In the bathroom with Barbra Streisand

 I've been looking through my old kid diaries trying to find passages about my aunt Kathy to share. But I came across this, which seemed appropriate for Barbra Streisand's 80th birthday. Kathy features a little, but mostly this is my cousin Heather and me and our brush with Streisand.

From my diary, with all spelling and punctuation errors intact. June 7, 1984.

*

Well, last night was the N.O.W dinner with Barbara Streisand. First, mom & I rode down to Heather's house with our clothes and everything. We got dressed & made our selves beautiful. (I went & got a dress at the mall with mom) at Heather's. A long, blue limosine picked us up and we started for the place. There were 4 seats in the back, 2 facing each other and the other 2 facing each other. We drank virgin Marys from the limo while Mom & Kathy drank champagne. It was raining. People would watch to see if we were anybody famous. We walked in after leaving instructions with our shofer (however the hell you spell it), Rob. The place was packed. I had a ginger ale & we found our seats. Dinner wasn't very great. We had dry chicken breasts with the bones still inside and some rice. Heather & I got served white wine with it. Then Heather & I decided to walk to the bathroom. In the bathroom, Heather was waiting on a stall and out came Barbara Streisand. I brushed her arm slightly as she rushed past & Heather sat on the same toilet.  

On the occasion of her fiftieth birthday, some passages about my cousin Heather in my old kid diaries, with the spelling and punctuation errors intact

[When I talk about "towns," it's a game we used to play where we each had a tiny town made up of tiny toys. When I talk about the McLittle Theatre, that was what we kids called ourselves when we performed plays and made the grown-ups watch.]

1978

May 13—today I went to Magic Mtn. I went on the revalusion. We saw a lady and a man fighting seamed like killing. Heather came too and Shena, Mara, Edina. Heather's birthday party.

1979

August 28—Dear Mandy, I went to the beach with Heather, Edina, Ryan and Tom. I cought 5 sand crabs. Heather caught 55.

1981

April 14—I am at Heather's house. I went to Swensons with her then to rolar rink. We spyed on people and we played shoot the duck. My spy person was in back of me. Heather spyed people. first one went off. Heather spyed the other. She went off. They were sisters or they liked each other.

May 24—Heather came over and we had a party. We played towns and our town adopted 2 kids Kitty cats had a baby.

June 25—Today's Mara's Birthday. I invited her to my party so she invited me to hers. Heather's at our house. She and I are making a book. it's really good. Maybe we'll get it published. Wish us good luck. 

December 28—Heather is here. We found out that our favorite Beatle Paul McCartney's 1st name is James.

1982

August 5—I went to "Marie Calenders" restraunt. I had stew & boysinberry pie mmm! My town is having a musical. I love most of my songs & most of the play..it's called "Best of Friends." The "Twilight Zone" today was good, about a dead man going to heaven. "Heather's town" is doing a musical too "not just another Monday" A song in my musical is Johnathan and its so pretty.

August 10—I saw "E.T." for my 3rd time. I laughed and cried so much. We (Heather & I) are writing letters to Henry Thomas, Stephen Spielburg, Drew Barrymore and other people in "E.T." I sure hope-wish-that we get letters or autographed pictures of them.

November 2—Morning: I remembered how Heather was singing "Johnathan" & "Remember Me" in school & her friend liked it so much that she asked for the words & always sings it. I'll try it at school. Night: I did my gene's report. I put words to some tunes I have. "Why can't there ever be a way," "Fortune & fame" & "What about me?" I made up a new story of how Gayle, Kristin, Tanya & I start a singing group.

December 30—Heather & I made contracts & screen tests for Edina & Frankie for McLittle theatre. We made a logo. We want to get buisness cards made. We're going to pay employees. 

1983

January 15—I saw "Time Bandits" a movie about a little boy who goes back in time. I loved it! We thought of a whole new plot (play) "ERA" (When women take over the earth & Heather & I (men) take a space shuttle & hit a time warp.)

January 21—...Heather & I went downstairs (Almost 12:00) to make a special drink for the McLittle Theatre's party. Dad came down & Heather saw his Head Around the door & screamed. I turned & saw Him & screamed. Our drink is milk vanilla extract & sugar.

March 1—My life is like a musical. A long time ago I sang a circus song. Frankie & his friend were making a circus for Heather & I to see. I got up and started singing about what you need for a circus. Heather joined in on a 2nd verse and we sang just like a musical. I loved it. I've sang about what to do (A song called "What shall we do today", I've sang about when Mom wouldn't understand me (A song called "What do you mean by that) etc. I always just sing. My life is a musical.

