Jun 05 - The Probability Man

Monday, June 5, 1972 - Page 157
LOCATION: Newport Beach, California

3:06:35 PM
This is Monday. I got up at 11:30, took a bath (during which Mom called to tell me to get the steak out of the freezer), and played chess with myself. I lost. Mayor Sam [Yorty] got out of the California primary, so he's not gonna run for Pres after all. Poor guy. It was a bright sunny day, but it is now hot and over cast. Tis now 3:10:05 P.M. That's all for now.

4:30 PM
A few drops have begun to precipitate at this moment. I am now on page 145 of Man's Rise To Civilization As Shown By The Indians Of North America From Primeval Times To The Coming Of The Industrial State, and I'm still on page 140 of "The Other," and I've begun to read one of the six paperbacks Dad gave me Friday -- The Probability Man, which I am now on page 37 in. It is sprinkling mildly outside now, and it is doubtful whether it will really rain. We shall see. --

In this Frank Kelly Freas painting, the Devil looks a lot like my father...

Here's dad who I sometimes called "Lucifer," a dumb nickname based on his name "Lu"

6:30 PM
The rain hasn't materialized and it prob'ly won't. Mom got home a quarter to five and made dinner which I've just finished and left at 6:15 [She played Bridge every Monday]. Chunk just called and asked if I wanted to work, so tomorrow he's coming to pick me up at a quarter after six. He and me will be working at landscaping. Ohhh, groan. Pshaw. Ugh. I don' wanna work. Ohhh. $2.50 an hour. Hmmm. [U.S. minimum wage was $1.60 from 1968 until 1973]

(2:16:16 AM 6/6/1972)
I went to sleep at 8:00 and woke up at about 1:00 A.M. when mom got home. In "The Probability Man" by Brian N. Ball ('In a thousand worlds and a myriad of epochs, he always remained... the probability man') I'm on page 42. In "The Other" by Thomas Tryon ('You have never read a novel like this one -- Six months on the New York Times Best Seller List) I'm on page 155. In "Man's Rise To Civilization As Shown By The Indians Of North America From Primeval Times To The Coming Of The Industrial State" by Peter Farb ('An adventure in ideas - Probably the best single book on the American Indian ever written') I'm on page 169. The first book has 175 pages, second has 288, and "Man's Rise To Civilization, Etc." (That's the title on the spine) has 350 pages. Tis now 2:27:27. I have to make lunch for me tomorrow ---

Jan 21 - Dad, Matt & I drive all the way home

Friday, January 21, 1972
LOCATION: On the Road - South Dakota to Newport Beach, California

2:30 PM 1/21/72 [continued from previous page]

We ate at Lusk, then Matt drove for about an hour -- then I drove (at Dad's suggestion) until 2:30 A.M. Then I woke up Lucifer, and he continued while I slept. At about 4:00 he stopped in a Truck nest, where we all slept for a while.

Matt & I woke up at around 7:30 A.M. -- Dad was driving, and we had just reached Rock Springs. At my suggestion we went on to Little America, Wyo., where we got fuel for the car and us. I drove from there, and Dad got some sleep. At 1:45, I stopped in Levan, Utah (we went through Salt Lake City at noon), got gas, and Dad continued driving. In the morning it snowed slightly, and sprinkled a bit, though the sky's still cloudy, the sun's showing through sort of, and there's no snow on the ground.

We just went over a bridge, with a sign that said Chalk Creek. Right now we're driving through Fillmore, Utah, and Matt (in the front seat) is trying to find a station on the Gradio [nickname for radio, haha]. I hooked up the speaker that's sitting on the back seat with me, so the sound's coming from the left, right next to me. Really fascinating, huh?

(11:30 AM 1/23/72)
Dad drove till about 6:30, then Matt drove while dad got some sleep. At 7:30 I started driving because we were going to go through Las Vegas. Somehow I managed not to get lost and Matt took a lot of pictures of the place as we drove through. I stopped to get gas at around 10:00 and Lucifer resumed driving, while I slept in the back seat (Matt has had the front seat for the whole trip). We got to Matt's house by midnight, and he parked the car there, and we took the Audi home. 

Jan 18 - Letter of explanation to Grandma Dot***

Tuesday, January 18, 1972
LOCATION: Bethlehem, South Dakota

(9:00 PM 1/17/72)
Matt just talked with his dad, and he (Matt) is now greatly perturbed. For one thing, plans have changed once again: we're not leaving Tuesday, we're leaving Thursday, and a friend of Jack's isn't flying here, Lucifer (Dad) is! [Lucifer was an affectionate nickname for my father based on his first name Lu]

(9:30 PM 1/17/72)
After I wrote that I called Mom for confirmation. So that's how things are now, probably, presumably, temporarily, so far, as is, so far as I can tell, maybe... etc.

