My diary - April 25-27, 1973

Some of David's friends: Luke Mayer, Monty Nanton, Eric Matheu and Charlie Anstead - courtesy of Eric Matheu

April 25, 1973, Wed.

Dear Smiley:

My bad luck day. I have to memorize another gross poem for Spanish. Have to work 3 hrs. in the Kermess. PE. I have to make up a dance for Wed. English test tomorrow & History!!! I went outside wearing my braid. I had fun.

BYE!!!

Note: A Kermes is a school fair or carnival. Each class was in charge of one of the activities. I was assigned to work three hours. I am not sure what my job was - to collect tickets or to work our stand. One year our class had a haunted house where people had to stick their hands in cold noodles (brains) or oiled grape-like fruits (eyeballs). It was fun!

Mom had a braid made for my hair; I can't believe I saved it!

My braid

April 26, 1973, Thurs.

Dear Smiley:

I went to the dentist. I got my upper right wisdom tooth out. It was smaller than the other one. Took 7 min. to take out. I didn’t go to school. Studied English. Read on “Bath Tangle.” Mouth is hurting like anything.

BYE!!!

Note: Not the most fun way to get out of school!

Bath Tangle is a Regency romance by Georgette Heyer set in 1815. The characters become hilariously entangled in a web of mismatched affections, pride, and societal rules before finally finding the right partners. 

April 27, 1973, Fri.

Dear Smiley:

In Spanish I have to memorize a poem. History I had a test. In Study Hall we had an assembly, Science a free period. Math worked & 6th period Home room. Got report cards I got 3 A-’s, 1 B+, 1 B  & 1 C (gym) Went outside but not long. Little chihuahua chaced me.

BYE

Note: Mrs. Habed always had us memorizing poems. Here is one I remember memorizing in Spanish.

Poem by Rubén Darío

Lo Fatal

DICHOSO el árbol, que es apenas sensitivo,

y más la piedra dura porque ésa ya no siente,

pues no hay dolor más grande que el dolor de ser vivo

ni mayor pesadumbre que la vida consciente.

Ser, y no saber nada, y ser sin rumbo cierto,

y el temor de haber sido y un futuro terror…

¡Y el espanto seguro de estar mañana muerto,

y sufrir por la vida y por la sombra y por

lo que no conocemos y apenas sospechamos,

y la carne que tienta con sus frescos racimos,

y la tumba que aguarda con sus fúnebres ramos

y no saber adónde vamos,

ni de dónde venimos!…

The Fatal

How blissful is the tree that’s barely sentient,

and more so the hard stone, which doesn’t feel at all,

for there’s no pain greater than the pain of being alive,

nor a heavier burden than a conscious life.

To be, and to know nothing, and to be without definite bearing,

and the fear of having been, and a future terror…

And the inevitable horror of tomorrow being dead,

and to suffer from life and from the shadow and from

what we don’t know, and barely suspect,

and the flesh that tempts with its fresh fruit-bunches

and the tomb that awaits with its funeral bouquets,

and to know not where we’re going, nor whence we came!

Rubén Darío (b. 1867, Nicaragua)

April 25, 1973 Wed. (David’s Diary)

Dear Snoop,

Today was alright. Before school, got out on the the field  I played football. Eric, Rich Schoenberg and I vs. Charley A, Mark Schoenberg and Steve Seehafer. I made two touchowns.  14-0. We won. In afternoon, recess, we had another game.  Larry and I  vs. Steve and Rick. They won, 7-0. 

School was alright but boring. I’ve got to finish my Spanish reports. I got an A on my last one. Outside was about the same.  You know yesterday  I was riding Mundo’s mini bike. Carmen stepped in front of me in the gravel. I put on the brakes, put it in second. Skidded in the sand on front tire for about 7 and 1/2 feet. Oooiieegee

Good night.

NOTE: I recall playing football and how good it felt to score a touchdown. No recollection of riding a minibike. Interesting that I specify the skid as 7-1/2 feet. Did I measure it?! In any case, considering we wore no protection, I’m glad we all survived!

David, Dedi, Aubrey, Brenna and friends in Japan

April 26, 1973 Thurs. (David’s Diary)

Dear Snoop, 

Today was alright. It RAINED a bit. Typing is boring. So is science. Well I have to read Spanish and get junk. On Tuesday I’m holding a patrol meeting. Brad and Joey addressed me as sir. 

Outside I had fun. We were racing on sidewalk with bikes. About 9 guys. Pushing as alright. Going through gravel and sliding off in to a yard, which to go down it you go by steps. I could have broken my back or something. Quite a few people hurt themselves. 

I fixed a flashlight. Put in a new switch and hard wiring it in  was fun. G’nite

NOTE: I recall the bike racing around the block. Roller derby action. I’m glad the injuries were minor, but I think the danger added to the thrill. 

Interesting that I enjoyed hard-wiring a new switch on a flashlight. Who would have guessed that, as an adult engineer, I would be designing, debugging, and at times rewiring sub-micron memory chips in Japan using focused ion beams!?

Flashlight

April 27, 1973 Fri. (David’s Diary)

Dear Snoop,

Today was alright at school, not outside. At school we organized things a bit. I have to go to school at 10:00.

Outside we were playing that game- you know- around the block. Well this guy parked his motorcycle on the sidewalk. First Gustavo tipped it, and when I tapped it, my steering wheel is so wide - tipped over. I ran and got all worried. So possibly it broke the gear shift. Oil had leaked out and it had burned. I decided to tell the truth. That is Tavi and I and all that was wrong was a pedal was bent. Well if it costs anything, I’ll pay it. Well, here I am.

G’ nite

NOTE:  By steering wheel I meant my high-rise bike handlebars. What a scary moment. I’m glad that I had enough sense to do the right thing and took responsibility for my actions.

David's Diary