May 29—We swam in the lake again. Today I lost one of my ear plugs in the water. Heather & Frankie made up a "Star Wars" presentation & after it we came home. Tonight, Mara & Heather spent the night. We swam in the pool. We watched part of "The Blue & the Grey", I turned it off & I went to sleap.

1984

April 22, 84. Heather came over Sat. She had a great time. We watched 'Carrie' and then at night, we closed the window shades, turned off the lights, and watched 'The Shining'. That was such a scary movie that today mom told us she was lying in bed in her room listening to us scream. Heather & I clung together for dear life and dear sanity. It was maybe the scariest movie I have ever seen.

(June 7) Well, last night was the N.O.W dinner with Barbara Streisand. First, mom & I rode down to Heather's house with our clothes and everything. We got dressed & made our selves beautiful. (I went & got a dress at the mall with mom) at Heather's. A long, blue limosine picked us up and we started for the place. There were 4 seats in the back, 2 facing each other and the other 2 facing each other. We drank virgin Marys from the limo while Mom & Kathy drank champagne. It was raining. People would watch to see if we were anybody famous. We walked in after leaving instructions with our shofer (however the hell you spell it), Rob. The place was packed. I had a ginger ale & we found our seats. Dinner wasn't very great. We had dry chicken breasts with the bones still inside and some rice. Heather & I got served white wine with it. Then Heather & I decided to walk to the bathroom. In the bathroom, Heather was waiting on a stall and out came Barbara Streisand. I brushed her arm slightly as she rushed past & Heather sat on the same toilet. 

 
(Oct 7 8:53 (AM) ...After I finished clearing the table, Kathy, Mike, and Dad began to talk about something and Mom, Heather, and I began to talk about ourselves. Mom said I was intelligent, friendly, introverted, thoughtful, and that I don't exactly know who I am yet. She said Heather was intelligent, nice, and shy in that she hides her shyness behind Paula Pokrifki and Jane Barnhart and all the other names she uses. Everything Mom said was true.

Dec 8 9:10 AM. Right now, I'm over at Heather's lake house. We all went to Louise's last night (except Edina who was too sick) and Heather and I sat a little two-table. I was telling her all about Tricia and about my meditating and my self hypnosis. She told me that once, a long time ago, she was trying to telekinetically move a cup (as I always do) and she thinks she jiggled it! I like being able to talk to her about this kind of thing. Because, I can't talk to Tricia about it because it's more of a game to her (Tricia).

I have to write, now, about one of the things Heather and I discussed. The only E.S.P. I happen to possess is shared with Heather. When I was writing my first version of Toybox, Heather was writing another book of the same plot. Toybox is about some people who find out about the world going to be destroyed and they build a shelter under ground and wait the war out. Heather, without knowing anything about my book, started writing the same sort of story except her people hid out in a space ship. That is #1! I hadn't told her about it all! Next, I was writing Armistice and there was a character called Shark who was really mean and called people names like ''flea's snot'. Heather, at the same time, was writing Chapter 1 in which there was a sleazy character who was in the story for about the same amount of time and who spoke the same way. Thirdly, When I wrote my rat story, Heather was writing one and the main character happened to be named Cissy and one character in my rat story was named Sissy (same name, different spelling) but that's not all! Cissy went to work in a soda shop owned by a man named Mr. O.Reily who was an irish man, described almost exactly like a man in my rat book named Mr. O'Malley. Mr. O'Malley owned a restaurant called (I think) O'Malleys where the star, (Loraine) of the rat story worked. Also working there was Sissy, Mr. O'Malley's daughter.---

My first book

Recently I was rummaging around in a box of my old kid things and I came across the first book I ever wrote. Paper stapled into cardboard and illustrated. My spelling and grammar did eventually get better, but I doubt my handwriting did.

I think my favorite part is where I almost wrote "by Gigi Little" on the cover and then fixed it, writing a bolder letter d in place of the b.

The ending was a shameless plagiarism of the ending to Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are.

...but Max stepped into his private boat and waved good-bye 

and sailed back over a year 

and in and out of weeks 

and through a day 

and into the night of his very own room 

where he found his supper waiting for him 

and it was still hot.

I wasn't old enough to understand just why those last five words were beautiful, but somehow I knew they were. And I stole accordingly.

On the occasion of her fiftieth birthday, some passages about my friend Shena in my old kid diaries, with the spelling and punctuation errors intact

1978

January 27—I sang on a tape. I got to keep my tape. We got or had to find the write batteries for it.

