FNMA), established by the government in 1938, became a private, shareholder-owned company as part of the Fair Housing Act.

""• Defense Secretary Clifford announces Gen. Westmoreland's request for 206,000 additional soldiers will not be granted. Instead, Clifford calls 24,500 military reserves to action for 2-year commitments and announces a new troop ceiling of 549,500 American soldiers in Vietnam. The total number of Americans "in country" will peak at some 541,000 in August this year and decline to 334,000 by 1970.

""12 April 1968 Friday

""Good Friday. The Civil War began 107 years ago today. Got up early around 8:30. Talked to Marie mostly. I painted some Easter Eggs for Gregory. I walked down to the store for Marie. In the afternoon I took the kids down to Mt. San Antonio College to hike and fly kites. Wanted to tire Gregory out so he would go to bed early so that we could color Easter eggs. I stayed at the college for about 2 hours. For dinner Marie fixed enchiladas. They were really good. After Gregory took to sleep, I took a bath then helped Stephanie and Marie with the eggs. That night I watched "Captain from Castile" on TV. It isn't much like the book. Weather is cool and cold when windy. 71 degrees. Be glad to be going home. I'm homesick.

""13 April 1968 Saturday

""Got up this morning and got ready to go back home. Gregory didn't want me to leave. Milton let me drive down to Walnut. After around noon Milton drove us over to my house. Milton and Marie stayed over here for about 2 hours before going back to Walnut. I fixed myself something to eat and cleaned up my room. Dad and Terry worked today. I finally read Kay and Grandma's letters. After getting some work done, I drove over to Jaeger's and went to McDonald's for a coke. After coming home, I watched TV some and read "Captain from Castile". Watched TV some. "Brass Bottle". It was ok. Tom and Jean had their big rubber tree knocked down. The car stalled on me coming out of the driveway and doesn't work now. "Honey" is # 1 on KHJ. The weather is cool 70 degrees and I don't like it. I had Tacos for dinner.

""14 April 1968 Sunday EASTER SUNDAY

""Got up this morning and mowed the back yard then did some housework. Had ham for dinner. Read "Captain from Castile" most of the day. Wrote Grandma Johnson but haven't mailed it yet. It's a nice warm Easter day. 75 degrees. Watched TV later at night and read my book until 12:30 then I went to bed. Don’t want to go to school tomorrow but I guess there's lots of things one must do though he don't like it. Haven't listen to the Pop Stations in a long time mainly just country music. Granny Rose is expected to recover after all. She just had a tumor. I’m going back to Texas as soon as school lets out. I feel useless and lost. May the world rise on High with Everlasting Peace as our Lord did this day. [The gay-themed play, "The Boys in the Band" by Mart Crowley, opened off Broadway at Theater Four and set a new genre. A film version was released in 1970. The Pentagon announced the "Vietnamization" of the war; troops will begin coming home. Edna Ferber (b.1885), US author (Giant, Showboat), died. Her novels included “Show Boat” (1926), which was produced on Broadway in 1927 and later adopted 4 times as a movie.]

""15 April 1968 Monday

""11:00 p.m. Went to school all but 2nd period. In P.E. I folded towels and didn't suit up. The kids weren't as friendly as usual and was giving me a hard time. Goofed off in history with Monica Munoz. Mr. Mesa hates me. Went home for lunch. Terry is sick and went to the doctors. Donna stayed home from work too. When school was out, I went with Jean and Mom to Zody's and got some clothes for my birthday. I bought two records. "Dock of the Bay" and "Love Is Blue". After that we came home. Then Donna and I went to Penny’s at the Orange County Plaza and bought some T-Shirts. Larry Jaeger came over around 4:00 and we went to McDonalds for a coke. We talked for a while. Had Swiss steak and corn on the cob for dinner. Donna paid me for doing the dishes. I got another letter from Grandma Johnson. Watched TV rest of the night. Weather cool and cloudy. Like rain maybe. 66 degrees. Korea is in the news.

""16 April 1968 Tuesday

""Went to school. Got back into Algebra without too much trouble. In PE did a lot of calisthenics. Mr. Starr was in a bad mood and has been for some time. In history discussing philosophies then went home for lunch. Then in English saw a film strip of Thoreau and Emerson. Put up some pictures for Miss Burns in Art. Also took some paints home to work on a painting called dada in French meaning "Rocking Horse". It’s sort of a surrealistic form of art. Worked on it for about 5 hours and got tired of it. Didn't watch TV any. For dinner had meatloaf. Yech! Before going to sleep laid in bed and finished reading “Captain from Castile". It’s a tremendous book. I then looked at my Hippie Cheetah Magazine. Went to bed about 12. Very cloudy and cold 66 degrees.

"" We had a letter from Grandma Johnson. She wrote Saturday morning and a real spring morning. Mocking birds have a concert but the wind had blown all week, Surely the month of May will bring better weater.

""Wiburn went out too fish and I’ve got to clean house. John [Warren] will be down tomorrow for the big singing convention at Haskell. He wouldn’t miss it. We will go from church up there and will go to Pondarosa Rodeo at Vernon on Wednesday church. So we stay busy.

"" Mr. Husky was sown 2 days. Left yesterday. Worked on the house some. Went down to Jacksboro to work on the place thery’re building adnd cow shed don’t think

"" The Haskell County Singing Convention was an annual event since 1906.

""17 April 1968 Wednesday

""Got up at 7:00 and got ready to go to school again. In algebra we’re doing roots and I sure don't understand it. In PE played basketball and had fun for a change. In history still studying philosophy. Went home for lunch and Mom gave me this paper to be signed at school for my insurance. In English still reading "Our Town" and I read the stage manager's part and in Art we did figure drawings. After school watched TV some and Jaeger called, and I talked to him for quite some time. I didn’t eat supper, but we had short ribs and apple pie for dessert. I did the dishes and listened to the radio. "Honey" is number 1 again this week. Wrote Grandma Johnson again and watched TV some afterwards and fell asleep for a while then got up and went to bed at 11 :30. Weather cloudy and chilly 63 degrees. Edna Ferber died today.

""18 April 1968 'Thursday

""Went to school and played handball with Jaeger in PE Had a test on Philosophies in history. In English still reading "Our Town” and in Art had a critique of the works we've done. Came home and watched TV some. Had steak for dinner and after that I went to my bedroom and did some school work and read some from the "Source" by James Mitchener. I don't like the book, but I might as well finish it. The weather is still cool 65 degrees and cloudy like rain clouds. In the news the FBI thinks they know who shot King. The US offered North Viet Nam more sites for peace talks. l don't feel very well. Have a nose cold and sore throat. Mom isn't feeling too well. Everybody else is fine.

""[Some 178,000 employees of US Bell Telephone System went on strike. London Bridge was sold to a US oil company. It was later erected in Arizona.]

""19 April 1968 Friday

""Went to school again. In PE played handball again with Jaeger. Went to the library in history. Talked with Karen Daigon and Monica Muniz. Went home for lunch. In English finished reading "Our Town" wasn't too bad. Didn’t do nothing in Art. Came home and watched TV some. Mom and Dad are fighting some. Mom's back is hurting her. Had fish and shrimp for dinner. Weather very cool again. 60 degrees. Charline's going to get tickets for me and some friends to go to Disneyland the 5th of May. In the news a twister hit the town of Greenwood, Arkansas where Rick Adams is from. Leveled the town and killed 12 people. Ray is the person who killed King so says the FBI. The US gave North Viet Nam 10 places for peace talks.

""20 April 1968 Saturday

""Didn’t do much today as it was too cool to do yard work. Mom paid me to clean up the kitchen. Around 2:30, Frankie Welte called wanting me to come over to help him and Cathy on their reports for school. Donna and Terry who were gonna go over to Milton and Marie's dropped me off at Frank and Barb's. Over there most of the night worked on Frankie's Mexico report. Had corned beef and pastrami for dinner. Sure, was good.

""I didn’t watch TV much and went to bed around 11: 30. Did something I regretted that night.

""The weather was a cold, cool 55 degrees.

""In the news North Viet Nam didn't except the 10 offers. Greenwood, Arkansas is now a disaster area where the tornado hit. Kids over at Frank and Barb's are acting bratty.

""Note_After the kids would be asleep, Frank Welte would come out to the front room where I was sleeping, and he would have sexual contact with me. Generally, it was nothing more than mutual masturbation. I was really conflicted about this because being Gay, which he may have sensed, I really enjoyed the encounters which were pleasurable, but I also felt extremely guilty because I loved Barb so much. Franke Welte and Phil Casas were my only sexual out let until I became an adult and by 1968 Phil Casas had graduated, married, and moved away. I was also becoming more aware that these encounters with Frank were not healthy because it was child abuse since I recognized him as surrogate father figure. The fact that he was my dad’s best friend also made me keep this a dirty little secret. By the end of the year, I told Frank that I didn’t want to do this anymore with him. Little did I know at the time that Frank had been abusing his own children and probably neighbor children as well. The sexual encounters with Phil Casas were at least within the scope of exploration of two teenagers and I never felt as bad about them.]

""21 April 1968 Sunday

""9:30 p.m. Got up early this morning and had donuts for breakfast. Worked all morning on Cathy's report on New Jersey. Frank was outside painting their house. Barb was making dinner for a barbeque. Terry and Donna came over around three and stayed for dinner. Had barbequed hamburgers and potato salad. The Abbots were over. They are good people. Came home from Frank and Barb's around 7:00 and watched TV some. I'm tired for some reason. Talked to Mom about Donna and Terry for a while. The weather is a cool 60 degrees. It’s been cold for the last week. In the news yesterday a plane crashed in South Africa with 135 people on board. 7 survived. [In the 22nd Tony Awards: "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead" and "Hallelujah Baby" won.]

"" 22 April 1968 Monday

""11;00 p.m. Didn’t go to school. Watched TV some this morning. Cleaned up the kitchen good too. Donna made some lemon meringue pies. One for us and one for Tom and Jean. Jean's redoing her house in the front and putting in a new sidewalk. Mom’s back was hurting her really bad today. She’s in so much pain. Terry took me down to the store and I bought some 7 Up for Mom. Had baked potatoes and steak for dinner. Watched TV for the rest of the night. Terry built himself a nice-looking coffee table. Paid Charline for my tickets to Disney land. Weather is a warm but breezy day 75 degrees. Worked on the pick up some. I believe in the future the Viet Nam war will be as notorious as the Spanish American War. The US is guilty of many crimes against humanity.

""23 April 1968 Tuesday

""Didn't go to school. Watched TV some in the morning. Charline got a lot of calls for jobs for her. She's already got one though. Watched TV most of the day. Mom is feeling better today. She's carrying too much weight. I worry about her constantly. Terry made himself a really nice-looking coffee table. Donna isn't going to look for work anyway soon. Charline is tired from not working for such a long time. Dad is starting to work on the Ford some. Jerry Smith brought over his and Fred's money for Disneyland. Had fried chicken and potato salad for dinner. Weather was warmer and breezier 80 degrees. In the news we lost another $6 million plane and we're expecting an Earthquake this Friday. Beverly Danforth got married last Saturday to Paul Watrous.

""• The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church merged to form the United Methodist Church.

""• Anti-war activists at Columbia University seize five buildings. the Students for a Democratic Society held a rally in support of the IDA Six. An 8-day student sit-in began at Columbia Univ. to protest ties to the Defense Dept. and plans to build a gym over neighborhood objections. Within 72 hours students seized 5 buildings and 628 people were arrested. In 2009 Mark Rudd, prominent student leader at Columbia, authored “Underground: My Life with SDS and the Weathermen.” A rally and occupation of the Low administrative office building at Columbia University, planned to protest the university's participation in the Institute for Defense Analysis is scuttled by conservative students and university security officers. The demonstrators march to the site of a proposed new gymnasium at Morningside Heights to stage a protest in support of neighbors who use the site for recreation. The action eventually results in the occupation of five buildings - Hamilton, Low, Fairweather and Mathematics halls, and the Architecture building. It will culminate seven days later when police storm the buildings and violently remove the students and their supporters at the Columbia administration's request.

""24 April 1968 Wednesday

""Weather was beautiful. Warm 85 degrees. 10:00 p.m. Went to school and had a test on roots in Algebra. In PE did Physical fitness test. I did 46 sit ups, 3 pull ups, and 68 “ in the broad jump. Messed around with Steve Hall and Larry Jaeger. Had a quiz in history. Went home for lunch and had three burritos. Back in English didn’t do nothing but talk to Mrs. Herning and goofed around. Starting a new project in Art. Miss Burns was in a bad mood. An Art sale was going on when I was absent, and an open house was Tuesday. Donna let me drive her car today. I was surprised. I went to Zodys to buy some paperbacks which they didn't have. Had steak and gravy and chocolate cake for dinner. Worked on the Ford some after dinner. Jean came over and staid till about 8:00. She said her daughter Carol had a dead baby. Wrote Kay today. "Beautiful Morning" by the Young Rascals is #1 on KHJ [Leftist students at Columbia University in New York City began a weeklong occupation of several campus buildings in protest over the Vietnam War]

""25 April 1968 Thursday

""Weather 88 degrees. Very nice. Very warm. 10:30 p.m. Went to school. Got our tests back in Algebras. I didn't do good. In PE Jaeger, I and some other guys fixed up the gym for a Pep Assembly at lunch. In History doing Oral Quiz now, went home for a while then came back and went to the Pep Assembly with Jaeger. The Assembly was about school presidents for next year. Goofed around in English but Judy Gleason had to give her Oral Book Report. In Art started on my rough draft. I was a little mad because they sold my woodblock prints without telling or asking me. Watched TV some when I got home and felt sleepy. In the evening worked on the ford again. We took out the engine. Had spaghetti for dinner with French bread. Watched TV a little and did my Algebra home work. In news Goldberg our representative to the United Nations resigned. An Earthquake struck Northern California,

""26 April 1968 Friday

""Weather cooler today then yesterday. 83 degrees. 11:45 p.m. Went to school. Mr. Sickich is mad at the class. In PE ran the 660 yard. I did 2:04. In history we continued Oral Quiz. Sat with Jaeger in the Quad at lunch and I voted for Steve Clark for Senior President next year. In English I gave my oral book report. In Art graded our rough draft. When I got home cleaned up the garage and mowed the lawn. Watched movie "Scarlet Angel" at 6 and afterwards went over to Jaeger’s all night. We cruised around after going to McDonald's for fish burgers. Jaeger took me home at 11:30. In the News scientist set off a huge atomic bomb underground. The students at Columbia University are still in the news. Still holding the faculty hostages. In New York and New England's colleges students protested the Viet Nam war. [Students seized administration building at Ohio State University. The United States exploded a 1.3 megaton nuclear device called "Boxcar" beneath the Nevada desert.]

