The Dana Street Saga

Life in Berkeley thirty years ago;
Searching for love and meaning

Monday, July 9, 1973 - 9:15 AM

Hung around waiting for Tony and Caren, until they finally came over around 1:30. Said goodbye to them, and they walked down towards Ashby with their backpacks on, to hitchhike to Yosemite.

Rode up to Ho Chi Minh Park. The fair was still going on, so I went over to Cici's to see if she wanted to hang out there awhile. She did, so we did. At her house, people were busy painting Leori's room, and things were a bit uptight.

We hung out at the Park awhile, then came to my house. I took her home at 4, as there was a movie she wanted to watch on TV.

Had Marty's other casserole for dinner with Arlene, and it was very good.

After dinner, a girl named Sue came over. She'd met Arlene when she was looking for a room. Anyway, she'd evidently just broken up with her old man and wanted to move out, so was interested in our shed, and liked it and the house. She's tall, blonde, slim, and cute, and has a nice personality. I liked her a lot, and she decided pretty definitely to move in.

Later last night, I decided to ride up the hill to see the sunset. I invited Marty, but she had many things to do. Then I rode by to see if Penny or Cici wanted to go. Penny was still painting, but wanted to "some other time," so Cici and I rode up. However, she burnt her leg on the exhaust pipe getting off up there, which was a problem for a few minutes.

Finally, after dropping her off at their house, I came home, listened to Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde album, and read my old journal (Feb - Mar, '73 - Eileen, Pat).

7:15 PM

Just came home from Penny and Cici's house, where Penny and Cici had a knockdown drag-out fight. I'd gone over to watch Karen's TV show, which was at 6:30 on PBS.

First, I'd helped Cici put up posters in her room, which she had to herself, now that Leori's room had been finished. Penny had been quite uptight, and had said so, partly, she said, because Dan (Dorit's Dan) had asked her to go out with him, and though she'd evidently said yes, she didn't want to go. Also, I'm sure the general household tension had been part of it. Anyway, I haven't seen her so bitchy in quite awhile, and it hurt to see Cici getting the raw end of it.

They'd finished dinner (I was in Cici's room watching TV) and Cici got up, got some milk, then left, as the others were smoking a joint. Penny evidently criticized her for not excusing herself, and Cici argued about not ever being told she had to before.

Anyway, they got into a screaming, slapping fight, and Penny dragged Cici to the bedroom. Penny was clearly "out of control," on a desperate power trip, using brute force as her last resort, and being quite unreasonable.

She told me to leave, dumped on Cici, told her she was in her room for the rest of the evening, and then took her little TV away.

I said goodnight to Cici, then asked Penny if I could talk with her before I left.

She said, "No," very coldly.

So I split, after saying goodnight to Cici, and sympathizing with her a bit. I tried to get her to take it better, and advised her not to get into power trips with Penny, especially when she's acting like a petty tyrant.

Earlier today, I took Cici to her swimming lessons, walked up to campus, played some pinball, and came home. Then I rode over to DMV to change the address on my driver's license and registrations, since we no longer had the apartment.

Came home, then rode over to Wendy's old house to get her address. Got her home address in Walnut Creek. Then, after tightening the chain on Pegasus, I came up and started a letter to Wendy, which I'll finish tonight.

9:05 PM

I just finished my letter to Wendy. I meant to copy it here, but already addressed and sealed the envelope, so won't.

But I told her I'd gone to her house to get her home address. Then I recalled our night together, how high I'd felt, that it was one of life's finest experiences for me, the coming of the dawn, the silence, the birds, the breeze and her "so close, so warm, so loving, so fine." That I felt we'd shared a million thoughts and the very essence of our souls, that we'd been as one.

I told her I'd watched the sunset thinking of her. I told her that Andy and I had seemed to have gotten back to a cordial relationship, and told her of the song he'd written that Sunday.

I also told her of the household situation, and that I'd been feeling somewhat down, but thought I was coming out of it. I also suggested that I'd dig visiting her at Greenville before I go East (which I told her about too), if she had any free time. That's about it. I signed it, "Love, Ralph."

Tuesday, July 10, 1973 - 7 PM

I took my letter by motorcycle to the Post Office last night, offering Marty a ride, but she declined, as she was going to bed. She'd indicated a few days ago that she'd like a motorcycle ride.

Anyway, when I came home, Sue soon arrived to get a key to the shed and pay her rent money. We all sat around the kitchen awhile talking; Arlene, Marty, Sue, and I, until she left. Then I went to bed.

But I didn't sleep at all well, partly because of a friendly cat that came in my window, to whom I was nice. It stuck around all night, though I put it out a couple of times, and stayed in my room 'til after I got home from Cici's swimming lesson today, when I finally carried it outside. Anyway, I couldn't get to sleep, and was awake most of the night.

Today, I decided not to ride to Santa Cruz to see Karen, as I'd been planning. I just wasn't all that up for it. Also, at swimming lessons, someone stole the stretch cords off the back of my motorcycle, which pisses me off.

Watched former Attorney General Mitchell on the Watergate hearings this afternoon. He was hemming, hawing, and hedging most of the time, it seems to me.

Also walked up to campus and played some pinball on the way.

Sue came over this evening, and I was talking with her awhile as she worked in the shed.

Wednesday, July 11, 1973 - 3 PM

Mike was here again last night, on his way to Alaska. Smoked a joint with him in the kitchen, and rapped with Marty and Arlene too. Everyone was sort of low-energy, though, and they retired around 10, as I did too.

The friendly cat came back, but I didn't let it in last night, as I wanted some sleep. But I didn't sleep all that well anyway.

Today, I took Cici to swimming lessons, then stayed at her house awhile watching Mitchell again on the Watergate hearings. Then we walked down to Pay and Save and Wholly Foods, exploring her new neighborhood. Then we came over here.

9:30 PM

Took Cici home after awhile, then walked up to campus and back. Played some pinball. Had soup at Crazy Dave's. Came home. Sat around the kitchen.

Sue was here, having moved her stuff in. We rapped in the kitchen. At one point, she said to Marty and Arlene, "Ralph's going to teach me to ride his motorcycle."

I smiled, didn't say anything. I'd be happy to, but hadn't said anything to her about it yet.

This evening I walked up to Moe's and Shakespeare's looking for a new book to read, but didn't find anything of interest. Played some more pinball and came home. Guess I'll get stoned.

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