January 30—I almost didn't get lunch. But I did. Shena got to talk on the tape with me.

February 7—I went to Shena's house and I got to speek to the women that plays the Bionic women on the phone.

1979

March 8—I went to the roler rink it was flooded. I went with Shena.

May 5—Shena And I found a meeting place; hidaway 1 and 2. At the camp. Went to Sea World.

May 13—today I went to Magic Mtn. I went on the revalusion. We saw a lady and a man fighting seamed like killing. Heather came too and Shena, Mara, Edina. Heather's birthday party.

May 17—I went to a piano odition then out to lunch then to a supermarket. i was in the Toy area with Shena and a cloun jumped out and scared me.

1980

May 9—It's Heather's birthday. We're going camping. Shena and I went back to highway 1 & 2. I got a rock from h. 1. Tomorrow we'll go to Sea World.

May 10—We didn't go to Sea World. it rained. We saw a movie Kramer Vs. Kramer. I went to Farrels. I got to be in a comercial for Campland. I got an autograph of Gayle Sue and Keven. Shena lead us back. I saved Tom from getting hit by a car. (God did). Gayle and Keven sang happy birthday to Heather.

May 11—Today I got in another comercial. I was a background. We made a mound of sand for friendly the wolf to sit on. Shena, Heather, Tom, Edina, Mara, Ryan and I walked in the background while friendly the wolf talked. We went home. I watched video taped movies.

1981

September 20—We slept at Shena's house. I went to "couch" at 1:30.

1982

June 20—I got 2 new coins from Isriel, from Shena for my collection.

September 17—Shena is over we're making a nativity scene. Shena once had a dream (after her grandma died) that she went up to heaven & saw her. She said goodbye right before she woke up. Today Shena turned off the T.V. & it turned on again. I heard far away piano for an instant before going to bed. I kept seeing teath and spirits in my head.

October 16—We played our soap opera. You see, about a weak ago we made a soap opera. I'm Lisa Van Jua, a snob. Mara's my sister Andrea. Heather's Stephany Shore. Edina's her 16 year old sister Kathy Morgan. Shena is Jackie Benit. Frankie is Christopher Shena's son & Heather's adopted son. I'm a modle. It's a lot of fun!

December 7—The McLittle Theatre is going to do "Best of Friends" in Feb. when noni & Coco come out. I'm Jenni. Frankie's Jonathan, Heather's Susan Evans, Edina's Dad, Shena's Mom & Mara's Mary. & I just can't wait! It was soooo! windy at night!!!!

December 8—We're not doing Best of Friends.

1983

January 11—I finished "the talking skull." I watched the 2nd part of "Nicolas Nickelby" I got Shena a crystol & 3 prints (pastel) for her birthday tomorrow. I also got a crystol & a print & a copy of "Young Miss" (magazine) which I'll be getting soon. I got an autographed picture of Sally Struthers. (with my name on it.)

February 6—We figured out the whole play & finished posters (I did bar scene) & now we most likely have to wait till next year to do it 'cause we only have 2 more weekends & we're going to the lake house & we'll need Shena & Mara to learn they're lines. I saw part of "Winds of War."

February 20—We went to a mission. Then we ate breakfast out. Then we went home. Noni had a big get-together, the Butlers came. I was so mad. Shena and Mara were acting all hot. I got to Special on Lady bug again. We had sundaes.

May 14—Shena came over. After I finnished cleaning my room, we went to her house. I spent the night there. I saw "An officer & a gentleman" twice off of their rented video tape. Shena & I talked over 'old times'

May 15—We (Shena & I) had 2 doughnuts each when we came to my house to get some Atari cartages to play at Shena's house. I went with Shena & Peg shopping for a shirt for Shena to wear to model some homemade pants in a fashion show. 

June 18—Shena & Heather spent the night. We ate the table & talked about the end.

June 30—We sleaped at Shena's and saw "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas".

new year's eves and new years days from my old kid diaries

December 31, 1979

Frank and Mom found a stray puppy and brought it home a month or something aft Gertrude died.  But we aren't going to keep the stray.  I call her Shoepolish.

January 1, 1981

I named my diary Mandy. Anne Frank named hers too.

January 1, 1982
Dear Amanda, the year of 1982 has just hit. Happy New Year!

December 31, 1982
Good Buy, 1982!!

January 1, 1983
It is now 1983. Happy New Year! I resolve to be a nicer, more outward person. I am a shyish person, but I resolve to become less shy. We had a party at my cousin Heather's lake house. It was my family, Heather's & the Macys. We took a boat ride & had a foot ball pool. Frankie & Ev Macy won!!! When we went to the dock there was slush on the ground!!!! (This is California!) "so what???" I prayed for snow & in a way I got it!