""27 April 1968 Saturday

""Weather 69 degrees and very cool and overcast. 11:30 or 10:30 p.m. Today is day light savings time so you turn your clock ahead an hour so instead of it being 10:30 it’s 11:30. Got up early around 7 and it was very cool and overcast. Worked all day until 6:30 on the car. The distributor is the only thing that don't work. Sure, tired from working on it. Watched TV some in the evening like "The Sky Above and The Mud below'' I don't feel too good today, but I don't really feel bad just out of sorts. For lunch had hamburgers and for dinner Donna and Terry bought a Pizza. Marie's mother had an heart attack last Wednesday. She’s in bad shape. Norman Danforth came over around 4:00. In the news Vice-President Humphrey announced his candidacy for the Presidency. This May 24th a woman predicted that California would sink into the sea! ha! Mom's back is hurting her some more.

""• In New York, 200,000 students refuse to attend classes in support of the protestors arrested at Columbia.

""28 April 1968 Sunday

""Weather was a lot warmer today 80 degrees. Clear. 9:15 p.m. Got up at 8:30 and worked with Dad and Terry on the Ford Galaxy. The distributor was our main problem. For lunch had sliced turkey and gravy and coconut cream pie. Around 2:00 we got the car finally put back together, but it still doesn't run. Dad says it’s the battery. Finished working on the car at 5:00 then read the Sunday paper and took a shower. For dinner we had tacos. Been drinking a lot of Kool-Aid. Listen to the radio all day yesterday and today. On the survey for the last 10 years "Wendy” and "Light My Fire" by the Doors tied for #1 song on KHJ. Charline has been very moody and in a bad way lately. She's taking it out on Donna. Also, Charline got her hair cut today. Mom's back was hurting her a little but she's feeling better than before. Dad's in a good mood. Donna and Terry are fine. I don't have a nose cold today.

""29 April 1968 Monday

""11:00 P.M. Didn't go to school. Got up this morning and cleaned up the kitchen and emptied all the trashes. Had hamburgers for lunch. In the afternoon watched TV some and I fell asleep around 2:00. Got up at 5:00 and when Dad came home worked on the car again. Had fried chicken and milk gravy for dinner, and a chocolate pie. Frank and Barb Welte and the kids came over around 6:30 and stayed until 9:30. Frank helped Dad work on the car. I did too until 8:00 then I watched "Rowan and Martin's Laugh in". Tiny Tim was on it. Around 9:00 the car was all put together and Dad pushed it with the truck, but it still don't work. At 10:00 I watched Carol Burnett Show. Everyone else went to bed. Weather was warm 80 degrees at noon but cooled off considerably at night. Nothing in the news. Just the usual junk. Dad is sure frustrated with the car. [The counterculture musical "Hair" opened on Broadway following limited engagements off-Broadway. Dr. Ralph Abernathy led The Poor People's Campaign in Washington D.C., less than a month after the assassination of King. It concluded on June 23. The campaign was for reforms in welfare, employment, and housing policies. Abernathy was the successor to Rev. Martin Luther King as head of the Southern Christian Leadership conference.]

""30 April 1968 Tuesday

""Weather warm 80 degrees and cool at night. 11:00 p.m. Went back to school. Had a fire drill in Algebra. Ran the 50-yard dash in PE and told some jokes with Steve Hall. In history finished up the oral quiz and played a game with Monica Munoz. Went home for lunch and had a sandwich. Back in Mrs. Herning’s' class I gave her a toy for a joke. Then talked and goofed around with Kathy Shaw and Steve Hall. Had a substitute in art and she was mean. Didn't talk much with Joey Calimitas. When I came home, I watched TV some until Dad came home. Frank Welte came over also to work on the car. We got it running and all put back together in the evening. I'm starting to fix the inside of the car some. Around 8:30 drove over to Jaegers and went to the library then the store. I almost ran a stop sign. It shook me up. Came home and later did the dishes for Charline and

""did some of my homework.

""• The Battle of Dai Do occurs along the Demilitarized Zone as NVA troops seek to open an invasion corridor into South Vietnam. They are halted by a battalion of U.S. Marines nicknamed "the Magnificent Bastards" under the command of Lt. Col. William Weise. Aided by heavy artillery and air strikes, NVA suffer 1568 killed. 81 Marines are killed and 297 wounded. 29 U.S. Army are killed supporting the Marines and 130 wounded. For the time being, this defeat ends North Vietnam's hope of successfully invading the South. They will wait four years, until 1972, before trying again, after most of the Americans have gone. It will actually take seven years, until 1975, for them to succeed.

""Letter from Kay Johnson .30 April 1968

""Dear Junior. You poor little thing having to go to school till June 14th. I just might die if I had to, but we did start about a month earlier than you guys did. Do you realize that I only have about 2 1/2 more weeks of school? I get out the 17th of May. Right after I get out, I will going down to Texarkana. I’m supposed to fly down. Oh Wow! I'll probably stay 3 or 4 weeks and be back just in time to see you. How long will you be staying this summer? I've got something to tell you and I hope you won't hate me for it. I'll just be a freshman next year. I told you I was a freshman this year but I'm not. I hope you won't think I’m a big queer or something but last summer you and Donna seemed so much older. I just couldn't tell you I was just 14 years old. You'll be a senior next year and I'll be a freshman, four years apart. You probably think I'm a retarded little fool, but I like to think that we're great friends and that we're real close. You're my favorite cousin even though I don’t see you very much and you don’t know how much I am looking forward to seeing you soon. Well, I'm getting a little sentimental now and that’s something I don't do real often. Please forgive me for lying to you. I went outside today and sunbathed and I'm so blistered right now I can hardly move. How are your family? Mine's fine. John and Ginger are fine. How are Donna and Terry? I'm glad you've got your license. Now we can go to Littlefield and get a coke every day. Groovy! No really, I wish I had mine. I can get my permit the second semester of my freshman year. I'm looking forward to going to that ole fair at San Antonio. Did you know that Jean Dixon predicted that the great big revolving restaurant at the hemisfair was gonna fall over on April 23rd? Well, it didn't dumb lady. Boy Martin Luther King jokes are sure thick up here. That's all I hear anymore. What is new in California? Its dead here as usual. Mother and they have company and they're discussing world problems. I think Dad is a Little shook up with this Niggar problem. Do niggars go to your school? They do to ours and I sure wish they didn't. We used to have a separate school for them but then somebody got the bright idea to integrate. The number one song out here is "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?” I like it. I also like "I'd like To Get to Know You" by Spanky and Our Gang and "Yummy I Got Love in My Tummy" by the Ohio Express. Write back soon and tell me whether you're mad at me or not, ok? Love Kay. PS Have fun at school ha!

""[US Marines attacked a division of North Vietnamese in the village of Dai Do. Simon & Garfunkel released their song "Mrs. Robinson."

""May

""Wednesday May 1, 1968-

""Weather cool 74' overcast in morn. Went to school. Didn't do nothing though. Came home for lunch and Minnie and Larry were there with Grandma Williams. Mom and Bonnie went driving around. I went back to school and had a lousy day, especially in English. Got our seats moved around too. When came home Grandma Williams and the rest were (still at) home). Talked to them some then they went home around 3:00. There after I took Jaeger down to the car wash on Chapman and Dale and cleaned the car good. Then we went over to Fred Townsend's to give him and Jerry Smith their tickets. I also took those guys to the store and cashed in the coke bottles. When I got home, Jaeger came over again and we went to Thrifty Drug at the Orange County Plaza then we went just driving around. I went to bed at 10:30. For dinner Mom fixed meatballs and gravy. Ice cream for dessert. It’s a Beautiful Morning is Number 1 song this week on KHJ.

""[In a second day of battle, US Marines, with the support of naval fire, continued their attack on a North Vietnamese Division at Dai Do. The US Army attacked Nhi Ha in South Vietnam and began a fourteen-day battle.

""Thursday May 2 1968""-

""Weather cold in the morning 79. Didn't go to school. Cleaned up the kitchen good then cleaned out the garage. I got a letter from my cousin Kay Johnson and one from Grandma Johnson yesterday. Mom had me go to the post office at the Stanton Plaza to mail a letter then I came home and went to school in the afternoon to make up a test, but the teacher wasn't there. So, I took the car to get some paint for the sun visor of the car. I picked up Joey Calamita and her friend Donna and took them home. After going to the store, I came home for a while then went over to Jerry Smith's then to Larry Jaeger's and came home for dinner. Mom fixed steak and ice cream. Later I went over to Larry Jaeger's and then to the gas station. Then I went down to Thrifty’s. Came home around 7:30 and watched TV until 9:30 and then brought in the trash barrels. Then did some homework. Then tried to write Kay some.

""Friday May 3 1968-

""Weather was 79- and overcast in the morning. Went to school all but 2nd period. In P.E. played hand ball with Jaeger. I really hate it. In history had a test on the Depression. Went home for lunch and my regular driving licenses came. Went to English 5th period and talked to Steve Hall some. In art I finished up my project. When came home made preparations to go to the Drive-In. Went to the stores and then over to Barry Wendall's and then to Jaeger's then went home. Around 6:00 went back over to Jaeger's and popped some popcorn and then went to pick Barry up. The three of us went to the La Mirada Drive-In and saw "Bonnie and Clyde" which is fabulous and "The Power" which wasn't too good. Goofed around until it was over then cruised after the show was over. We talked about dreams, ghost, religion, and stories. I took them home around 1:15 and came home and went to bed at 1:45. For dinner had coke and candy.

""[A Black Student Sit-In at Northwestern University lasted for 38 hours, after the Northwestern University refused to accede to the demands of For Members Only, the black undergraduate student group. The US and North Vietnamese delegations agree to begin peace talks in Paris later this month. The formal talks will begin on May 10. May 3, after three days of battle, the US Marines retook Dai Do complex in Vietnam, only to find the North Vietnamese had evacuated the area.]

""Saturday May 4 1968-

""I got up around 10:00 in the morning. Donna and Charline cleaned up the house early so there wasn't anything for me to do. Mom took the car over to Milton and Marie's and met Dad there when he got off work, so I am without wheels. I didn't feel very good this morning and slept from 12:30 to 4:30 in the afternoon. I changed my bed sheets and washed down the driveway. Jaeger came by for a while and I went with him to the store. When I got home watched TV the rest of the night. Donna and Terry went to the show and took Charline with her date. I had a hamburger for dinner. In the news yesterday North Vietnam and the U.S. agreed to talk at Paris finally. A plane crashed in Texas and killed 83 persons. Ex-president lKE had a heartattack a few days ago but is feeling better now. Four heart transplants were done also a few days ago. One in Houston, one in Berkeley Calif. one in London and one in France. All these things happened yesterday or in the past few days. Weather still poor 76.

""Sunday May 5 1968-

""I got up and mowed and cleaned up the front yard today. I went over to Jaeger’s for a while. Came home and watched TV for a while. Milton and Marie came over around 5:30 and left at 6:30. At this time me and Charline went over and picked up Jerry Smith and Fred Townsend to go to Disneyland. First ride we went on was Pirates of the Caribbean and then we went to Captain Hook's Pirate Ship and got a tuna fish boat sandwich. Rode most of the rides including the Matterhorn, Cups and Saucers, and many more. Went to the penny arcade that was fun. Fred and Jerry were a riot. We goofed around so much on the Matterhorn by yelling. I bought some Disneyland Candy for Kay back in Texas. I had so much fun at Disneyland by messing around. Jerry told me these good jokes-"Knock. Knock" Who’s there? "Amos" Amos who?” "A mosquito bit me.” "Knock" Who’s there? "Andy" Andy who? "Andy bit me again. Ha. Ha. Ha. I had a hamburger for dinner. Weather was rotten again. Cool and Cloudy 70'

""• I carried a small scar for years from Jerry stabbing me with toothpick sword from Captain Hook’s Pirate Ship. They used them to hold the tuna boats sandwiches together and we were play fighting.

""• Viet Cong launch "Mini Tet," a series of rocket and mortar attacks against Saigon and 119 cities and military installations throughout South Vietnam. The U.S. responds with air strikes using Napalm and high explosives.

