Tag: Nostos Algos

Diary of Lois Elaine Jelin: Entry Sixteen

Entry Sixteen

Thursday, January 16                                           Weather marked as Clear.

Dear Diary,

I’ve been helping Mr. Faulk a lot and he says he’ll give me an “A” on my reportcard. Jean’s mom cut my hair and it looks good. My dress came today & it’s even prettier than I remembered.

Diary of Lois Elaine Jelin: Entry Fourteen

Entry Fourteen

Tuesday, January 14                                                Weather marked as Clear.

Dear Diary,

Jean & me went to the show. Saw Joan of Ark it was pretty good. Gosh Diary, it doesn’t seem possible that in 2 weeks I’m graduating & moving. I feel kindda empty inside.

Editorial Note:

Here is a video montage made from Ingrid Bergman’s Joan of Arc directed by Victor Fleming (1948) seen by Lois on this date in 1951:

Popular Songs for Boys?

Gus Williams

I found a little gem today. It’s a newspaper clipping titled “Popular Songs for Boys” pasted to the back of a hand-tinted engraving that brutally depicts Custer’s last stand. I don’t know why, but it tickles my black humor pink to think of some delicate young lady in Victorian or Edwardian garb choosing the perfect tint for that brown red blood shown pouring from the General’s mortal wounds. But I digress…

One of the featured songs for Boys is “My Vife is so Awfully Stoud” as sung Gus Williams “with great success.” Good old Gus (1848-1915) was a comedian and songwriter who did well for himself on the vaudeville stage. He did well, that is, until he didn’t…and then he ended the misery with a shot to the head. But not before he asked his sister-in-law to care for his ailing wife. Good old Gus.

Now, I know times…they were different, but was this really one of the best Songs for Boys? Not the best introduction to feminine charms…

I vonce did love a woman, dot used to be so stoud,

Und people de voud laugh at her venever she’d valk oud;

But sdill I loved her druly, I knew it vos no sin,

I dought dot in the future she vould gradually grow thin.

She vos so stoud, ven she’d valk oud,

People vould dink dat she vos a balloon

To take dem up–just like a “scup,”

Und make a small call on de man in de moon.

She looked just like an elephant, she had such a big ear,

But she could valk as lightly as any lady here;

To tell you all aboud her, I now intend to try,

Und vile I am a-speaking, I hope you vill not cry.

Spoken: I’ll never forget ven I firsd got acquainted mit her, she vos traveling mit a circus; she vos de fat woman; she veighed eight hundred pounds; I used to call her “Birdie!” her right name vos “Ostrich.” I took her oud sleigh-riding vonce, she got in, und dere vos just room for me to “cut on behind!” I looked like an icicle on a gutter. Ve drove out on de road, und stopped in front of a hotel, de proprietor came oud und told me to move avay, as no von could see the hotel vile she stayed dere. I took her bathing vonce; de moment she got in de vater, de tide went up dree foot, she asked me to float her, I tried to, but came near drowning; I told her I vos no derrick! But she could dance like a fairy, dot is, a fairy her size; I used, in valtzing, to put my arm round her vaist as far as I could, nud reach mit a boat hook de rest of de distance; und she vos an awful eater; she could eat a vatermelon just as easy as I vould take a pill. I took de size of her finger vonce to have an engagement ring made, I vent down to the jeweler. I said, “Make me a ring dis size, und I vant it to fit.” Vell,” he said, “Bring de keg down here and let me ut it on.” I don’t speak to her now because she vanted me to take her to a masquerade ball disguised as a pipe stem. I knew dot every vone vould laugh at me if I done so, for

She vos so stoud, ven she’d valk oud,

People vould dink dat she vos a balloon

To take dem up–just like a “scup,”

Und make a small call on de man in de moon.

 

Diary of Lois Elaine Jelin: Entry Ten

Entry Ten

Friday, January 10                                              Weather marked as Rainy

Dear Diary,

We had joint homeroom today & we got our A9 pins. We had co-ed dancing today in the Cafe. I found what Nefarious & Myopsis mean. Arthur Hernandez invited us girls to his party Friday. I have a chance to baby-sit with Ilene or go to the Little Theater. Packed some things.

Diary of Lois Elaine Jelin: Entry Six

Editorial Note:

Featured above, for your viewing pleasure, is the original theatrical trailer for the film “Halls of Montezuma” starring none other than Jack Palace and Robert Wagner.

Entry Six

Monday, January 6                                                 Weather marked as Clear.

Dear Diary,

Gave Ilene her morning feeding. Came home about 4:00 pm. Took a shower & got dressed. Hal & I went to show saw “Halls of Montazuma” [sic] was a good picture. Got home 10:50 p.m. So I went next door & baby-sat. (Bubie stayed there till I came)

Diary of Lois Elaine Jelin: The Beginning

On a recent spontaneous roadtrip up the California coastline, I took a turn inland after stopping to rest where the Russian River runs into the Pacific. Taking scenic Highway 116, it wasn’t long before I found a town that time had forgotten: Duncans Mills. Situated halfway between Jenner and Guerneville, this non sequitur of a former railroad depot town has been gentrified into the perfectly bourgeois roadside respite for all those upper middle class San Franciscans on their way to Napa after roughing it at the Tomales Bay Oyster Company. Come here in June and you’ll find the Russian River Rodeo, well advertised by one of the shop owners who wore a sequined camouflage hat sporting its logo. In July, you’ll find Civil War Days. On New Years Eve, however, you’ll only find the little cluster of shops that have reinvigorated Gold Rush era storefronts.

In one of these very shops, I purchased a black, leather bound E. Broox Randall & Sons, Inc. day planner, most likely given complimentarily by Viola Morton whose name is embossed in gold in the lower right hand corner of the front cover. Although issued in 1941, the planner was appropriated as the 1951 diary of Lois Elaine Jelin. Having just moved from 3337 City Terrace Drive, Los Angeles 63, California [Click HERE to see the Google Street View of the house today] to 5323 Allott Ave., Van Nuys, California, State 41950 [Click HERE to see the Google Street View of the house today], young Lois recorded her thoughts each day in this little keeper of secrets, updating the day to one proper for the adjusted year and also recording the weather in a tiny chart provided in the upper right corner of each page as either Clear, Cloudy, Rain, or Snow. For the rest of the year, dear readers, you will step into the world of a Southern California teenager in 1951 as I update this site with the corresponding entry from Lois. Since it’s January 3rd, I’ll be playing catch-up in this post by including the first three entires. However, from this day forward the saga of this fourteen year old will be related one day at a time. Just as Lois lived it.

Entry One

Wednesday Mon., January 1                                             Weather marked as Clear.

Dear Diary,

We [Unc Lou, Aunt Clara, Mom, Dad, Babie Butch] all went out for Breakfast & then Unc Lou went back to Washington. Watched the Rose bowl game & Parade. It was good. Listened to the Texas & Tennessee game it was wonderful. Got my monthly visit today and she caused a lot of pain. Hal called.

Entry Two

Thursday, January 2                                                         Weather marked as Clear.

Dear Diary,

The first day of school this year was wonderful. All of the kids look good. Theres [sic] not much to say except that Robert looks very well. (So does Manuel). Sold our house & it went into Escrow today. We ate dinner at Frank’s tonight to celebrate. Harriet came over to watch T.V.

Entry Three

Friday Wend., January 3                                                    Weather marked as Clear.

Dear Diary,

Stayed home from school today, didn’t feel to [sic] good. Jean called said that the “A9’s” got their small pictures. I wonder how mine came out!