1985-05 (May)

May 11th, 1985

Good eight-hour sleep helped weariness and my cold. Continued writing checks for bells, as using mail. Calculated Paris expenses, including $1820 for plane fare, $2370 for hotels, $1415 for food, and $350 for incidentals; total (deductible) $5950. Actual cost now a good deal higher, and was worth every penny of it.

Lunch with Nancy and Danny Copp, out at their Germantown house. Tunkie was the only other guest; locked way and as frightened as ever. Good lunch, pleasant afternoon.

May 12th, 1985

Mother’s Day, but none handy. Cold better, though still with me. Began bringing this journal up to date by transcribing daily Paris entrees in notebook of events, including meals and business meetings, ect.

Walked two miles in late afternoon: First sustained exercise I’ve taken in three weeks, though in fact I walked more in Paris than I do in Memphis, including my therapeutic exercise. Good to be back at it, working up a sweat in 90-degrees weather. Played Beethoven on Walkman, 1st symphony, 3rd Piano con.

Robert Mitcham- Breakthrough movie.

May 13th, 1985

Up at 6:30; cereal before Mary arrived to fix regular breakfast. Cold better; yesterday’s sweaty walk in the heat must have helped.

Drove to post office, got one hundred 2 cent stamps; also went to classic eyewear to get my overdue glasses but found the premises vacated; had to drive away out to poplar to get them after lunch.

Call from 20th century. Press conference will be held in NY on Tuesday, 28 May, from 11 am. To 2:30 pm. I’ll have to fly up in Monday and stay over till Wednesday. They have already made reservations for me at the Westbury for both nights. I wish it were later; I’m weary of all this traveling, and what’s more Gwyn wont be able to go along- she’ll be out in Los Angeles, 23-31 May. Must get airline ticket and make arrangements with Mary to stay here while I’m gone.

Trimmed Bird’s-eye view of Paris map to about 3x5 for mounting on Gypsum board and hanging in Hugh’s room.

May 14th, 1985

Air conditioning refurnished and set going; most welcome after yesterday’s 90-plus weather, though it’s a good deal cooler today.

Tried reading tonight’s Wolf River selection, Stalo Calvino’s If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler, but found I couldn’t do it. Violate every principle I apply to literature- especially the novel. Continued transcribing Paris notebook.

Wolf River evening. Discussion of Calvino book fell rather flat. Mostly talked of other things, most of them inconsequential. Home before 10- in time to see the final third of “All That Jazz” on TV.

May 15th, 1985

Woke early, 5:30, but didn’t get up until Mary arrived at 7. Finished transcribing Paris journal entries. Renewed Stravinsky interest, aroused by grove book; played middle period chamber expositions. After lunch, took the trimmed map of Paris to a France shop on Poplar, to get it glued to a ‘3 x 5’ plastic board; I’ll pick it up tomorrow and hang it on the wall above the couch in Huger’s room. Good TV documentary on Melville.