""Letter from Grandma Johnson 5 May 1968

""Sunday Evening. Both well only tired. Went home Friday and voted, Saturday morning and right back home. Don't like to leave the boat and everything. So many come and go over the weekend. Guess Wallace is going to get on the ticket. I hope so. We have our Wallace stickers on you sent. J. W. was ok. He was planting cotton. Getting dry there. They haven’t had the rain we have had here. Wheat sure is pretty and .you should see my climbing rose. Wilburn made a trellis for it. Way up the side of the house and couldn’t have another red rose on it. You wrote Donna and Terry sick. Hope they get straighten out. How is Charline liking her job? Mr. Husky was down Thursday, night. He's working on a job in Haskell. Said they were going down to Alpine. Judy was graduated the 10th I think and already has a teaching school in Midlands. Tell June to get herself to TOPS and stay there. I didn't hardly know Alice. She had lost so much weight and said she never felt better in her life. Spencer is showing his age now. He's 75 and Alice is 55. Kay was up in the air. Went to her 8th grade graduation Banquet Friday night, with her first date, Gordon Hukell. Pauline said she never would forget when John went to his and how they stayed up till he come in. Chewing their finger nails. John and Ginger are doing good. Both like their work and have a good old woman to keep the kids. Said Craig didn’t walk but run all time. Sure, wish I could see them. Do trust June's able to come back when school's out. She can make it ok on the plane. I can just see her driving the boat. Know you all will enjoy it. Write again. I'm looking for you when school's out. Love You

""Monday May 6 1968-

""Didn't go to school today. Slept very late. In the afternoon swept the driveway. Mom went back to work today. When she got home, she had me go to the post office and mail some letters. Went down to a place to pay a bill for Mom too. Charline, I think today broke off with Gary. Donna and Terry are fine. Had fried chicken for dinner with gravy. Afterwards I finally finished writing Kay. Also wrapped a package I'm going to send her. It’s a large candy sucker I got at Disneyland yesterday. The rest of the night watched the usual on TV The weather is warmer but still low in tempt. 73. Beverly Danforth's reception is this Saturday. I cut my tongue with a sliver of candy I was eating. Sure, hurt Dad has been working on a jig-saw puzzle since he has got home.

""[Astronaut Neil Armstrong was nearly killed in a lunar module trainer accident. In Paris violent fighting took place in the morning and then from 2 p.m. in the afternoon to 1 a.m. the next morning on the Boulevard Saint-Michel and Saint-Germain. Close to 600 students and police were wounded. Student strikes spread to the provinces. "Bloody Monday" marks one of the most violent days of the Parisian student revolt. Five thousand students march through the Latin Quarter with support from the student union and the instructors' union. Reports of the ensuing riot conflict, either the police charge unprovoked, or demonstrators harass them with thrown stones. The fighting is intense with rioters setting up barricades and the police attacking with gas grenades. Over-night the battle will subside, but only after engaging the sympathies of large numbers of French unionists.

""Tuesday May 7, 1968-

""Didn't go to school. Got up early and cleaned the kitchen and front room. Mailed my letter to Kay and when Mom came home at 4 O’clock I took Kay's package and mailed it at the post office. It was expensive 60 cents. At lunch time Charline and I bought a sausage pizza and some cokes. Later in the afternoon I again washed down the driveway. Went over to Jaeger's and got a book report for tomorrow’s history class. Charline made two apple pies and gave one to Tom and Jean Horan. Tom's not feeling well and is pretty sick. Watched TV rest of the night including the silent movie version of "Lost World". For dinner had steak and corn. Ice cream and pie for dessert. The weather is overcast in the morning but 75' during the day. In the news Lurlene Wallace Governor of Alabama died of Cancer. She's the wife of George Wallace whose hand Jerry and I shook last November. A heart transplant died too.

""Wednesday May 8, 1988-

""Didn't go to school. Got up and read the newspaper and then cleaned up the kitchen. Watched TV about most of the day. When Mom came home from work, she had me go to the store at Alpha Beta's. When I got back Mom fixed sliced turkey and mashed potatoes for dinner. In the evening went to the library and checked out several books and also went over to Fred's since he lives close to the Chapman Library. I gave him some dirty joke books. On the radio survey "The Good the Bad and the Ugly" is number 1 on KHJ. I got a letter from Grandma Johnson and wrote her back. Will mail it tomorrow. What has been happening in the news lately is the U.S. and Viet Nam are to begin peace talks in Paris by Friday. In West Virginia 25 miners are trapped with 10 believed dead. Another $6 million airplane was lost in you know where.

""[William Styron (1925-2006), a white author, received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for “The Confessions of Nat Turner.” The book was based on the true story of an 1831 slave revolt in Virginia. Some black intellectuals, including Cornell historian John Henrik Clarke, published a critical response to the book.]

""Thursday 9 May 1968

""It’s 11:15. I didn't go to school today stayed home and read GREAT AIRPLANE MYSTERIES and 1846 Year of Decision. Alter that I cleaned up my room and Mom's. In the afternoon cleaned up the kitchen. When Mom got home from work, I went to the store then up to school to get some books out of my locker. Mom said she got laid off work today. Watched TV in the evening mainly a movie Cimarron Strip and then went to my room and read some. We had spaghetti for dinner with French bread. Charline burnt some of it. Jean Horan came over and borrowed some flour in the evening. Tom Horan is feeling bet tar now. Mom isn't feeling well. She doesn't say anything, but I can tell. Also, Donna doesn't act like she feels well. In the news Russia moved arms and troops towards Czechoslovakia. Also, another heart transplant was done in France. The 13th so far. Weather 72 degrees.

""Friday 10 May 1968

""Jeff Davis was captured 103 years ago. Weather overcast and cloudy 73 Degrees. I went back to school and in P.E. played handball with Jaeger and goofed around with Steve Hall. In History we watched a movie about Hitler. At lunch talked to Jerry Smith some and in English we are starting Poetry. In Art I started my large painting on a poster size board. Didn't talk to Joey Calamitas much. When I got home, I watched TV some and then went over to Larry Jaeger's about 4 O'clock. I had to bring the car to where Dad works in Buena Park, so I took Jaeger with me. I didn’t know how long we would be gone because Dad was going to put a muffler on the car. It took us till 9 O'clock to put the thing on and Jaeger was supposed to have been home at 6: 00. Anyways Dad was drinking on an empty stomach, and he got drunk, so I had to drive home. Dad and Jaeger talked about liking to hunt and Dad really embarrassed me in front of Jaeger by telling of the time Dad took me hunting when I was 9 years old and a when a doe sprang across the highway Dad and the others pulled out their rifles to shoot it and I hollered "Don't shoot it! He looks like Bambi." I guess telling this story to Jaeger made us even for embarrassing him in front of his buddies. Anyways got home at 10:30 and I took Jaeger home and explained to his folks. They weren't too mad. Then I went to the store and bought a coke and gave some kids hitchhiking a ride.

""• FBI director Hoover sent all field offices an urgent memo escalating the FBI’s attack on dissent. It authorized an operation called “Counterintelligence Program – New Left.”

""• An NVA battalion attacks the Special Forces camp at Kham Duc along the border of Laos. The isolated camp had been established in 1963 to monitor North Vietnamese infiltration. Now encircled by NVA, the decision is made to evacuate via C-130 transport planes. At the conclusion of the successful airlift, it is discovered that three U.S. Air Force controllers have accidentally been left behind. Although the camp is now over-run by NVA and two C-130s have already been shot down, Lt. Col. Joe M. Jackson pilots a C-123 Provider, lands on the air strip under intense fire, gathers all three controllers, then takes off. For this, Jackson is awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

""• Peace talks begin in Paris but soon stall as the U.S. insists that North Vietnamese troops withdraw from the South, while the North Vietnamese insist on Viet Cong participation in a coalition government in South Vietnam. This marks the beginning of five years of on-again off-again official talks between the U.S. and North Vietnam in Paris.

""Saturday 11 May 1968

""Got up late this morning and did a little house work. Mom and Charline were getting ready to go to Beverly’s reception. On the way over to El Monte we stopped and had sausage Pizza for dinner. All the relatives were at the reception and many friends of Beverly and Paul. Bev is my 2nd cousin. Bev had a large wedding cake and a buffet luncheon. I brought over some of my albums and records to play. After Grandma and Grandpa Williams left and the older folks, a booze party began. I had my first taste of Champagne. Marie gave it to me. It tastes like flat sweet beer. I don't like it. We came home around 9:30 and watched TV some before going to bed early. 'The weather is cloudy 70 degree. It’s supposed to rain tonight. 'The reception was nice, but it was no fun for the teenagers. Beverly Danforth and Paul Watrous were married 20 April 1968 in El Monte, California. Tom and Jean Horan went up to the mountains for a IittIe while.

""[In France PM Georges Pompidou made a speech conceding to the demand to reopen the universities and implied the government would release arrested students. The night of May 10-11 became known as the ``Night of the Barricades.’ These events galvanized public support for the students. Ralph Abernathy, Martin Luther King Jr.'s designated successor, and the Southern Christian Leadership Corps are granted a permit for an encampment on the mall in Washington, DC. Eventually, despite nearly a solid month of rain, over 2,500 people will eventually occupy Resurrection City. On June 24th, the site is raided by police, 124 occupants arrested, and the encampment demolished.

""Sunday 12 May 1968 Mother’s Day

""Got up and cleaned up the backyard by picking, up all the papers. It was a pretty warm morning but by noon it was cold again. Terry Pierce was working on his car, and he sent me to the auto parts store to get several things for him. I was gone most of the afternoon driving around. Had a ham sandwich for lunch. Mom isn't feeling too well today. Charline has been sick for the past few days. I've been reading The Dirty Dozen most of the day. Got very little of my homework done. The weather 73 degrees and it did rain last night. In the news old Robert Kennedy is expecting, another baby again.

""Monday 13 May 1968 11:50 P.M. I went to school today and in P. E. played soft ball. Yuck! We should start swimming soon. Hope I don't get the nose bleeds I did as a freshman. The school uses powder chlorine, and they made all us kids jump in to stir it up. I got a clog of chlorine up my nose, and it burned a fine hole in a vein lining the inside of my nose and every time I would get hot or flushed my nose would bleed. At night I'd rollover in bed, rub my nose on the pillow and it would bleed all over my sheets. Sitting in class I would get a hot flash and my nose would start to bleed. I ruined so many clothes and sheets that year. My nose is still sensitive, but it doesn't bleed Iike it use too. Today was Girl's Hush Day where the girls couldn't speak to a boy unless she goes out with them. At lunch we had an egg throw. After school I took Joey Calamitas and Donna Stone home. Later I went by my oId Jr High and went to see my oId Art teacher Miss Wattles. She is one of my all-time favorite teachers. [She thought I was so talented in Art, and she was the one that had my work exhibited in the Laguna Art Festival that August of 1965. I had three works on display, A water color of' a Chinese Woman and her pear tree, a crayon and paint picture of the Last Days of Pompeii and a batik style painting of a clipper sailing ship. I was the only student to have had three works on display. Miss Wattles also had a figurine I made displayed in the Anaheim Public Library. Miss Wattles was special to me because she made me feel special.] I went to the store several times today. It’s still special to be driving. For dinner Mom fixed corn bread, corn on the cob, and steak, but I didn't eat any. Mom also fixed a coconut white cake later for dessert. I mowed the back lawn today and watched TV the rest of the night. The weather was 73 Degrees and sort of warm. Also digged a little garden for my okra today under Mom' s bedroom window. I hope Eugene McCarty wins the primary. I would like to see him, President.

""[Peace talks between the US and North Vietnam began in Paris. In France, a general strike and monster demonstration took place in Paris. Some 1,000,000 French demonstrated in support of student protesters. The actions taken by the students and instructors at the Sorbonne inspires sympathetic strikes throughout France. As many as nine million workers are on strike by May 22. President de Gaulle takes action to shore up governmental power, making strident radio addresses and authorizing large movements of military troops within the country. These shows of force eventually dissipate the French revolutionary furor.]

""Tuesday 14 May 1968 Its 9:30 p.m. Played handball in P.E, and I smashed my hand against the wall. It hurts pretty bad. Goofed around at lunch and went to a SPOT Club meeting. [SPOT stands for Society of Politically Oriented Teenagers. I think Greg Wolford and Doug Nassif started it last year and I really liked it. It's the only high school organization that had ever captured my interest. The first meeting I went to in the fall of 1967 we discussed song lyrics like the Strawberry Alarm Clock and political issues.] It was a real groove. We had another Color Day event. Will have one all this week. I have a lot of homework to do and my hand hurts to write. Oh well. Got a phone call from my cousin Kay. What a surprise! We had spaghetti and French bread for dinner. Planted my okra plants. Hope the soil is warm enough. Charline still isn't feeling well, and I also got a head ache. The weather is ok, I guess. 75 Degrees. In the news Robert Kennedy is the winner in Nebraska. Just as long as he doesn't win the Presidency, I'll be happy.

""[The Beatles in NYC announced the formation of their Apple Corp. Adm. Husband Edward Kimmel (b.1882), commandant US Ocean fleet WW II, died in Connecticut. Some historians, such as submariner Captain Edward L. "Ned" Beach, later believed Admiral Kimmel and Army Lieutenant General Walter Short became scapegoats for the failures of their superiors prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor and that their careers were effectively and unfairly ruined.]

""Wednesday 15 May 1968

""Went to school but didn't do anything in PE because of' my hand. We were on Pep assembly schedule today, so all our classes were only 45 minutes. We saw this movie made by Zeno Klinker about early airplanes and it was pretty bad. Today we had Harm Day when girls were auctioned off to be slaves to the boys. Dave Osterman sure had fun as the auctioneer. In English I chose my English classes for next year. I'm taking Creative Writing and Individual Reading. In Art I finished up my large painting and didn't have much fun. Miss Burns wasn't in a very good mood. When I got home, I didn't do anything but go to the store a few times. Listen to the KHJ Survey at night and TIGHTEN UP is #1. I like being able to have a room of' my own where I can lay on my bed listen to the radio or read or do whatever I want without everybody watching and bugging me. I'm still reading THE DIRTY DOZEN. We had fried chicken, biscuits, and gravy for dinner. My cat Eliza looks a little sick. In fact, she looks very sick. I'm really afraid she might die. The weather is 75 degrees. Cold in the morning and warmer in the afternoon.