December 31, 1983

It is New Years eve. We are at Heather's lake house in front of the big screen T.V. This weekend, starting Thursday, We & Lizehte & the Macy's (Ryan & Tom) went to the lake house with Heather, went to a Swap meet (bought Navy hats which we are wearing now) & hiked in the hills, playing "An Officer & A Gentleman". I don't know weather to be happy or sad. I know I should be happy on New years eve. And I am going out of this year but I'm also going into another. I know there will be more lonliness and hard schoolwork. But this past year hasn't been that bad. Oh! Now here comes the ball dropping into 1984. 10 seconds! 9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1…

As I look over my past year, I see many different times and emotions. I don't think there is an emotion that I haven't felt. I've felt angry, afraid, surprised, excited, and most of all, happy and sad. Many different things have happened to me. I got the lead in my 8th grade play. I started high school. I lost a friend. I tryed to start new friendships. I had an operation. I attended my grandfather's wedding to Jen, my new grandmother. I made many goals, some of which I dumped on the 2nd day. I continued with writing books all through the year, my books being "Marna Terrace", "Misty Terrace", "Toybox", "Armistice", and "Cloth Rose", a book started but not finished.

Even though my likes changed throughout the year, different musics, different book plots, I am still the same person now, that I was when the ball first struck 1983, last year. I really wish that I could change and be the person who I am inside and not just who comes out.

The person who comes out is small and quiet. The person inside is quite different but I can't seem to figure out exactly who she is. I am a totaly different person to every one I talk to. I don't know who exactly I am.

After Christopher's death, I began to realize that we have but one lifetime and so many things we want to do and expiriance; so many people we want to be; so many profesions we want to hold. We have to figure out what we want. We each must begin expiriancing now. We mustn't throw our whole life away. We must do and remember.

Possibly someday I will do everything I've wanted to do. Maybe someday my life will brighten. But now, I must learn to cope well with what problems I have now and possibly, somewhere in the future, my life will be different.

But for now, I think, despite the hardships in life, I think I'll continue living. 

December 31, 1984

Well, it's, once again, New Years Eve. On the stroke of midnight, It will become 1985, a new year to laugh and cry in, to survive in. A new year to work through. A new year of new books, new interrests, same old thing. 

Well, I have lived through 1984 and have not seen hide nor head of Big Brother. Perhapse, we'll not even reach George Orwell's 1984. Maybe we'll reach armageddin first. Anyway, I'm glad we haven't reached it, at least yet.

ah, the christmases of my youth

December 1, 1978
Edina opened a door on the Christmas Calander. It was a star of Bethlaham. I wrote a song called Christmas is near today. I saw R2D2 and C3PO the robots from Star Wars talking in Spanish on a TV show.

December 14, 1981
I'm taking guitar at school and I'm going to play for the Christmas Program. I am nervous. I also hope I can get to be a better person in school maybe It will help.

December 25, 1981
Merry Christmas! I got a Piano thing and other things. I got 3 blank tapes. I taped 2 whole tapes of Beatles. I'm saveing up for a tape recorder.

December 18, 1983
Steven Spielberg's birthday. I went to Papaw's new house. They have a big tree in the dining room but he worries me. He doesn't like Christmas anymore. He said "Christmas is for Children."

December 25, 1983

Merry Christmas. I got a tape recorder & 2 tapes & 2 blank tapes. I got a sign book, records, calligraphy set, & a whole bunch of other things. We got Coleaco vission. I got a higher score than the winners of the astrosmash shootout. 

12/25/84 7:11 P.M. Christmas this year, we had the presents on Christmas eve because Lanaux and Carter had to leave this morning. I received a huge movie poster of Trading Places and a smaller of The Big Chill and a movie card from Trading Places (all real). I got 2 outfits from Contempo - one was a pink leopard-skin print dress and stockingy black stretchy pants and a black feather boa. After opening all of our presents, we children slept over at our lake house (where we opened our presents). Then, this morning, we headed over to the McFerrin lake house for Santa stuff. I got 2 posters - Prince and Bruce Springsteen. I got a bunch of clothes - one being a silver, sparkley shirt. I received a little beggar dog, like the one I gave to Kathy and Mike. This is the cutest stuffed dog ever. I got 2 books on reincarnation, 1 on body-building, one on writting, and one on sign-language. We went out and played fort in the hills. Shena and Mara came by and we took a boat ride with Coco in which we sang songs and saved someone's volleyball.