1985-06 (June)

June 6th, 1985 Took Gwyn to pick up her repaired Mercedes on Park. Back here, began and finished two-thirds of Jackson Better by T.S. Matthews, this months Wolf River selection by Bill Pearson. Wrote my thanks to James M. Cox for his Southern Review article and the xerox of it he sent me along with an outgoing note saying that the piece itself was a letter and this but a follow up note. He also supplied me with the line that was dropped at the bottom of page 346. Walked 2 ½ miles in exactly forty minutes: a new record. Played Tchaikovsky’s sixth, which helped me to step out smartly. Watched a three-hour ABC telecast on the nuclear predicament, “the unleashed.” Asleep BY 11:30.

June 7th, 1985 Wrote thanking Howard Coffin for the Xerox of his Dartmouth colleague’s articles. Finished Jack’s on Better, without much satisfaction. Walked two-miles; played Prokafiev’s Cello concertante. Heat somewhat abated – high in the low 90’s. Began reading Stanley Karnow’s Vietman: A History; may or may not go on with it. Paid bills; American expenses, Cable vision, Light Gas and Water. Also wrote to French fan from Nice, a postcard; disadvantage of not being able to read his letter.

June 8th, 1985 Weight 160; haven’t been able to get much below that since we got back from Paris- partly, no doubt, because of all those heavy eating New York trips to 20th Century. Letter from Craig Whitney, NY Times associate station, wanting me to write for special xxxx pieces of the Times Magazine. I’ll tell him no. Expenses check, $455 arrived from 20th Century; also $51.67 royalties from Italian Dry Season – none yet, though for Shiloh; must imagine. Walked a fast mile, then cut courtyard grass in preparation for Liz Rohatyn’s arrival tomorrow. Continued Vietnam.

June 9th, 1985 Sunday; up at 7; cereal and coffee; read Commercial. Read most of morning, moving ahead in Vietnam. At 9, as prearranged, called Sandra Saunders at hospital, where Tunkie remains in a sort of semi-stroke that has puzzled his doctors; intended to go there and sit with him while she attended to outside affairs, but she told me he’s too bad-off for her to leave him even briefly. She’ll stay in touch and let me know when I can be of help….. My fear is that one can. Elenor Giophie came to see us around 10:30, talked with Gwyn while I returned to my book. Liz Rohatyn arrived at 8. Chicken salad and French bread, plus a bottle of Macon Blanc. Left Gwyn and Liz talking in living room while and went back and watched a 1937 Cowboy film (Tex Ritter) with Rita Hay with in it! Strange to see her the way she was before they re-did her.

June 10th, 1985 Bank; deposited 20th Century $455; cashed $52 check from Ruscon: / Dry Season) , Hardware; got monster nails for repairing back porch step, then came home and fixed it. XXXXXXX timing not working properly; called Shelton. Paid auto maintenance, both cars: &775.00. Continued Vietnam; about 2/3rds through by midday. Stopped reading to play Berg’s Lyric Suite- and, for the first time, got less out of it than I had gotten the time before. I must either go back to studying it again or else let it alone….. But then played the Back Two- violin concerto, which sounded better than ever before. Terrific downpour in late afternoon- about an inch in one hour.