""Letter from Kay Johnson 15 May 1968

""Dear Junior. Hello once more. Thanks for that stuff from Disneyland. Next time I'm in Six Flags I'll get you something. ha! Also, thanks for being so understanding. I should have known you wouldn't be mad. But I had to be sure. Boy I just made the biggest mistake of my life. You knew that Mom had twins before she had me and John, didn't you? And they died. Well, I was working at this junk the other nite and I found this little bracelets that said Johnson. I went running into the living room and said "What’s this dad? Your dog tags?" Mother started crying and Dad says, "You'd better put that up and quit being a little brat." They've been really indifferent to me since then. I feel horrible about it. Mom never talks about the twins. It must have hurt her and dad a lot to lose them. What should I do? Apologize? I wish it hadn't of happened. Number one song out here is still "Honey". It’s about time for it to rot. I hate it and they play it all the time. I like "Look to Your Soul", and "Can I Carry Your Balloon? " I'm glad you got to see "Bonnie and Clyde". Here's a joke. Did you know that two people are making a new make of Bonnie and Clyde? Its gonna star Twiggy and Dr. Spock. It'll be called "Bony and Clod. "Ha! Well by the time you get this letter I'll probably be out of school. We get out the 16th of May. When will you be coming back? I'm patiently waiting. I'm sorry Charline and Donna got laid off. John and Ginger are both working now. How are your folks? I've already told you how mine are. Have you heard that song "Yummy, Yummy" by the Ohio Expressway It just came on the radio. Pretty good. Well, it’s time for me to close. Write soon. Love Kay. PS The Monkees stink! ha! ha!

""[US Marines relieved army troops in Nhi Ha, South Vietnam, after a fourteen-day battle. A tornado at Jonesboro, Arkansas, killed 34 people. Another near Anchorage, Alaska, killed one person.]

""16 May 1968 Thursday

""I went to school again and played basketball in P.E. It was fun. In history argued with Mr. Mesa and Monica Munoz about Slavery. They made it sound like Southerners were killers and murderers and I said on the most part they were kind to their slaves. Grandma Johnson said, “Why Yes they loved their old Massas.” At lunch we had a pie auction and this one kid bided up to $10 to hit a teacher in the face with a pie! It was quite Amusing. I had to take a English make-up test in Mr. West’s class. I goofed around in Art. My cat Eliza looks a little better. I hope she is recovering. Mom is coming down with whatever Charline has. We had steak for dinner. The weather is finally starting to warm up. 80 degrees. In the news last Tues. and Wed, the Mid-West was struck by almost 70 tornadoes! The Paris Peace talks aren’t going to well. I wrote Kay today.

""16 May 1968 Letter from Grandma Johnson-

""Dear Grandson, Hope you feel better than I do. Been going to a chiropractor with my back. Said was muscle spasms. Whatever it is it hurts. I can sympathize with John. Dr. say that’s what he has. The rain and storms are enough to give anybody spasms. Poor J. W. said he would half to plant everything over. The only free thing he ever won in his life was his vacation and can't take it. The old lake is going over the spill way. Fishing no good. Grandad and Mr. England put out a trot line. Taken 2 big channel cats off yesterday and several small ones. Yes, you can help him run his trot line. Mr. Husky works at Hamlin. Came over to his house and stayed at night. Leave 5 a.m. in morning. Oh, to keep Buddy in school. He starts at Tech soon. Well, the niggers and nigger lovers are all camped in Shanty town in Washington. Yes, old Robert and Ethel are expecting their 11 though looks like he might be the father of our country yet and Lynda Robb will have one, if LBJ as crazy over it as he is Lucy's he might as well give up the White House. I'll lay down. I can't hardly get up when I get down but maybe my oId cotton picking back will be ok soon. Write me even if Charline and Donna has forgot me.

""Love Grandma

""17 May 1968 Friday.

""Went to school and didn't do nothing all day. Today was Color Day when you can wear anything you want to school. Usually, the dress code is slacks or cords for boys, no T-shirts, only sports shirts that have to tucked in, no tennis shoes, and no hair below the ear but today I wore blue jeans and a T-Shirt. After school we had a carnival sponsored by the different school clubs. I gave some records to be used by the SPOT Club I belong to. Somebody kept playing Jefferson Airplane’s White Rabbit over and over again. I love that song though I'm not into drug. Around 6:00 took Mom up to where Dad works and then I went back to the carnival. After a while I picked up Jaeger and brought him to it also. It was fun. I met a lot of kids down there I knew. Most of them went to the school dance afterwards but Jaeger and I went cruising down Beach Blvd. Got back home around 11:30. For dinner I went to McDonalds. The weather is pleasant more like Spring, and summer. 80 Degrees. In the news Saigon is being rocketed and bombed by a new Viet Cong Offensive.

""[In Maryland, the Catonsville Nine including Daniel and Phillip Berrigan (d.2002), a Catholic priest, took hundreds of files from the draft board at the Knights of Columbus building and set them on fire with gasoline and soap chips.]

""Saturday 18 May 1968

""12:20 a.m. I got up and took a shower as usual. Had to put the cat outside because she was heaving. I walked to Alpha Beta because Dad took the car. Bought cokes for Mom, Charline, and Me. Mom has a bad sore throat. Charline still doesn’t feel well. I laid out in the back yard for about an hour trying to start a sun tan. When dad came home, I went to the store to get some medicine for my hand. Mom and dad went over to Frank and Barb Welte yesterday and today. I had Pepperoni Pizza for dinner. Very warm almost hot today 87 Degrees. This is the weather I love. In the news Saigon's government got switched again and Bombs and rockets are still falling on the city. The Paris Peace talks again failed to accomplish anything.

""Sunday 19 May 1968 10:30 p.m. Got up early and ate breakfast then Mom told me that Eliza my cat had died. I felt so bad for a while. Then Donna and Terry brought home a little gray fluffy kitten. It has blue eyes and a white face. It's very cute but Eliza can't be replaced but I do like this kitten very much. I want to call her Esmeralda, but Donna and Terry want to call it Fluffy. It was a warm summer like day and it’s still kind of warm. 87 degrees was the temperature. I went driving around quite a bit by myself today. Finished putting Elmer's glue all over my large picture and now it’s finished. Mom fixed fried chicken and rolls for dinner. Mom still has a sore throat. Charline's getting better. Saigon is still being rocketed and Kennedy's still in the news. Oh Wow! Sarcasm.

""Monday 20 May 1968, I didn't go to the school. Went to the store a few times. Had BBQ steak and baked potatoes with cheese sauce for dinner. For desert had while cake with coconut icing. I did a lot of the washing today and in the evening watched TV the rest of the night. Larry Jaeger came over around 3:00 and we went for a coke at McDonald's. Esmeralda is sure playful but she's not feeling well. Mom is still pretty sick with a cold. Donna found a job today. Now just Mom and Charline have to find work. The weather is very warm and summery 85 degrees. In the news France is having a labor strike that is paralyzing the country. Saigon is still being rocketed.

""Tuesday 21 May 1968

""11: 45 p. m. Went to school today and I was told to shave off my sideburns because they were too long. They are mid-ear and aren't supposed to go past the top of your ear. I only grow them long because I had cut myself deep shaving. We have another kitten now. Charline gave me a kitten for my own. I'm going to call her Jasmine. The other is Fluffy. No one wants to call her Esmerelda but me. Mom and Dad are really upset because Charline told them she was pregnant! It seems so unreal like it really couldn't be happening to us. Things like this happen to other people not to us! What Charline, and Mom and Dad will do now, I don't know. It’s a strange feeling knowing that Mom's first Grandchild will be illegitimate. What can I say or do? I feel so helpless. Mom is crying and I know Dad is upset but doesn't say anything. I guess she got pregnant when she went home with Gary Clark last February. Charline found a job today which helps. Charline said Gary doesn't know about it. He's out at sea and won't be home till sometime this summer. We had pork chops for dinner, and it rained this morning, but it cleared up to a be a sunny day. 80 Degrees.

""Wednesday 22 May 1968

""Went to school today and we started swimming today in P. E. We are finally doing something I like but I'll probably get out of it with a medical. They've been locking all the gates lately and now I have to go the long way to go home for lunch. Really feel like a prisoner now. Went driving around for Donna and Terry. Now Donna is terribly ill. Mom is getting better but still feels very bad. Charline is completely over it. I thank God that I haven't come down with it. We had barbequed steak for dinner and coconut cream pie for desert. I went to the last SPOT club meeting for the year. It was really interesting, and Greg Wolford talked the most. The weather is very warm except at night 85 degrees in the day. In the news a helicopter crashed in L.A. killing 23 people. THIS

""GUY'S IN LOVE WITH YOU by Herb Alpert is #1 on KHJ.

""[The nuclear-powered US submarine Scorpion, with 99 men aboard, sank in the Atlantic Ocean. It was declared lost on June 5. Remains of the sub were found in October on the ocean floor 400 miles southwest of the Azores.]

""Thursday 23 May 1968

""10:55 P.M. Went to school today and did poorly on my algebra test. They're cleaning the pool today, so we played handball in P.E. I've been reading a book on the English Kings and Windsor Castle. It’s interesting. Jaeger and a friend of his came over in the evening and we went out for a coke. I had ham with BBQ sauce and a green salad which I made for dinner. My okra plants are coming along and some of the plums are turning red. The front and back yard are now browning with the coming

""of summer. Mom and Donna are still sick. Charline quit her job today. She said it was too much for her. The kittens sure do like to play now, Yesterday night Steve Crosby, a boy from Rancho, hit a boy while driving and the boy died. The weather is warm and very cumulous cloudy. 85 Degrees.

""Friday 24 May 1968

""Went to school and Coach Starr and Coach Darr's classes swam together so I didn't do anything in P.E. Had a test in history on WWII. At lunch I talked to Jerry Smith and Fred Townsend and got a school newspaper. Goofed around the rest of the school day. At home I took the bottles back to the store, so I'll have money for the show tonight. Jaeger and I and Bill Lyons were going to go, then Bill couldn’t, and we couldn't get a hold of Randy Kollar so at the last moment we went and called up John Adams and he went with us. We went to the Lincoln Drive-In and saw the CONQUEROR WORM and PYSCHE OUT. The latter was the better of the two movies. We drove around just a little afterwards. Went to bed at 12: 00. Just had coke and Candy for dinner. The weather is warm and clear. 87 Decrees. A very warm night.

""[The Rolling Stones, an English rock band, released "Jumping Jack Flash" in England. The US release was on June 1. Pres. De Gaulle proposed a referendum and students set fire to Paris. Rioters set fire to the Paris Bourse. ]

""Saturday 25 May 1968

""Mom got me up at 4:10 a.m. this morning because Marie's mother, Mrs. Buelhman died. Me and Charline drove over to Walnut to take care of the kids and clean the house while Marie was away making the arrangements. I washed Marie's kitchen floor and let the kids make mud pies because Marie hadn't told them yet. When Milton told the kids that their grandma had died Gregory couldn't understand it. Bonnie and Bill and Larry, Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa Williams came over to make supper. We had Pot Roast and Potato Salad, and fried chicken, and two cream pies. Mrs. Buelhman had been in the hospital for heart surgery and died of a heart attack. I never knew her very well. Myrtle was her name, I think. That afternoon Larry and I went driving around and he came home with Charline and I to spend the night. Larry is a good kid. We watched TV before going to bed at 1 :00 a.m. 88 degrees and very warm today and warm at night.

""[The Gateway Arch, part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, was dedicated by Vice President Hubert Humphrey and Interior Secretary Stewart Udall.]

""25 May 1968 Letter from Cousin Kay Johnson

""Dear Cousin, how are you today? I am in the greatest mood I've ever been in since the time we played Skip-to last summer. Ha! No really, I've been having so much fun out of school. I've been swimming every day. You should see my beautiful tan. (Right now, it's one big blister but in time it'll turn brown). I'm sorry I haven't written sooner. I'll try to make it up for it by making this letter extra-long. (Now doesn't that thrill you?) Well June 1st, me and my girlfriend are going down to the lake. We'll just stay about a week. Grandma invited me down to try out the boat before you guys be there. You're sure you want me to teach you to ski? I don't do it so well myself, but we could have fun doing it together. I was going down to John and Ginger's after school was over but Ginger is coming back here to visit her folks. She'll go back to Texarkana about June 10th, and she invited me to go with her. We'll fly back. Mom said you'll be back around the 1st of July, so I'll be back in plenty of time to see you. Are ya’ll still planning to go to the Hemisfair. I hope you are. If you do you might have someone trailing, you are around. Guess Who? Do you think your finals will be hard? I hope you make good on them. I got exempt on most of mine. You' just got about 15 days? Right? Oh well the last days always go faster. Saw any good shows on TV lately? Sunday night the DIARY OF ANNE FRANK comes on. I plan to watch that cause everybody says it really good. I went to see UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE the other day. It wasn't very good. I went with Sharon my cousin. You're so lucky to have your license. I'm supposed to get my beginner license the second semester of my freshman year. I'll be 15 then. What's number one out there? It's I LOVE YOU by the People out here. I like YOU’VE GOT ME HANGING FROM YOUR LOVE TREE by the IN Crowd, and YUMMY I GOT LOVE IN MY TUMMY and CHOO TRAIN by the Box tops. Mom's giving a wedding shower for this girl, and we've been cleaning house in the mornings. I tell you I hate that. Well, I've just about talked Dad out or hoeing this summer. I tell you I really hate that. Don't you wished you lived on a farm so you could hoe all summer? Ha! This letter isn't making much sense so I'd better Close. Write back sooner than I did. Have fun in school. Love Kay. P.S. It's been about a week since schools been out and I've already forgotten how to write in case you've noticed.

""Sunday 26 May 1968

""Got up this morning at 8:00 and cleaned up my room and emptied all the trash. We had a large breakfast with bacon, eggs, biscuits, and fried potatoes. At 10:30 Larry and I went to the Beach at the Huntington Pier. It sure was crowded and it was a very hot day, a real scorcher in fact. In the news there was a half million people at the beach today. Anyways we stayed for 1 and a half hours. Didn't go into the water just

""laid in the sun, read, and listen to the radio. I’ve both got sun burnt but I didn't burn as bad as I usually do but I'm still red. After leaving the beach took Larry home to Buena Park and it was so hot! and smoggy! And the traffic was so congested. I dropped by Grandma and Grandpa Williams for a few minutes before leaving to go home. At home it was still hot! We had spaghetti for dinner. Everybody sure is bearing the heat. The plum tree is almost ripe now. Talked to Mr. Casas next door some. 100 degrees was the weather and very hot clear day.

