December 8, 1980

I was 30 years old in 1980. My husband was a first year resident in Dermatology, we had been married 11 years and had two sons. It was always in the month of December that the Academy meetings took place. This year the meeting was scheduled in New York. I was so excited that I could hardly contain myself.

As a young girl I had always dreamed of visiting New York. I couldn't wait until I could see a Broadway play and now it was actually going to happen.  Docs fee to the meeting was paid for, as was his airfare. We just had to pay for my airfare and part of the hotel. I almost fainted when I found out that the hotel rooms were right over $100.00 per night. We were staying in mid-town at the Hilton and the convention was close.

I think that is the first time I had experienced so many things. I wish I had journaled then, but I do recall alot. I remember the coffee shops called, Chock Full O'Nuts. It was the first time I stood in line at the TKS stop to get 1/2 price tickets for the plays. It was freezing cold, but I didn't care, I stood there until I got us tickets for The Best Little Whore House in Texas. I still remember what I wore that night and how excited I was. As the lights went down and the play was starting, I started to weep, ever so slightly. Here I was, 30 years old, from Kentucky, never-been anywhere kind of girl and I was sitting in really good seats at a Broadway play.

The decorations at Bloomingdales were outstanding and I took pictures of them. They had employees dressed up as the characters of The Nutcracker Suite and they were marching through the store and I was jumping in front of them taking their pictures. They were kind and let me.

St. Patricks cathedral was mesmerizing. I just sat inside and took the wonder of it all in for around an hour.  Saks is located next door to St. Patricks and I had to go in there and look. I visited Gucci's and bought two scarves. One for a gift to a dear friend and one for me. I still have mine and wear it. 

I took a Gray-Line Bus Tour of the City with a few other spouses along for their husbands convention. We saw Scraffs (?) drug store where Lana Turner was discovered. Many years later I met Lana Turner in Chicago at the Donahue show. She was devine and still fabulous looking in her older years. I got to ask her a couple of questions. 

There were around 10 residents and their wives who were treated by the boss to a dinner in Little Italy. It looked like a hole-in-the-wall, but once seated, our waiters came alive. We didn't order, our host did and we were treated to a several course dinner. I knew to pace myself and only took a little bite of everything. The waiters would break into song, Italian Opera and it was outstanding. I didn't want the night to end.

The next night we went with another couple for a dinner at Tavern on The Green. We took a carriage ride because my feet were so tired from pounding the pavement. The driver of the carriage was suppose to take us for a long ride but instead decided to cut through Central Park and I noticed how DARK and eerie it was. I held on to my purse (with my one credit card and $50.00) tightly.

I took great care in getting ready for that evening, after all it WAS a special occasion. I wore a royal blue silk dress that was flattering to my figure, low cut, good cleavage, soft skin, perfumed ever-so-slightly. My hair was a good color of blonde and I had lots of it. It had that shimmer and luster of the BRECK girls. I chose my black wool coat for the evening with a Christmas snowflake pin. As our carriage pulled up to Tavern on The Green, there were lots of photographers mulling about. We stepped out of our "coach" and they yelled, "Get that buggy out of here!"  A couple of moments later, a limo drove up and out popped Gene Wilder, Richard Pryor and Sidney Poitier. Several of us went up to them and a few asked for autographs.....which they politely refused. I did ask for a handshake and got one from all of them. I am sure my mouth was open and drool was coming out. haaaaaaaaa  After that, we went into the restaurant to have dinner.

They apologized for not seating us in the Crystal Room. I guess this is where I can say, "You don't miss, what you never have had." I didn't even know what the crystal room was. I do now and it is beautiful. You see, the movie premier for STIR CRAZY was happening that evening and they were all gathered at Tavern to celebrate the evening.  We went on and dined and enjoyed ourselves, but I kept asking the waiter for Stir Crazy updates. He was into to it as much as I was and the end of the evening he sent home our left overs in a foil swan with a couple of Stir Crazy pins. He told me that one was worn by Richard Pryor himself. Well, low and behold, guess who walzed into our tiny dining room....Richard, himself. Now he could have turned right around and walked out, but instead he walked up to our table and chatted for a moment. I don't even remember what he said, other than it was kind of funny and nice. I was too busy looking at the scars on his neck that he got from free-basing cocaine.  What a wonderful evening we had. I got to go to a wonderful restaurant and see some celebrities. I wanted to rush back to the hotel and call home to tell my son happy birthday. He was 11 years old on that day and here we were in New York. 

The 4 of us piled into a taxi and told him where we wanted to go. He said, "Didn't you hear? Didn't you hear?" John Lennon's just been shot. (We had heard lots of sirens while dining, but I was so happy, I just really didn't pay that much attention, except to note that there sure were alot of police cars going someplace in a hurry.) Sure enough, that was also the night that John Lennon was shot and killed right outside of his apartment building, The Dakota, just a couple of blocks from Tavern on The Green. We didn't want to go by the Dakota, we just wanted to go home.......all the way home, back to Kentucky.  It was a night like no other.  And today, Richard Pryor died.  He suffers no more. 

Yesterday, All my troubles seemed so far away...........................