1978

J.R.: Sue Ellen, what do you mean you want out? After all we have been through together, I thought that this time we had it made.

Sue Ellen: I know, J.R. I really am sorry. But this time I have met Mr. Right. He is a good man, a strong man; he shoots in the low 80's. And I'm sure you won't be able to squash him like all the others.

J.R.: Yeah, but his name is Bob Hyman. Can you imagine what the people in Dallas will say? I mean it just ain't right for a Ewing. . . .

Sue Ellen: But J.R., he is so macho and incredibly intellectual. How could I resist?

J.R. (aside): There is only one way I can get Sue Ellen back now. I'll have to summon the crafty woman from Northwestern (currently working in New York) Amy Ettelson. If only she can turn Bob Hyman's head, things will return to normal at South Fork.

J.R., that crafty scoundrel, wins again. Bob and Amy will get married next fall. Bob, now a partner at Drexel Burnham Lambert, bought a diamond when spot prices were low and turned it into a long-term investment. Committed to proper etiquette in all things, Bob insisted on asking Amy's father for his approval while sitting inside a stationwagon in a Connecticut train station an old family tradition. Mandel, Farley, and Reggie Jackson may also participate in the ceremony. Speaking of Mandel, or the eclectic one (as he is referred to by most employers), he will be splitting his time this summer between Boston and Paris, where he will co-star in La Cage Aux Folles III.

Zeke is in Carmel this month undergoing treatments for a bout with the Tourette Syndrome. He sends me news from John Hugo, San Francisco real estate mogul. John states, "I'm also flexing my entrepreneurial muscles with the Jojobe business in Arizona. I'm developing and marketing 500 acres of limited partnership Ibogaine plots." He also sent me his card so that all of you who want to participate in his poppy production can reach John. Zeke also bumped into Bernie Drury's girlfriend at Henry Africa's and had this to report: "Bernie (often referred to as the eclectic one by employers) is doing quite well in the rice commodity business." I'm glad to hear that, Bernie, because you still owe me $20. Thanks.

Zeke also sent news from further north on the coast, in Oregon. This is the new home for Ann Gunn and Mark Rapf, who got married in September. Mark is in a training program with a paper company, while Ann is doing some free-lance computer programming for users of Dartmouth Time Sharing Systems. Since I wrote most of those programs, Ann's work is helping to fund my education.

I recently picked up a copy of the Wall Street Journal, which had some news about our New York classmates. Steve Strauss is working for the New York City transportation department, in the budget office. The fact that Steve still has a job shows his amazing resiliency. Steve Meili is finishing his first year at N.Y.U. law school and will be working for his biggest client, TheNational Enquirer, this summer. Katherine May is in the international division at the Manufacturers Hanover Bank. She claims to be doing quite well there, due, in large part, to a favorable comparison to her peers, most notably Jack Kiernan.

While relaxing last weekend, I leafed through President Reagan's list of proposed government layoffs. I was relieved to note that neither Rob Gifford's nor Rob Portman's name was on that list. Rob is currently the volunteer coordinator for Common Cause and will attend the Yale Business School next fall, while Rob is working for the select commission on immigration. Celia Chen is also currently in Washington, D.C., in environmental consulting. A longtime friend of Jeff Ward, Celia is applying to schools for oceanography. She reports that fellow classmates Tom Swartwood,Chris Rizik, Dave Flores, and Bill Weschler will finish up at Georgetown Law this year. Good thing there is not a glut market.

Did you realize that every time you pick up a Boston Globe you are witnessing the hard work of Judy Osher? Judy has recently developed a computer system for the advertising department at the Globe as a part of her consulting job at Arthur Andersen. Judy is doing quite well, currently leading the firm in both billable hours and number of matrices drawn. Judy often plays squash with Nancy Mayer, who is in the second year of the graduate school of design at Harvard. She also reports that Debby Lipson is currently in the consultant training school at Michigan. Another Bostonian who stays in frequent contact is Rick McLaughlin. Rick is still working in Mayor White's office, heading the commando squad for internal fund-raising and birthday parties.

Two brief reminders: First, we are going down the homestretch for this year's fundraising campaign. Regardless of your academic or job status, this is a good year to get in the habit of participating in the Alumni Fund. Second, the class is organizing a get-together on the Cape in early August. Please reserve some time on your calendar; more details are forth-coming.

"Mr. Morgan, there is a call for you," the head waiter at Georgetown's fashionable Rive Gauche restaurant informed the young statesman. Damn, he thought, I said no calls when I left the office. Winking at his dinner companion, he took the call upstairs, where he couldn't be overheard and wouldn't have to compete with the noise coming from Carol Burnett's table. "Why didn't you call me on my beeper, Al?" Morgan asked his boss. "Code Y," Haig responded. "Code Y? did George okay that?" the State Department's rising star asked, chuckling to himself at the vision of the veins standing out on his boss's forehead. "It's the Straits of Hormuz, Mike," Haig told his protege. "It's all a result of that Texas deal. You know, the Cathy Cates (now working for Chemical Bank in Houston) Ross Perot deal. You must know, Mike. She swapped real estate for Perot's mercenary troops. Now she wants to control the world's oil 'supply. We have got to stop her before she caveats the world," the Secretary asserted. "I'm on it, Al," Morgan snapped and returned to his escargot.

"Drop and give me 20!" Ensign Dave Hov screamed at a subordinate. Before he could finish, though, he saw the "Y" phone ringing. Hov picked it up and nodded gravely. Hov's mind wandered; it was similar to his days in Math 28. The other Ensign Hov, his wife, was pregnant. The old job-lifestyle tradeoff had reared its ugly head again. He was afriad the situation in the Middle East would come to this. He barked orders up to the deck, with resolve.

Stay tuned . next month: "The Coast of Oman."

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