""Monday 27 May 1968

""11:00 p.m. Went to school today but didn’t do nothing. Reviewed for a test tomorrow in Algebra. The class swam in P. E. though I didn’t. Won't be doing nothing really in history for the rest of the year. Went home for lunch. In 5th period English we are still reviewing Poetry. We had a critique in Art. When I got home from school, I watched reruns of LOVE THAT BOB as always. I never miss a day. That' s one of my all-time favorite shows with Bob Cummings, Ann B. Davis, Rosemary DeCamp, and Dwayne Hickman. In the evening ran errands by going to the store a couple of times. I made an apple pie today and we had it for desert. I got a letter from my cousin Kay today. Watched a movie UNTAMED at night. For dinner Mom fixed ham, corn, beans, and we had ice cream and pie for desert. The weather was much cooler today. 90 Degrees. In L.A. it was 103 Decrees. In the news an atomic submarine is reported missing with 99 men on board. The Poor People's march on Washington is still making the news and there is rioting in Louisville, Kentucky.

""[Memorial Day was celebrated. The last Monday of the month was set aside in 1968 to remember those who had died in the service of their country. Memorial Day, which began in 1868 as Decoration Day, had been celebrated on May 30 for the first 100 years. ]

""Tuesday 28 May 1968

""10:00 p.m. Went to school and had a test in Algebra. I had to fold towels in P. E. because of my medical. It made me get into a really bad mood. Read in history and then I went home for lunch. Mom was just leaving to go with Dad to Mrs. Buehlman's funeral. I went back to school and got out of English to get my picture taken for next year records. I finished the critique in Art and Joey Calmitas says she doesn't want to be

""a hippie anymore. Had two hamburgers for dinner. Went to the store several times once with Jerry Smith where I bought him his PLAYBOY joke book. My Cat Fluffy has diarrhea and Dad's been mad and wants to get rid of him. Donna has a new job and Charline went over to Marie’s to watch the kids during the funeral. In the news Eugene McCarthy beat Kennedy in the Oregon Primary and Nixon beat Reagan and Rockefeller. The Atomic Sub is still missing. Dennis and Louie old friends of Donna's came over today.

""[Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy beat Sen. Robert F. Kennedy in the Democratic primary in Oregon. ]

""Wednesday 29 May 1968-

""Weather 75 degrees and dreary in the morning. Went to school today and we graded our tests in Algebra. In P.E. played handball with Larry Jaeger but against Steve Hall and Phil Taylor. We declared war but later in the day we settled the dispute with honorable peace negotiations. Ha! In history we are reviewing for the semester finals. After that we had a school Pep rally which I ditched and went home until after lunch. Came back to Mrs. Heming's class and we're still covering poems. I didn't do nothing in Art except talk to Joey Calimitas and Lynn Johnson. After school came home and watched Love That Bob. For dinner had fried chicken. THIS GUY’S IN LOVE WITH YOU by Herb Alpert is number 1 on KHJ. In the news the air force picked up signals from the missing sub and in France the labor strike is throwing France into a turmoil. They say DE Gaulle may lose his neck. Kennedy says if he loses the California primary, he won't run for President. I hope he loses.

""[Pres. Johnson signed the Truth in Lending Act into law. UN Resolution 253 resolved sanctions on white-minority-ruled Rhodesia.]

""Thursday 30 May 1968 Memorial Day

"" The Weather 70 decrees and miserable weather. I got out of school today. Donna and Terry and Dad all got off work also. I've been trying to lose weight and I've a little 168 lbs. In the afternoon I went to Huntington Beach, but it was so crowded. The traffic was bumper to bumper stop and go all the way down Beach Blvd. When I finally got to Huntington, I couldn't even find a place to park it was so crowded. I got disgusted and left and went home but first I went over to Larry Jaeger’s, and we went to IRVINE PARK just to be driving around. I had to put gas in the car before I could go home because I drove over 67 miles! For dinner Mom fixed hamburger patties. In the news France is falling apart. DE Gaulle dismissed the national Assembly, and the Franc is worthless.

""[French Pres. Charles de Gaulle delivered a forceful televised address in order to regain control of public opinion, thrown into confusion by the political events resulting from a student protest.]

""Friday 31 May 1968-

""Weather 80 degrees and hazy. Didn't go to school today either. Everyone else went back to work. I watched TV and worked on my term paper for history a lot today. For dinner we had hamburgers. I watched a special on Niggars in Viet Nam. It was ok. I've still haven't finished reading Jubilee but I'm almost through. I still got the DIRTY DOZEN,&THE SOURCE to finish and here it is the last day in May, and I can't believe it. The year is going by so fast. Tomorrow will be June, then school will be out, I'll go back to Texas for the summer, then school will begin again. Summer will end and winter will commence. Then it will be Christmas, then New Year's, and God the years are flying. When I was a child, they seemed endless. In the news the message from that lost sub

""is probably a hoax.

""JUNE

""Saturday 1 June 1968- It’s three a. m. and I'm writing this though I am half asleep. I worked on my term paper all day and I’m beat. I went to the store two times for Dad today. It’s still seems strange for me to be driving. For lunch I had tacos. Charline has been a real bitch today and we fought most of the day. Donna and Terry went up to the mountains for the weekend and are staying at Tom and Jean Horan's cabin at Running Springs. Tom and Jean lets us use it because Dad had helped build it. I think they started the cabin back in 1964 and still haven't got it finished. It’s more than a cabin it’s more like a house. [I remember Dad bought us some toboggan sleds and we would go up in the winter and tobogganing down the hill in front of Jean's cabin. Usually, Tom and Jean were up when we were there, so it was really fun. One time I remember Tom and Jean had their two boxers Beauregard and I can't think of his name, we would bring Tag our Boston Terrier and at night I would lie awake and hear Tom, Jean, Mom, Dad, the two Boxers, and Tag all snoring in a row. Snort whistle, snort whistle, snort whistle all through the night. It was really funny. In the Spring it was great to go up to the cabin and collect all the pop bottles Jean had tossed out into the snow thru out the winter. We always came home with a fortune from those diet-rite pop bottles at three cents a bottle. Anyways that’s where Donna and Terry are for the weekend.] I watched "Little Foxes" on the Late, Late Show and it was really good. The weather today was hazy 80 Degrees and slightly breezy. In the news Helen Keller died at the age of 87, I think. I loved the movie the "Miracle Worker" which was about Helen Keller's teacher Anne Sullivan. Also, tonight Eugene McCarthy and Robert Kennedy are debating here in Los Angeles. Mom and Dad said they were going to vote for McCarthy. Great! He's for the end of the War. They still found no trace of the Scorpion that Atomic Submarine that was lost and the Niggers are still marching on Washington and built a tent city. If they worked as much as they marched, they wouldn't be poor!

""[The British television series "The Prisoner," starring Patrick McGoohan, had its American premiere on CBS. Author-lecturer Helen Keller (87), who earned a college degree despite being blind and deaf most of her life, died in Westport, Conn. In 1980 Joseph Lash published "Helen and Teacher," the story of Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan.]

""Sunday 2 June 1968

""It’s 10:30 at night. Dad got me up this morning early to work on the pickup which we did until around 12:30 p.m. I was getting mad because he wouldn't let me work on my term paper, so we got into another terrific fight. I hate it when he swears at me. Can't he tell I don't care if I ever know how to rebuild an engine. Donna and Terry returned from the mountains today. They said it was hot up at Running Springs. I had barbequed steak for dinner and a cream pie for desert. Around 7:30 some relatives dropped in that we haven't seen in a long time. They are my mom’s first cousins Oscar and Myrtle Peters. They are really old and are related to Grandma Johnson somehow. I watched Bonanza on TV after they left. In the news Kennedy and McCarthy said in their debate last night that they would both dump Dean Rusk. Good! I think he is gross how he is running the war. The weather was 83 Degrees and a little breezy.

""Monday 3 June 1968 Mom's Birthday.

""She's 39 years old born 1929. It’s also Jeff Davis' birthday. 69 Degrees today. I went to school today although it was a supreme effort. Didn't do nothing. Joey said she's moving to Santa Ana, but she'll still be going to Rancho Alamitos. Good. She's become my buddy in Algebra. Charline got Mom a cake for her birthday, and I worked the rest of day on my term paper until 1:30 then I went to bed. I had steak for dinner. The weather is very overcast with the threat of rain soma times this week. The candidates are still campaigning in and around Los Angeles for tomorrows Primary. I sure hope McCarthy wins. The plum tree is ripe now. It’s the best.

""[Valerie Solanas, founder of the Society for Cutting Up Men (SCUM), and author of the "SCUM Manifesto," shot Andy Warhol with a .32 automatic in his New York film studio, known as The Factory. Warhol survived but Solanas was judged insane and served three years in a psychiatric prison. She died in 1989 at 52 in a welfare hotel in San Francisco of bronchial pneumonia and emphysema. A film titled "I Shot Andy Warhol" opened in 1996 and featured Lili Taylor as Solanas. June 3 Andy Warhol is shot in his New York City loft by Valerie Solanis, a struggling actress, and writer.]

""Tuesday 4 June 1968

""At 12:45 a.m. I was still up typing my term paper on the kitchen table when while listening to the radio a bulletin broke into the music. Robert Kennedy at his victory celebration at the Ambassador Hotel had been shot! I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I stayed up listening to the news. Rumors flew high and wide, so I didn't know what had actually happened until later. Kennedy has a bullet in his brain and is not expected to live. They took him to the Good Samaritan Hospital in L.A. Ted Kennedy is flying into L.A. to be with his brother. I didn’t like Robert Kennedy, but I sure didn’t want this to happen to him. It’s really sad and makes me think of JFK's assassination back in 1963. I will remember that day for the rest of my life. I was 12 years old and in 7th grade. I was in 5th period Biology when they announced over the intercom that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas. It seemed to me that the whole world had gone topsy turvy. Danny Battreall who was in 8th grade and some of his friends ditched at lunch and we went home. We just couldn't stay in school and have life go on business as usual. Now Robert Kennedy has been shot! I wonder what History is going to say about the decade of the Sixties. I think America is slowly becoming outraged at all this violence. Went to bed at 4:30 a.m. after finishing my term paper. The weather was very overcast today 70 degrees. Had spaghetti for dinner. In today’s Primary Kennedy won over McCarthy 43% to 40%. Mom and Dad voted for Eugene McCarthy.

""[Robert Kennedy won the California democratic Presidential Primary whose candidates included Eugene McCarthy. Vice-Pres. Hubert Humphrey had declined to enter the California primary. Robert F. Kennedy was shot and mortally wounded at the Ambassador Hotel in LA just after claiming victory in California's Democratic presidential primary. Gunman Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was immediately arrested. On the night of the California Primary Robert Kennedy addresses a large crowd of supporters at the Ambassador Hotel in San Francisco. He has won victories in California and South Dakota and was confident that his campaign would go on to unite the many factions stressing the country. As he left the stage, at 12:13 AM on the morning of the fifth Kennedy was shot by Sirhan, a 24-year-old Jordanian living in Los Angeles. The motive for the shooting was apparently anger at several pro-Israeli speeches Kennedy had made during the campaign. The forty-two-year-old Kennedy dies in the early morning of June sixth.]

""Wednesday 5 June 1968

""Weather Windy and Cloudy 68 Degrees. Its 10 p.m. Today I only went to 3rd and 4th period. In P.E. Jaeger finally went off the high dive. He had been afraid of heights, but the coach made us all jump to pass swimming. Turned in my History Term Paper. Most of the kids at school were still talking about Robert Kennedy. I came home at lunch and stayed. After school went over to Larry Jaeger's and returned some books and a hole punch. Later went to the store and bought some paints. We had stew for dinner today. I got a letter from Grandma Johnson today. I wrote my cousin Kay and painted a psychedelic design on the envelope. "MONY" is the number one song this week on KHJ. My favorites are still "Tuesday Afternoon" by the Moody Blues and "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane and of course "Mrs. Robinson" by Simon and Garfunkel “and here’s to you Mrs. Robinson Jesus loves you more than you call say hey.” Robert Kennedy is still in the news and is still critical. Jackie Kennedy came to L.A. from London to be by his side. They finally learnt who the suspect was that shot him. He is some Arab from Jerusalem and only 23 years old. The world leaders all had something to say about it today and President Johnson gave about the best speech I've ever heard him give. "Mah feller Amarikins Eyee come befour you with a heavy hart." The Atomic submarine is officially listed as lost. Those poor sailors. I hate to even think about it.

""6 June 1968 Thursday

""Weather no smog and cloudy skies 75 Degrees. Its 10:30 p.m. I woke up this morning at 7:45 and heard on the news that Kennedy had died. I was really surprised for I surely thought he’d make it. I went to school today and there all my classes were talking about nothing else but Kennedy. At lunch I had a pencil fight with Steve Hall in fun. He got me a good one. After school I came home and did some housework before painting my finally project for Art. Had hamburgers for dinner tonight. Yesterday Tag our Boston Terrier ran away like he always does when some dog is in heat, but he hasn't come back yet. He's such a horny dog. But I’m worried because he is blind in one eye and is getting old. We have had Tag since I was in 7th grade when Mom brought him home from work. Some man who she worked with didn't want him anymore because his little boy had put his eye out. Tag hated little kids at first until Timmy Battreall next door walked him every day and Tag got over his hating little kids. In the news Sirhan, the guy who shot Kennedy might have an accomplice, a woman wearing a polka dot dress.

