1931

I sure miss my typewriter. I'm penning this in San Antonio, Texas, where Greyhound bus deposited us just before dinner tonight. So far we have traveled about 6,500 miles.

In San Francisco I talked with a surprised Nick Oleksiw who says he's been relaxing for six or seven years after retiring from Macy's. Just "taking a look at life." His three daughters are married, but he's not a grandfather yet. Nick saw Dick Cukor in New York recently. The Baron is now an executive v.p. of Macy's and is within a year of retirement.

Gordon Clifford is busy in microwave communications, working on an x-ray "image intensifier" which will reduce the dangers of exposure. The youngest of his three children is attending the University of Washington.

After I reassured Tom Gafford that I was not soliciting any money from him, he admitted to having retired in 1973 from the county welfare organization where he did social work. His son is in the "artificial intelligence center" at Stanford, in computer work.

Had a lengthy talk with Bob Baumrucker who also is six or seven years retired. He has built all the furniture for his home. Bob and I had a deal hooked up for the next day but it fell through. I'll write about it later to Parker Soule for lack of space here.

In Newport Beach I phoned Walt Douglas who says he's supposed to be retired but has rented an office to "keep busy." He also is serving on the board of the local children's hospital.

Bob Blocksom told me he's been 14 years without work but keeps busy. He has put a new roof on his house. He has a 27-foot travel trailer up for sale at around $9,999 but I told him I couldn't use this column for advertising.

After Trudy and I had made our stake at Las Vegas we bused to Sun City, Ariz., for a week. Saw Doug Morris several times, including a marvelous tour (Doug driving) through the Apache Canyon to the Roosevelt Dam. I behaved myself very well, i.e., had no alimentary accident although everyone present thought looked paler than usual. As near as I can make out, Doug is involved in a civic effort to incorporate Sun City as an independent municipality. t the 30,000-plus residents there are only five school children and apparently they are misplaced "grandbabies," as they say out here. eave it to Doug to get involved, and give him credit for trying to do something for 30,000 retired people who don't want to be bothered by any kind of a problem.

We spent a Sunday with Peg and DickHolbrook, including an afternoon at the races and a fine dinner in their home. Dick works five days a week but at his own pace, handling a baker's dozen of Phoenix-based accounts. He's still writing about jazz, including a considerable amount of original research. I will write Parker more about this for lack of space here. I simply would not listen even to one of Dick's records. If 1 had, we would still be in Phoenix.

Literary Outhouse Dept.: 1941's column in the January Magazine fouled out. Maybe the writer thought no one would ever read it. Urk.

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