Another birthday card from my Grandmother. 1963. The first one must have been my 19th. In 1962. they had visited our house in Decatur, Illinois, and have just gotten home to Portland, Oregon, where they lived near my aunt and uncle. I think my Uncle Elmer is dead by now. He flew a small plane up a box canyon and hit the wall. Grandma and Grandpa drove home from Illinois. She says it was downright hot in Wyoming, but while they were gone, Portland had "snow and a silver thaw." I don't know what a silver thaw is. A Portland ice storm?

8.28.62 Company B, Troop Command. US Army REception Station Fort Knox

(Why I have this, I don't know.) Apparently, it's something from his first day in the Army. It's a permit stating that he "is authorized to visit the PX and theaters in the US Army Reception Station area only.... (Identification Card)and military clothing have not been issued. Oh, it's a temporary privilege permit. He either wanted a movie or cigarettes - probably both. I think he smoked Camels. There were no filters on Camels in those days.

A letter from Dorothy - the woman I "squealed on" and who seems intent on making a friend of me and my roommate. January of 1963, she is begging me to come for her "capping ceremony." I know I didn't go. I hope I wrote her back. Going into the wayback machine like this reminds me forcefully of promises I never made, but wish I had kept anyway.

Okay, so it must be my 20th birthday. Hallmark is making out like a bandit. More hearts, more flowers, more lacy doily edges. "This Valentine has come to say, 'Hello, and how are you today?'" From my little sister, who sent me perfume. "la parfume de Woodhue." Not so long after this, as I think I've said before, we had a falling out of some kind, and she didn't want to speak with me for years. I still don't remember exactly what happened. Here she likes me. Blows me away. I thought we never liked each other until the last 10 years or so. What else have I been so wrong about, enquiring minds want to know?