""[Sen. Robert F. Kennedy died at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, a day after he was shot by Sirhan Bishara Sirhan. ]

""6th June 1968 Letter written to my cousin Kay Johnson

""Hello Kay, fellow Texans, and all the ships at sea. Sorry I've taken so long in writing, but I've really been busy with last minute rushes. Now with school almost out.

""Last night I stayed up to 4:30 a.m. finishing my term paper. I've worked on it since Memorial holiday. School will be out in 8 more days- 6 school days. I guess I won't come back until July, but I wanted to come back right after school is out. Grandma wants me to come back in July so I guess I will.

""How’s things back there? Are you having fun at the lake? Do you go water skiing much? There won't be anything going on out here in Los Angeles until school is out. California just had its primary the 4th. I talked Mom and Dad into voting for McCarthy. He lost though to Kennedy.

""I guess you heard of him being shot at the Ambassador Hotel here in Los Angeles just after celebrating his victory. It was a bulletin on the radio at 12 that night I was typing my term paper. I was shocked because who would have thought he would be shot in Los Angeles? You should be glad you're not out here because this is all that’s on the TV and radio.

""You know when you think of it, there's something wrong somewhere when there has been 3 assassinations in the past recent years on public figures. You know Kay I never realized what a sick society we've living in until now. I never liked Kennedy or anything but still this is getting ridiculous.

""Well anyways the 3rd was Mom's birthday, but she is still not feeling really well. One of our kittens turned out to be a tom cat so we're going to call them Bonnie and Clyde.

"" Don't mind my writing because I'm using one of the worst pens I've ever seen. It’s one of those fine points which I can't stand.

""I'm going to the show this Friday, but I don't know what we're going to see. I might not go through because the weather out here is overcast like it might rain sometime this week. I've been to the beach a few times, but the weather hasn't been all that good.

""This letter won't be long because I'm so tired I can hardly see straight. I'd only had one and half' hour of sleep last night. President Johnson is on the radio now giving a speech. Since I know you know I'm just writing nonsense I'll finish now. Say hello to everybody for me back there. Your humble servant. Junior P. S. Jackie Kennedy is in L. A. now. Thrilled to hear it aren’t ya?

""The #1 song out here is THIS GUY'S IN LOVE WITH YOU by Herb Alpert. My favorites are CHOO CHOO TRAIN, ANGEL IN The MORNING, MACARTHUR PARK, SKY PILOT,

""and WITCHITA TRAIN WHISTLE by Mike Nesbitt.

"" The Top 20 Songs for May 15^th are: 20 Association’s Time for Livin’. 19 Willie Mitchell’s Soul Serenade, 18 Ray Stevens “Unwid, 17 Beach Boys “Friens, 16 Thommy James and tehShondell’s Mony Mony, 15 the Rascals A beautiful Morning, 14, Bill Medley’s I Can’t Make It Alone, Dionne Warrick’s Doo You know theWay to San Jose, 12 Ain’t Nothing Like The reall Thing, 11 Spanky and Our Gang Like To Get To Know You. 10 Troggs’ Love Is All Around, 9- Friends 7 Lovers Reach Out of the Darkness, * I could Never Love anotehr, 7. Intruders Cowboy to Girls, 6 Andy Kim’s How’d We Ever Get This Way, 5-Richard Harris’s Macarthur Park, 4 This Guy’s In Love With You, 3 Simon and Garfunckle’s Mrs. Robinson, 2- The Good The Bad and the Ugley. 1. Archie Bell and Drell’s Tighten Up

"" The Top Songs for May 22 I can’t Mayke It Alone, Love Is All Around, Baby You Come Rolling Across My Mind, Soul Seranade, Cowboy to Girls, Los Bravos’ Bringa Little Livin;, Time for Living, Tighten Up, Merilee Rush’s Angel of the Mornin, Aint Nothing Like te Rel Thing. Aretha Franklin’s Think, Like to Get to Know You Reach Out of the Darkness, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, I could Never Love Another, Mony, Mony, MacArthur Park, How’s We Ever Get This Way, Mrs Roeberson and 1. This Guys’s In Love With You.

"" Top 20 sogs for May 29Rolling Stones’ Jumping Jack Flash, Humperdinck’s Aman Without Love, 5^th Dimensions Stones Soul Picnic, Like to Get to Know You, baby You came Rolling Across My Mind, Box Top’s Choo Choo Train, Aint Nothing Like the Real Thing, Bring A Little Loving, The Good the Bad and the Ugly, New Colony Six;s I Will Always Think of You, Shorty Long’s Here Coe stye Judge, Mrs. Robinson, Thinkk reach Out of the Darkness, How’s We Ever Get This Way, Macarthu Park, I Could Never Love Another. Mony, Mony 1. This Guy’s In love with you

""Friday 7 June 1968-

""I went to school and got back into Algebra without any trouble. We swam in P.E. by sneaking into the pool area with Jaeger’s help. Reviewed some more in history for the final. Mr. Mesa is such a butthole. Went home for lunch then went back to school for fifth period English. I really think Mrs. Herning is really cool and we are reviewing the different forms of poetry. Kathy Shaw, Donna stone, Steve Hall and I sit together and talk although the class, but Mrs. Heming is really cool. I've learned more from her than any other teacher I had this year.[I had Mrs. Appy in 9th grade, and she was neat. She was a IittIe, white haired woman who would get mad when we said something dumb and throw chalk at the board. In 10th grade I had Mrs. Long for English. She was okay but the only thing I can remember out of her class is reading the Old Man and the Sea by Hemmingway. I do really well in English literature but English grammar that's a different story.] Only this kid name John Cunningham does better in Mrs. Herning's class then I do. In Sixth period Art, Miss Burns was neat as usual. I didn't do nothing because I've almost everything done. My favorite picture is a painting of a bull god idol floating in Space. Miss Burns lets us listen to the radio in Art. The song that is hot right now is Cream's new song. After 6th period went to the cafeteria and got my School annual. Larry Jaeger gave me a ride home and I gave Monica's annual to one of her girlfriends to give to her. At home watched TV most of the night and had pizza for dinner. They weren't very good. Weather is overcast and 68 degrees. In the news actor Dan Duryea died and Earl Ray the accused murdered of Martin Luther King is found in England.

""[Dan Duryea (b.1907), film, stage, and TV actor, died. His numerous films included “The Pride of the Yankees” (1942) and “The Flight of the Phoenix” (1965). In South Vietnam, the week-long Operation Swift Saber began. US Marines swept an area 10 miles northwest of Danang.]

""Saturday 8 June 1968-

""I got up and worked on the pick-up truck most of the day. I also cleaned up the back yard some. I've been picking plums. They're ripe and juicy. In the evening I got ready to go to the show with Larry Jaeger. He drove this time. Me, him, Alan Edwards, Bill Lyons, and Dwayne Clemmons came with us. We went to the Lincoln Drive-in because it was a cheap one $3 per car load. We saw TOM JONES and BAREFOOT IN THE PARK. I thought they were both good. Came home at 1:30 a.m. and watched some TV.

""Really didn't have any supper just Cokes and Candy at the show. The weather was a cool 65 Degrees. I hope it gets better. In the news they buried Kennedy five hours alter then what they had planned and three people were killed watching the funeral train go by.

""[Authorities announced the capture in London of James Earl Ray, the suspected assassin of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Robert Kennedy's funeral is held at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York. Senator Edward Kennedy, the youngest brother of John and Robert delivers the eulogy. After the service, the body and 700 guests depart on a special train for the burial at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.]

""Sunday 9 June 1968- Charline's 21st birthday born 1947. Also, children's day.

""I emptied all the trashes and cleaned up my bedroom this morning and, in the afternoon, Donna and I went and got a cake and watermelon for Charline's birthday. Bonnie and Bill and my cousin Larry came over unexpectedly this afternoon and they stayed for a while. Larry Fagan and I went driving around rather than just hanging around for a while and I got to learn more about Larry. He's 14 now and not the brat he used to be. [Not really, I've always liked Larry except when he would break my things. I remember once when Grandma and Grandpa Williams returned from the Seattle World's Fair, they brought me back a globe that had a gyro in it that would spin when held up to the light. It was great but once when Larry was over, he was being bratty and threw a pillow at me that missed and hit the solar bulb and it shattered. I was really mad but what made me madder was that Larry started to cry and Grandma and everybody acted like I was a brat for making Larry cry! Larry was always Grandma's favorite. In the late afternoon Milton and Marie came over with my cousins Stephanie and Gregory for dinner. We barbequed steaks and hamburgers in the backyard and also had cake and ice cream. Some of Terry's friends from New York came over today too and stored some things in the garage. Worked on a "Dada" type painting I started months ago. The weather is 75 Degrees and not too bad. In the news Rumors are that Ted Kennedy might run for President in his brother's place.

""Monday 10 June 1968-

""I went to school today after a restless night with a toothache. I also had cramps in my leg. In Algebra signed annuals and I ditched P.E. because of the shitheads in that class headed by that cocksucker Ernie Vailo. I've never done anything to any of those pricks, but they get in groups and love to pick on kids that aren't soches or popular. I shouldn't let them get to me. I don I t know why but Bill Rigdon hasn't liked me since 7th grade at Marie L. Hare. I can't figure out why they have it end for Jaeger and me. [They called me queer and stuff because I’m not athletic in PE] Monica wasn't here today in History, so Mr. Mesa didn't have to tell us to shut up today. Just signed annuals in that class today too. Can’t believe that the year is almost over already. My junior year wasn't all that hot. Really didn’t like any of my subjects except for Literature and Art. Mr. Mesa spoiled history. Probably the highlights of my junior year was shaking hands with George Wallace at a Political Rally in Costa Mesa last November and going on a field trip to the L.A. art museum last January. Went home for lunch and ditched English. Didn’t come back until 6th period Art. Joey Calimitas was in a bitchen mood and we had so much fun. Even Lynn Johnson was cool. After school Jean Horan asked me to go with her to Santa Ana to look at shops which when we got there were already closed. Mom fixed a pot roast for dinner and for desert we had ice cream and pie. Just watched TV the rest of the night. Terry’s friends came over again. I don't like them. Jean Horan's Mom and Dad are moving to California from Nevada.

""Tuesday 11 June 1968

"" Joey Calamita's 15th birthday. I went to school and goofed off in Algebra. Had to review and read some. In P. E. we just sat in the gym on the bleachers signing annuals and getting ready to turn our locks in and clean out our lockers. I had a hard time in P, E, again from some of the smart asses in that class. I really think Steve Mosher did me dirt because in the 7th and 8th grade everyone thought he was a dork, and he didn't have many friends. I was kind of popular then and I treated him like a friend but in high school he decided that he wanted to be a sosh and he dropped all his old friends me included and hung around only with the "in Crowd". I remember him once in the boys locker room singing the Supremes’ Baby Love and all his "cool friends" thought it was bitchin. In High School Steve Mosher wouldn't give me the time of day after I had befriended him back at Hare. In History I talked with Monica Munoz and Dave Osterman mostly. I went home for lunch and didn't come back to school. At home watched TV as usual and Mom fixed steak for dinner. I haven’t watched any night TV because I have to study for my finals. I read from the Bible some. I love reading the Bible. Mom told me once she hoped I would someday be a preacher. I went to bed early and from here, that’s where I'm writing this. The weather is now cool although it was warm a little today 70 degrees. In the news the Newspapers are really pressing for a strict gun control Bill from Congress, and I think that might be a good idea. The National Rifle Association however is having a fit. Frank Welte once talked me into writing a letter to my congressman against gun control.

""Wednesday 12 June 1968-

""I went to school but only to 1st period Algebra where I took my final in there and it was hard. I didn't go to P.E. because we wouldn’t be doing nothing, so I came home and watched TV Had steak for dinner and then studied some for my finals tomorrow. I finished reading JUBILEE and its pretty good. Better than I thought it would be. I also listen to KHJ survey and JUMPING JACK FLASH by the Rolling Stones is #1 now. In the news the U. S. and Russia are signing a nuclear bomb treaty. Nothing has come from the Paris Peace Talks concerning the War. Jean Horan bought a real old China doll with a real leather body. Charline is starting to get big with her baby.

""[The UN General Assembly adopted a Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of nuclear weapons effective as of Mar 5, 1970. It acknowledged that some countries had nuclear weapons and charged them the obligation of negotiating their elimination. This obligation was expressed in stronger terms in 1996 by the Int’l. Court of Justice. It was opened for signatures on July 1, 1968.]

""Thursday 13 June 1968-

""Went to school this last day of school. In English we signed annuals and took a poetry test. I mainly talked with Donna stone. In History took a hard final in that class then afterwards talked with Monica Munoz and signed annuals. In art I took another final and then talked with Gene Johnson and Joey Calamitas the rest of the period. Then it was over, my whole Junior Year. Now I'm a big bad senior! How can I express in words my feelings about how fast everything is going? Well, no more ditching and writing phony notes. No more Mr. Mesa and no more P.E. Thank God! Not going to miss anyone because my friends I will see over the summer anyways. Larry Jaeger drove me home and kids were honking as they left the parking lot. No more school for three months! Groovy! Later I walked up to see Viv the crosswalk lady. I gave her some plums and some art paper she wanted. She gave me some tomatoes. Had steak again for dinner. The weather is nice 77 degrees. My cats Fluffy and Jasmin play all the time. They are fun to watch. Mom and I picked the rest of the plums today. The '68 crop is all gone.

""[Johnny Cash performed a live concert at California’s Folsom Prison. Applause from the inmates was dubbed into his "At Folsom Prison" album. US Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren (1891-1974) submitted his resignation to Pres. Johnson.]

