AKRON TRIP WITH CHARLES
August 22 - 30, 1958
FRIDAY, AUGUST 22. To bed quickly and up at 9 to shower and eat and pack and listen to music, leaving apartment in somewhat of a mess, and meet Chuck at 11:30 and stand in line for ages and manage to get on 12:15 bus. Meet Dawn Williamson and read most of "Lady Chatterley's Lover" in unexpurgated version on uncomfortably un-air-conditioned bus. Last part we simply talk and have 10 cents between us for supper. Candy bars taste good then. Get into town at 2:30 and Mike drives us all home and I have well-needed snack and fall into bed at 3 am.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 23. Up at 11 to make a few well-placed phone calls and Dave comes over to take me downtown in Bermudas to buy pair of white shoes to replace my antiques. Back to more phone calls and arrangements to see "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" in Canal Fulton. Larry gets stuck and we stand in waiting line for tickets, but finally get in to see gay play and look at nice people and back for a Bun Boy at Arlington Street, where my ears begin to hurt when I eat, most unpleasant. Talk and talk and get back at 2:30, where I collapse into bed. Tour New Akron U Student Union, too, before going downtown.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 24. Up at 11:30 for the first church in ages, in rain and in an auditorium, no less. Back to dinner and the papers and some more phone calls. Over to Larry's, Mom drives, about 4 and listen to his records and win a game of Scrabble and talk and talk in general before dashing out to eat and see "One Summer of Happiness" with nude bathing scene, with Enza and Cesira. Afterwards back to the Volpes to talk with Mamma and sister-in-law and brother into the night. Larry nudges me and we leave at 12:30, having both eaten our fill of sandwiches, coffee and pie. Home late and to bed to sleep late, also.
MONDAY, AUGUST 25. Up to read a couple dozen Life Magazines and a couple hundred comic books, just to keep up with the world. Bernie calls and we 4 go to Manner's after lunch for another lunch. Quickly decide to go to Musicarnival and I meet everyone downtown for a seeing of "Guys and Dolls" in good seats on opening night. Not too good. Back to stop at Sperry's for a snack and home late again, to talk long to Mom and go to sleep about 2.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 26. Up at 10:30 again and continue reading books. Call Larry and he and Rita and I go to tour Stan Hywet Hall and Grounds, quite a sight, then he drops us at Helen's, where we have supper and talk on and on about school and work and NYC and credits and such. Show pictures and Larry picks me up again for Cesira's where Stef and Dick and the 4 of us talk and laugh and play Scrabble and eat and converse with parents. Cesira continues to mail letters and gets first and last series of kissing from me this vacation. Quick goodbyes and I leave to talk lengthily to Larry about how to shed Cesira kindly. No kind way to do it, Larry and Mom and I decide. So? To bed.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27. Up to sketchily select what I want back and start fixing up house. Catch bus to Grandma's for supper with whole family and then I excuse myself upstairs talking to everyone, particularly Cesira, who will not be shucked. Down to sight Sputnik and more calls, eventually persuading Larry to pick me up and see Summit County Fair at Summit Beach, a flop. Back about 12:30 and flop into bed with troubled ears.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 28. Up to fib slightly to Cesira and dress and slouch around house and call Cesira and fib greatly about tonight, I'll see her no more. Chuck and I arrange to go to Frank's, but John calls and picks me and Chuck up and the 3 of us, the three couples, gab and drink and watch TV and recollect old times, looking at movies of Frank's wedding. I try long distance call and we leave about 4, Frank driving us downtown to get snack at Rose Lee's, admired for wearing Bermudas, and look at stores. Meet David and hop on bus for home, getting to bed at 1:30.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 29. Undaunted, I'm up at 10 for my last day at home. Fuss around with Rita and woodburning set and microscope until lunch, then get busy on closets and Venetian blinds and such. I make supper and eat and start to pack and bus downtown to meet the fabulous 4 for a trip to Warren and the Kenley Players and Faye Emerson in "Tonight at 8:30." A very nice theater and we leave to eat at Lujan's and talk more and drive home to fond farewells and I clunk into bed, setting alarm for 7:30.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 30. I beat alarm by half an hour getting up and packing. Everything fits nicely and I leave home at 8:30 and Akron at 9:15. We play chess for awhile and I read "Eyeless in Gaza" by Huxley. Feeling quite horny as I cruise almost everyone on bus. In NYC at 9 and am greeted on subway by two gorgeous fellows. Struggle up to apartment with loaded suitcase and make unsuccessful calls. Unpack all and Bill comes over at 11 and we get down to glorious business, he coming twice and me coming once as bed gets thoroughly wet. He leaves and I collapse at 2:30 am into soggy sheets. Discuss Bruckner on record players, so that's going almost continually, too.