9:00 AM
Everybody got up before me, about 8:30. I got up at five to nine, and went outside. It snowed last night -- the mud's frozen, and there's a thin layer of white on the ground.

7:30 PM
M & I did a few minor tasks today -- we cleaned some trowels with gasoline, then we swept and mopped some rooms in the retreat house so they could put in the carpets. Last night, a guy named Dick McCoy dropped in from Sioux Falls (hitch hiked), and stayed -- he's still here now. Also, late in the day yesterday, a guy named Joe came by. Both of them slept in the bunk cabin, so in our room there are five people sleeping (Dick, Joe, Me, Matt & Brad) -- Keith, Wheezie, and Tom sleep in a bigger room. Phil's been in Rapid for the past few days, but he sleeps with us in one of the bunks. Tom said they haven't been this full since August.

Matt & I had a contest to decide who was the best artist -- he drew Laura Nyro, and I drew Melanie, then we both drew radios (he thought I had an unfair advantage drawing people). Anyway, it's snowing right now.

[In the previous year, Grady accompanied his Mother (Charmian), and Grandmother (Dorothea), on a tour to Denmark, Spain & Italy organized by the Shrine of the Nativity. Sending tour groups to various parts of the planet was a means of generating funds for the Conception Abbey, Order of St. Benedict, which maintained Father Gilbert's Retreat Facility at Bethlehem, South Dakota. This is how Grady became aware of the Shrine and Fr. Gil's invitation to visit Bethlehem Cave led to this January '72 road trip with Matt.]

Me, Mom & Grandma Dot starting our trip to Europe in 1971

 8:00 PM
[Inserted here is "Young Grady's" copy of his letter to Grandma Dot -- Dorothea Scheneman, my Mom's mother -- who was close friends with Father Gilbert since they both originated in Kansas City, Missouri]

1/18/72

Dear Grandma Dot,

Sorry it's taken me so long to write -- I haven't written to anybody because I knew all this was temporary and I'd be back soon to talk to everyone in person. But since you're on a case now [Dorothea earned an income as a home care nurse], I may not see you for a while.

The trip up here was not at all difficult. I took a relatively straight path, staying on the major interstate highways, knowing they'd be safe no matter what the weather was. (From the Newport Beach Freeway to Highway 15 to Salt Lake City. Then to Highway 80 as far as Cheyenne. From there, to 25, then to 90, straight to Rapid City.) But surprisingly, the weather was great -- clear sunny skies from California to Wyoming. Things only started getting bad when we got to South Dakota, but it didn't start snowing until we had already reached Bethlehem. Unintentionally, the timing was perfect. We got here just before the weather got really harsh -- the first night we were here it snowed, and during the past week it snowed pretty strongly, and temperatures dropped to -40° -- that was unusually cold even for this area. Right now (8:10 P.M., Tuesday, January 18), it's snowing, but only a couple of days ago it was clear, sunny, and warm (56°+). The weather, needless to say, has been inconsistent.

I must know you pretty well, because I wasn't surprised when -- after seeing Tom -- I immediately heard that you had phoned. I was pretty sure you'd guess I'd come here, and then communications would open up among all parties concerned. I couldn't take Matt to New York without knowing how his parents felt, and I couldn't ask them while I was in Newport, because they'd stop us of course. This way, they'd know what we were capable of, and make a more reasonable decision. The decision's been made, and we're returning to Newport Beach (mostly due to the legal complications), but I feel successful because Matt's parents will respect his freedom a little more -- and if he still wants to go to New York, after thinking it over a little better, he'll be free to do it with his parents' consent. That was my reasoning -- I wasn't running away from anything. I'm lucky enough to have parents (& Grandparents) who respect and trust me. I'm glad about that.

Everyone here talks about you constantly. I'm known as "Mrs. Schenemen's Grandson," and Mrs. Rogers hardly ever talks to me without mentioning you. We got your pictures of Israel, and we also got your vitamins. I have a pocket full of Vitamin-C and I was eating them a lot until Mrs. Rogers said that if I had too much I'd get an allergy or something. Is that right? I don't care, I'm still eating them -- but not as much.

I hadn't realized how much I owed to you until recently. If it weren't for you, I would have never gone to New York, or Europe (one of the most memorable things I'd ever done, before this), I would have never known about Bethlehem, S.D. and Father Gil, or the Latkas (with whom I've been corresponding quite a bit), and I wouldn't have a car, since the Chrysler was yours originally. If it weren't for you my life would be pretty darn dull. You're responsible for this little escapade -- you made it possible -- so if there's anyone to blame, or give thanks to, it's you.

THANKS MUCH,

GRADE-A