""Friday 14 June 1968-

""School is out! I got up around 9:30 and cleaned up the kitchen and mopped the floor. I also cleaned up the front room really good. Mom went shopping today and bought herself a new wardrobe. I went to the bank for her and on the way home I saw Gene Johnson hitch-hiking with his brother, so I gave him a ride. They put 27 cents into the gas tank, so I had enough gas to take them all the way to the beach. Coming back, I went over to Monica's to see if she wanted to go grunion hunting tonight but her dad wouldn't let her, so I went to the drive-in with Jerry Smith, Larry Jaeger, and Bill Lyons. We saw SAVAGE SEVEN and RIOT ON SUNSET STRIP. They were both no good. We went cruising afterwards and I ran out of gas on Euclid and Garden Grove and had to walk all the way to HWY 39 before I could find a gas station that was open at 1 a.m. After getting gas I took the guys home, and I got in bed by 3 a.m. a very tired boy. Dr. Spock was found guilty today for obstructing the war effort.

""[Four of the Boston Five were convicted of conspiracy in their organized draft protest. Mitchell Goodman (1924-1997) organized the protest that included the burning of draft cards. Dr. Benjamin Spock (1903-1998), American pediatrician, was one of the defendants and the trial came to be known as the "Spock trial." The convictions were later overturned.]

""Saturday 15 June 1968-

""It’s 11 p.m. I got up this morning at 8:30 and I sure was tired and my feet so sore you can't believe it. Mom and dad were pissed off at each other this morning, but dad finally calmed down. Terry's friends were over again for most of the day and Bob made spaghetti and I talked to Dave some. They put their junk in our garage for a while. I went to the store to buy a card for Grandma Johnson's birthday tomorrow. Then I went over to Jerry Smith's to borrow his Playboy Joke book. He keeps all his dirty books under lock and key in his bedroom closet in a trunk. His Mom would throw them all out if she knew. Jerry's Mom is cool though. Terry's friends and their family’s ate supper with us, and we had the spaghetti Bob made. It was pretty good. Had some kind of sausage in in it besides hamburger. We played cards a bit until Donna and Terry later went to the show. The weather was nice, warm, and clear blue skies 80 degrees. Wichita TRAIN WHISTLE is my favorite song right now. It’s by one of the MONKEES.

""Sunday 16 June 1968-

""Grandma Johnson's 69th birthday and Father's Day. Got up around 8:30 and straighten up the front room and did the yards. Donna made a potato salad in the morning and Mom fried chicken. Terry had his friends over for supper again and Terry had them put all their stuff in the garage. Dad's not too happy about this but Terry is such a bullshitter. Didn't do nothing the rest of the day but watch TV. At night watched Walt Disney and Bonanza and the High Chaparral. Went to bed right afterwards. The weather is 75 Degrees but warm in the afternoon but in the morning and evenings it gets pretty cool. Donna is still kind of mad about not moving out on their own by now. Mom got a hormone shot and boy did she need it! Too bad she didn't take Charline with her.

""Monday 17 June 1968

""Weather is 79 Degrees. Cold in the mornings. First official day of Summer Vacation. I got up at 9:45 and watched TV and cleaned up my bedroom and the front room too. Around 2:00 Jerry Smith came over and I went to the store with him. I had to buy a dirty magazine for him because he's too chicken and I guess I look older although we were born on the same day. That's why he came and got me. When Donna got home from work with the car Jerry, and I then went to the Huntington Park Plaza and to downtown Garden Grove to look for paperback books to read and for sun glasses. At the bookstore in Garden Grove, I bought two joke books and SEVEN DAYS IN MAY. When I got home around 6, I had to clean out the flower bed on the south side of the house. For dinner Mom fixed steak again and I watched TV for a while before going to bed early at 9:30. Mom has been trying to talk Charline in to giving the baby up for adoption. It’s hard for Charline.

""[The US Supreme Court in Jones v. Mayer banned racial discrimination in the sale and rental of housing. The UK enacted sanctions against Rhodesia.]

""Tuesday 18 June 1968

""I got up at 7:30 and took Donna to work so I could have the car. When I got home, I straightened up the front room and watched some game shows on TV. Then at 10:30 I got ready to go to the beach. I couldn't get anybody to go with me, so I went by myself. Took HWY 39 down to Pacific Coast and it took about a half hour to find a place to park. I went to the pier at Huntington and stayed about an hour and a half reading SEVEN DAYS IN MAY. I got home at 1:20 and Mom and Charline took the car to the doctor's. I took a shower to get all the sand off of me and after it fell asleep. Around 6:00 I started weeding the side yard again and watering the grass. Steve Manning came by while watering the front yard and we talked for a while. Around 7:30 I found that I was pretty badly burnt on my legs. I burn so easily. Watched PlNK PANTHER until 11:00 then I went to bed. For dinner we had steak and cauliflower yuck! The weather is nice 79 degrees but cold and foggy in the mornings.

""Letter-18 June 1968 from my cousin Kay Johnson

""Dear Jr. I know you think I'm slow, but I have a reason. Your last letter came to me down at Haskell, I guess. Anyway, it must have got there the day I left. Grandma and Grandpa brought us back and stayed till Father’s Day so you can see that it was just sitting down there for about two weeks. I just got it today. Thanks for the stuff. Especially about Kennedy. I feel sorry for that family. I guess I could write a book about how I feel but I won’t. I'll give Grandpa the Wallace button as soon as they come back from Haskell. They'll be back about the 27th probably. So, you're out of school now. I know you are glad. We’re all looking forward to ya’ll coming out here soon. You'll probably drive most of the way, right? Watch out for Texas drivers! Ha! Every day this week I'll be going to band practice. Next week the Olton Mustang Band is marching in a parade in Dallas. We'll leave at 3:30 in the morning of the 25th then go to Six flags. The next day we'll march in the parade. I'll be home before you get here. I had fun down at the lake. Went skiing every day. I still want to teach you, ok? The Huskys were down there. We went swimming with Pam and Judy some. They're anxious to see you guys too. Do you really think Donna and Terry will come back? You mentioned in your letter that you wanted to come early but you thought Grandma didn't want you too. I think she wanted you to but doesn't want you to be bored. She thinks that you will because Donna won't be here. But you'll have the Huskys. I'm going down to John and Ginger's sometime in July. Guess what? I don't have to hoe this summer! Aren't you glad? I tell you I am. Well, I guess I rattled on enough Love Kay

""Wednesday 19 June 1968-

""JUMPIN JACK FLASH is still #1 on KHJ. Its 11:30 p.m. I had to get up at 7:30 to take Donna to work again. My sunburn sure hurts. I watched TV most of the morning and Charline took the car and went over to her friend Linda's. I finished my two joke books and started reading the 2nd' chapter in SEVEN DAYS IN MAY. I washed my sheets and took them over to Jean Horan's to dry. Our machine is broken. Gave my cat Jasmine a bath today because she was filthy. Donna and Terry got their car running again. Grandpa Williams and my cousin Gary Williams came over and borrowed the pick-up. Grandpa said that we would leave the 27th to go back to Texas. Had steak and a salad for dinner. I finished weeding the south side of the house today. The weather still is hazy cold in the morning and pleasant in the afternoon and evening. 83 Degrees. The Poor People's march on Washington is making all the news lately. Mom's record on the Big Bands came today from the record club. So did my grades. I passed everything.

""[Some 50,000 marched on Washington, DC, to support the Poor People's Campaign. Rev. Jesse Jackson preached “I Am Somebody” at Resurrection City, a tent city set up in front of the White House. In 1971 he turned the speech into a poem for Sesame Street.]

""Thursday 20 June 1968

""Got up at 9:00 and Mom and I went to Sears to buy me some clothes for Texas. I bought two pair of pants, 1 shirt, three t-shirts, 3 pair of socks, and three pair of underwear. When we got home fixed hamburgers for lunch. After that I steel brushed the air conditioner to get it ready to be hooked up for the summer. Washed some of my clothes at the Laundromat since our washer and dryer is broken. For dinner had fried chicken. Dad worked late until 9:30 and I cleaned the kitchen and the ice box for a $1. I wasn't in a very good mood today. Charline started night school and I watched TV until 10:30 then read another chapter and a half of SEVEN DAYS IN MAY. The weather is clear although a little hazy in the mornings. 85 degrees. Fluffy my cat isn't feeling well. Tag our Boston Terrier has never come home. He must have gotten ran over without us knowing it. I miss him. Well, I think I'll grow back my sideburns and maybe a goatee.

""Friday 21 June 1968-

""Summer begins today. 89 Degrees smoggy but nice. Well Yeah! Yip! Yip! Yeah! Hallelujah! It’s Summertime! Can anything really compare with it? God's creation seems so much more peaceful in the summer and so do I! Got up and cleaned the kitchen this morning and waxed the floor. I wanted to go to the beach but one thing after another kept me from it. I bought two frozen pastrami sandwiches for lunch. I gave Mark Casas my playboy joke book that Jerry Smith gave me. For supper I had regular sandwiches. In the evening went to the Warner Drive-In with Mark Casas and Larry Jaeger and saw WILD ANGELS which was good and HELLCATS which wasn't no good. We left in the middle of it and went cruising. We did a few Chinese fire drills jumping out of the car at an intersection running around the car screaming then jumping back into the car and taking off as soon as the light turned green. We cruised near our own area and then went home. I watched TV a little before I went to bed at 1:30 a.m.

""Saturday 22 June 1968

""I got up early and did some yard work that dad wanted done. Mowed the front yard and watched some TV Also I got my hair cut today. In the afternoon rounded up some money and bought an album at Zody's WICHITA TRAIN WHISTLE SINGS. It was very hot today and just a little bit smoggy. The temperature was 95 Degrees. Donna and Terry went to the mountains again with Terry's friends. I didn't watch much TV at night. For dinner Mom fixed Spaghetti. In the news there have been several brush fires in LA county. I've sure been in a rotten disposition a lately. I know what is wrong with me but there isn't anything I can do to change it. I can't get along with Mom or Dad or anybody.

""Sunday 23 June 1968-

""Got up at 9:30 and read the Sunday paper and funnies. Messed around most of the day and got very little done. Donna and Terry came down from the cabin. They had been fighting. The weather is a lot cooler today then yesterday. 80 Degrees. My okra plants I planted in the back yard are really springing up. Mom says it’s not hot enough out here for them to mature. Anyways I doubt whether I will be out here in California to enjoy them even if they do. Those stupid cats play all day chasing each other running into the door with a crash. I had to get out of the house, so I went driving around some before dinner. I feel restless and edgy. I had warmed over spaghetti for dinner. In the news President Johnson wants Congress to lower the voting age to 18. I'm for that. Also, he wants a stricter gun control law.

""Monday 24 June 1968

""I got up at 7:30 and cleaned up the kitchen. In the afternoon I watched a Mae West movie. She is just great! Charline went down to Linda's until dinner time. We had steak and Charline bought some shrimp. Donna and Terry are looking at Apartments again. Donna really wants to move out, but I think Terry would be content to live here with Mom and Dad. Sometimes I see him watching me and I get a funny feeling. Don't see what Donna sees in him. I guess love is blind. Because Donna wants to move so badly, they might find one this time. George Casas Jr. and his motorcycle crowd are back. The weather is lousy and very overcast most of the day. 77 Degrees. In the news, the permit for the Nigger's Resurrection City in Washington has expired and the niggers said they wouldn't leave. There has been over 25,000 men killed in Viet Nam now. There's a huge fire in the San Fernando Valley but they're supposed to have it in control. I don I t think Congress is going to do anything about a stronger gun law. I'm against the War but that makes Dad really mad. Once when Milton and Marie were over Donna, and I were saying how we were against the war and was arguing with the adults. Dad got so mad at me that he told me to go to my room like I was a little kid. I was so mad and furious and hurt that he would embarrass me in front of the family. Dad was so angry he was going to hit me until Milton stepped and calmed him and me down. Milton tried to understand and talk to me. Dad only knows how to yell and get angry. I never want to be like him.

""["Resurrection City," a shantytown constructed as part of the Poor People's March on Washington, D.C., was closed by authorities.]

Tuesday 25 June 1968-

""Donna's 19th birthday-. The weather same as yesterday. 75 degrees. Jean Horan's daughter Carol's little boy, Jerry is in the South Coast Hospital because he had taken some STP drugs he found at the hippy commune Carol lives at in Laguna. He's only five years old and has been in the hospital for three days. Jean just found out about it today. Jerry's father John Griggs is in a hippy cult and has gotten pretty wealth dealing in art. He owns an Art shop in Laguna Beach called the Mystic Art world Gallery at 670 South Pacific Coast Highway and is really psychedelic. John Griggs has asked me if I wanted to display my art work in his gallery on commission but I never thought it was that good. Timothy Leary that LSD freak is coming to see Jerry because he's a friend of John's. Jean is really upset and so is Tom. It’s in the newspapers because Jerry Griggs is the first little boy to have taken STP which is supposed to be worst then LSD. I guess he found it at the hippy hangout and being a kid ate it. It’s really too bad. [I remember babysitting for Jerry and his sister Jenny when they were babies. Carol and John had a nice house in Huntington Beach, and they were both into surfing back then. Now they are really into the Hippy movement. They came by one time all decked out in embroidered cotton muslin clothes. Carol had flowers in her hair and John had long hair and a beard. Hardly looked like him. But I thought their clothes were so beautiful. Jean says that the Hippies are just as much into materialism as the establishment only they have different styles.] Today is Donna's birthday and I decorated a cake for her. We had fried chicken, milk gravy and rolls for dinner. Donna and Terry finally found an Apartment off of Harbor and Orangewood for $65 a month. Hope they can afford it. They'll move out sometime this week, I guess.

""[In 1963, LSD transformed the surf scene. “I met ‘Farmer John’ Griggs in Newport,” recalls Stubby. “He was affiliated with a car club from Anaheim called the Street Sweepers. John was a mellow dude and really nice to be around.” Griggs was drifting away from the Street Sweepers, riding a motorcycle and surfing when he discovered acid. Legend has it that he stole his first taste at gunpoint, got high and then threw his gun away forever. But reality may not have been quite so dramatic. “Everyone has a right to their own version of things,” says Michael Randall, who became Griggs’s right-hand man in their plot to turn on the world, “but none of us carried guns. We were little gangsters, but not real bad guys. I was an atheist until the first time I took acid on the beach—then I went through a transformation. We took acid for years before it became illegal. Johnny was a magical guy with a lot of charisma and kindness and a lot of fire under him. He had a way with people and could get things done.” Laguna Canyon was the place to be in 1966. Sandstone hills rose quickly out of the surf to over 1,200 feet and then dropped down to a cluster of clapboard houses sheltered from the ocean. The rents were dirt-cheap compared to what could be found in surrounding upscale Orange County, and the canyon was soon transformed into a hippie ghetto. The canyon had so many dealers that Griggs dubbed it “Dodge City.” Since there was only one road in (and some houses were accessible by sidewalk only), it was difficult for law enforcement to keep tabs on the rapid evolution of the neighborhood. Orange Sunshine and The Brotherhood of Eternal Love In 1966 a biker gang from California, led by “Farmer” John Griggs held up a Hollywood producer at gunpoint and stole his stash of Sandoz LSD. After taking the acid they appear to have experienced some sort of epiphany and began to experiment with psychedelics and mysticism. In the summer of 1966, John Griggs travelled to Millbrook and met Timothy Leary who urged Griggs to form his own church. The Brotherhood of Eternal Love, consisting of 30 original members was formally established in October 1966, 10 days after LSD was made illegal in California. The groups stated objective was: “to bring the world to a greater awareness of God through the teachings of Jesus Christ, Buddha, Ramakrishna, Babaji, Paramahansa Yogananda, Mahatma Ghandi, and all true prophets and apostles of God, and to spread the love and wisdom of these great teachers to all men… We believe this church to be the earthly instrument of God’s Will. We believe in the sacred right of each individual to commune with God in spirit and in truth as it is empirically revealed to him.” As part of this new religion, LSD was used as a communal sacrament. To support the emerging religion they opened a shop, selling “hippie paraphernalia” in Laguna Beach, California. However, the shop did not provide the necessary income for its intended purpose, which was to purchase land for the church. Subsequently the Brotherhood started dealing drugs: Initially they smuggled Marijuana from Mexico, however over a few years they developed a smuggling and distribution network that reached to Afghanistan. They also sold LSD produced by Stanley Owsley in San Francisco. In late 1967 Owsley was arrested, and supplies of LSD dried up. The Brotherhood made contact with Owsley’s former assistant Tim Scully in 1968, along with another chemist, Nick Sand who had previously served as chemist to Arthur Kleps’ Neo-American BooHoo Church. By June 1969 Sand and Scully had produced an estimated 10 million doses of high-quality LSD. In the summer of 1969, at a rock concert in Anaheim a member of the Brotherhood appeared wearing a T-Shirt reading “Orange Sunshine Express” scattering pills of Sand and Scully’s LSD around him. “Orange Sunshine” was born. It is estimated that 100,000 doses of LSD were given away that day. Orange Sunshine quickly reached mythical status: Timothy Leary (who had moved to the West Coast following the disintegration of the Millbrook community in 1967) endorsed Orange Sunshine over other brands of acid and gave public lectures on the theme of “Deal for Real: The Dealer as Robin Hood”, claiming that psychedelic drug users had an obligation to distribute drugs, to pay tribute to brotherhoods, or groups of men. It was said that Orange Sunshine was different to other LSD because of cosmic influences and special karma. It was put forward that it was not just selling drugs but enabling people’s existence and spiritual development. In the late 60’s and early 70’s Orange Sunshine spread worldwide, reaching Goa, Nepal, Indonesia, Vietnam, Israel, and Mecca. The Brotherhood had developed a reputation as spiritual crusaders. However, by the summer of 1969 cracks were starting to appear Griggs died after an overdose of PCP and a teenage friend of Timothy Leary’s daughter was found drowned in a pond at the Brotherhood commune with traces of LSD in her system. Members of the Brotherhood were jailed on marijuana charges. After Griggs’ death the approach to distribution became more competitive and less focused on the founding sentiments of the church. Additionally, the supply of Orange Sunshine LSD was dwindling, and they had lost their contacts for raw materials. Scully left the Brotherhood in 1969, shortly after a man named Ronald Stark appeared at the Brotherhood Ranch. Stark became the Brotherhoods chemist, producing an estimated 20kg of LSD between 1969 and 1971. He also subsequently became its banker, channeling money through a bank which had originally been set up by the CIA, as a front for covert narcotics and money laundering operations. Stark was a mysterious figure, with worldwide contacts, he claimed to know spies and was suspected of being involved with the CIA (and the project later to be revealed as MK-ULTRA). In 1971 he shut down his European LSD manufacturing operation, having claimed to have been “tipped off”. In 1972 the Brotherhood was busted, and Stark ended up with most of the Brotherhood’s property and money in his name. This was shortly after The Weathermen aided Timothy Leary in his escape from jail (with funds provided by the Brotherhood). Stark was jailed in Italy in 1975 and received several visitors from the US and British consulates. He was freed in 1979. For further info: “Acid Dreams: The Complete Social History of LSD, the CIA, the Sixties and Beyond” Martin Lee and Bruce Schlain. STP during the hippie drug culture of the VIETNAM war period, referred to "serenity, tranquility, and peace." A member of a family of HALLUCINOGENIC substances that produces effects similar to mescaline and LSD, but the effects of DOM can last for fourteen to twenty hours, much longer than those of LSD. Brotherhood of Eternal Love, Laguna Beach 'hippie mafia' LSD wholesalers with Tim Leary and CIA connections. The Brotherhood of Eternal Love was an informal organization of psychedelic drug enthusiasts and dealers that operated in the late 1960s. Founded in Anaheim at The Church, the group was headquartered in the Mystic Arts bookstore on Pacific Coast Highway, a common stopping point for those traveling south from Haight Ashbury to Mexico. Timothy Leary, the excommunicated Harvard psychology professor and devotee of free love and author of "turn on, tune in and drop out," became the resident godfather of the group. Leary said, "The whole concept of the Brotherhood of Eternal Love is like a bogeyman invented by the narcs. The brotherhood was about eight surfer kids from Southern California, Laguna Beach, who took the LSD, and they practiced the religion of the worship of nature, and they'd go into the mountains. But they were not bigshots at all. None of them ever drove anything better than a VW bus. They were just kind of in it for the spiritual thrill." The Mystic Arts Bookstore was where a lot of the Timothy Leary’s brotherhood of Eternal Love activity went in and out of the back rooms of this part bookstore, part organic grocery outlet. As you drove through Laguna Beach on the coast highway in what was then the north part of town about midway up one of the hills, was the Mystic Arts, on the east side of the street. You could easily find it because of the beautiful paintings on the walls outside and the daily growing number of outrageously looking hippie freaks who were showing up there. The Timothy Leary brotherhood was pretty much headquartered there.]

""Wednesday 26 June 1968-

""The weather is cold and miserable 75 Degrees. I watched another Mae West movie in the afternoon. She is so great. “Beulah peel me a grape.” Fought with Charline again she's being a bitch. I went with Mom and Jean Horan to the Kona Kai to eat lunch. I love their Mexican food. We also got some figs. Little Jerry Griggs is said to be getting better. Timothy Leary was down at the hospital to help Jerry. He's supposed to be some kind of expert with that drug. I guess he did help. I wasn't impressed when I saw him last summer at the gallery but then I'm not into drugs. I'm getting very anxious to go back to Texas. The weather is cool 80 Degrees. Has Mexican food for lunch. HURDY GURDY MAN by Donovan is #1 song on the KHJ survey. I won't get to record these surveys for some time in August when I get back. Jean and Tom Horan are so upset by little Jerry Griggs. He's their oldest grandson. I don't know what's come over Carol and John for them to be so irresponsible with drugs. I really don't have any friends that take drugs that I know of. If they do, I don't know about it, and they would stop being friends. My friends don't even smoke.

""[President Johnson read and released Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren's two June 13 letters, his June 26 reply, and announced that he had named Associate Justice Abe Fortas to succeed Warren.]

""Thursday 27 June 1968

""Cleaned up the kitchen really good this morning and mopped the floor. Also went to the store for Mom. Charline and Mom cleaned up the rest of the house really good. In the afternoon, Grandma and Grandpa Williams dropped by with Bonnie and my cousin Larry. They only stayed about 45 minutes just long enough to tell us that they would pick Mom and Me up tomorrow around 9 a.m. for our trip back to Texas. I didn't eat supper tonight, but the rest had corn on the cob and sirloin tips. Went to the La Mirada Drive-In with Jerry Smith, Larry Jaeger, and Bill Lyons. We saw Walt Disney's JUNGLE BOOK and BLACKBEARDS GHOST. They were both good. But on the way home I got my first ticket in my life! For driving with just my parking lights on! When I left the show, I had just my parking lights on so not to shine into people's mirrors as we left, and Valley View was so well lit up that I forgot that I didn’t have my lights on all the way. I'm really depressed because now I won't be able to stay more than two weeks in Texas because I'll have to appear in Juvenile Court to pay my ticket. Timothy Leary's son was arrested at John Grigg's house in Laguna for drugs. What a mess! [LSD king Timothy Leary, his wife and son are arrested in Laguna Beach for possession of LSD by a future Laguna Police Chief.

Friday 28 June 1968

I got up at 6:00 a.m. to round up my things for the trip and Mom called Juvenile Court so I don't have to leave Texas so soon after all! Grandma and Grandpa Williams came over at 9:00 and we were surprised to see Gary Williams my cousin with them. It was nice of them to let us know he was going. Sarcasm. As we started the breaks in Grandpa's car were squealing so we went back to Downey and had them fixed so we really didn't get off until 2:30 p.m. I was mad. We took the Riverside Freeway out to Indio and on to Blythe. It was hot traveling but thank goodness we had air conditioning. The hottest was Indio at 103 Degrees but it was clear blue skies. California's desert has got to be the ugliest and longest drive in the world. Mom drove all the way into Phoenix trying to make up for the lost time we spent in Downey. Grandpa kept crabbing at Mom about how fast she was going. She was only doing 75. In Phoenix we stayed at the Desert Sun Inn and had a shrimp dinner at 9:30. After that we went to bed at 10: 30 and I had to sleep with Gary. Our room was nice and cool. It was good to be in a comfortable bed after a long hard drive. I'm tired but I know not half as much as Mom.

[A bill adding a 10 percent surcharge to income taxes and reducing government spending is signed by President Johnson. The president effectively admits it has been impossible to provide both "guns and butter." Pres. Johnson signed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. It moved official recognition of Washington’s birthday and some other holidays to Mondays. Columbus Day, previously celebrated on Oct. 12, was moved to the 2nd Monday of October. In 2004 Pres. Bush set it to Oct 11.]

Saturday 29 June 1968

We all got up at 4:30 a.m. and hit the road before it gets hot. We drove into Stafford, New Mexico before stopping to eat breakfast. I had sausage and eggs. We were on the road again by 8:30 a.m. and drove during the heat of the day thru White Sands and up to Alamogordo. There we stopped for lunch, and I ate a hamburger and malt. Grandpa is getting on my nerves and so is Gary. Mom drove all day thru the heat and all up to Roswell into Clovis and finally into Texas. We got into Grandpa Johnson's farm at 8:30

at night. Grandma and Grandpa Johnson didn't expect us in until tomorrow sometime. I guess they don't know how Mom likes to drive. Fast! Grandma and Grandpa Williams with Gary went on to Earth to stay with Uncle Ed. and Aunt Beulah Danforth. I went right down to J. W.'s to surprise them. It sure was good to see my cousin Kay and all after all this time. We then all came up to Grandpa's to see Mom and visit. At 11: 30 finally made a bed on the couch and went to sleep. Mom is awfully tired. The weather at Alamogordo was the hottest 105 Degrees.

["Tip-Toe Thru' The Tulips with Me" by Tiny Tim (1932-1996), aka Herbert Khaury, peaked at #17. In Costa Rica, the Arenal volcano, dormant for 450 years, burst into life and killed 95 people. The village of Tabacon was wiped out. The theme song from the film "The Good, The Bad, And the Ugly" by Hugo Montenegro (1925-1981) reached No. 2 on the US record charts.]

Sunday 30 June 1968

I got up at 7:30 to go to Church with Grandma and Grandpa Johnson. Mom was just too tired to go. We got home at 11:45 and Grandma fixed dinner. We had fried fish, black eye peas, okra, and corn bread. It sure was good. I did the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen. Kay came over and we talked some about what has happened since we last saw each other. Things we didn't talk about in our letters. Kay is my favorite Cousin. I didn't do nothing the rest of the evening until I went to Church with Kay in the evening at Spade. I know Grandma doesn't like for me to go to Spade Church of Christ because it has Sunday School but I'm going to be with Kay and J.W. and Pauline. I know that Grandma Johnson's Church is the only true Church and since I've been baptized, I've never thought about going to any other. I know Sunday school and Ministers are wrong. Speak were the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent! Kay and I had fun goofing around talking to her friends. Pauline let me spend the night at her house. That's such a treat for me to stay over at J.W. and Pauline's. Kay and I watched TV some then we talked about the sinking of the Titanic and about Donna until 2:30 in the morning when Pauline made us go to bed. Pauline fixed a pot roast and a big dinner for Mom and me this evening. It rained tonight which kept the temperature down to 75 degrees. I can't believe I'm finally back in Texas on Grandpa's farm. The cotton and maize is such a rich emerald green and the reddish soil smells so rich and fresh after the rain. I love it here. I really do.

[Ralph Nader formed his first task force of crusading students, comprised of seven law student volunteers. The group, later known as Nader’s Raiders, began looking into the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a sleepy bureaucracy entrusted with protecting consumers from shoddy products, fraudulent business practices and deceptive advertising.]

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