The Chair: Volume I

John-3

Lots of people listening to this man Barnham Keyes is all full of himself. Barnham, he could be Philip. He looks like Philip I saw once. This Philip from Toosun in Arizona? Sunny in Arizona. I guessed he has ranch in wild desert all that time in books upstair on shelf was once then that found. John would read those books. Sat with cactus all night staring at stars on side of road til I was picked up. Back to me watching archer in sky aiming his bow. As lonely as it seems now looking back, I never thought it would not work out. I was too busy looking into sky at those stars. I wonder how close they really are.

I do like red tie plus black vest Philip, no Barnham, is wearing. He had big hat. With a holster and big iron on his hip under a duster. Unbelievable. Never saw that before. He laughs at whatever things he says.

Before sun rose there were some few people coming to church. Four or five. How I got there I do not know. We were on a truck, no bus, no maybe cable car. Improbable. Dunno. Fast then back to hotel. They put me in back of booth was with man in long black dress. Little light. Buttoned up all way from his ankles. Shiny beaded necklace. I had seen one come to house. Once or twice when John was child. Same. Heard I might have been donated! Donated? Terry argued with Janice outside church. “Too old to have anymore. That’s why I found this church to send letter to pastor here. They do things for Mexicans. Charity work,” he said. “No!” Janice yelled.

“Bless me father for I have sinned.” They all talked to man in that long dress. Shiny shoes. He then told them to go pray. Some had to pray more than others. Never knew what it meant. I was there for much of that. Too dark.

President Abraham Lincoln commissioned George T. McClellan as General of Union Army on November 2, 1862. I was in North Carolina. I was then in New York with Brooks Brothers® originally for design cut uniforms. Scissors cutting sewing. Off away in boxes. Shiny yellow brass buttons would later rust in rain. Sat there for long time. I did. I sometimes remember dates times. Most of time. I look back lots. This here is nice. Yes, it is.

Down at shore wind picked up in eastern sky I saw gray purple orange group of clouds. I remember orange most. I went to shoreline after breakfast but only after they are ordering to eat have vodka with orange juice or tomato juice. They were told there was no ice ready until later. Someone asked for grapefruit said to another “Let's be nice about that ice. For now.” So, they laughed.

I sat on beach for what seemed liked forever. It began to rain. Sat next to table. Waited.

She looked beautiful I sat with all those bridesmaids as they dressed of course it was Deborah finally arrived her bridesmaids who did never shut up. So excited! No one cared what Clemmy thought. Olivia was Deborah friend growing up. Olivia died being hit by streetcar in Pittsburgh at age fifteen. To Deborah, Olivia was ‘there in spirit right next to her’ that day. Maybe I was only one listening. It was waste of time. Jibber jabber. Ha ha ha. Who was Nathan? Good to know that Cynthia O'Brien was there as her maid of honor. She was sensible from what I knew.

Deborah was most beautiful woman I ever saw. I like her. I am so happy John found Deborah.

Not at all like Elizabeth before.

Then I saw John who was walking by himself as early sun as waves were loud rolling up close to us. Where we too close?! He walked away. Things would start at one o'clock. Those waves were getting close to me. Pretty green blue rolling in. Crash on beach! Schrrrahboomguboom. One after another.

California. There were lots of clouds. Many clouds. But I thought this might happen. I did not dream it. Which is worthless at some point no matter who knows it or not. Right?

Now it’s nine thirty in morning sun is out in east clouds coming in from west. I look back to see people at hotel looking out windows. Some women I do not know walk past. One says, “Let's go to Mexico this afternoon.” They keep walking. South along beach.

Terry was seen night before wedding playing piano. John, some of his comrades in arms from France, after night out on town gathered round him as they sang few tunes from war including “Over There,” “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary,” “Oh, it’s a Lovely War,” and “Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag.”

Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag.

And smile, smile, smile,

While you’ve a lucifer to light your fag,

Smile, boys, that’s the style.

What's the use of worrying?

It never was worth while

So, pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag

And smile, smile, smile.

They came from all over for John’s wedding. Privates Hackley, Wycoff, Craft, Moriarity, Morelli, Kerr, Cortez, and Jenkins. They had been there with John for most of campaign in France.

Yves from Paris served as Best Man. Diminutive size big heart large presence glowing smile.

Sometimes sun runs hides behind June gloom in San Diego. Keep that in mind when planning vacation or wedding. Have your cameras ready when sun does burst out of clouds. Magnificent. Take jacket. Colder than you might imagine. Even in summer.

Later, June 1, 1938, Julio Cortez fights with rebels in Spain. He had fought with John in France. They call it black forest. All went way on to Allemagne. They fought in Ardennes. All over France I think. Giovanni is here, too.

Before after, along an always of never, made dreams of tomorrow appear to John as puzzles having to be solved. Trees flowers would bloom after clouds spun away booming storms from Atlantic in late Summer. Big fish in Florida. September was never easy.

“It seemed slow, boring, our town, but it was far from it. Everyone, who cared to, knew what was going on all over neighborhood. Who missed church, who went to war, who got drunk, who was in jail, and who was pregnant,” Janice Cooper said to Bertha Llewellyn.

By end of nineteenth century, I noted that men had become less colorful in their fashionable as well as wedding attire. As I saw, during 1880s, morning coat or cutaway of dark blue or black was worn with gray trousers tie white waistcoat. A frock coat returned in 1890s, but only in black. These garments mostly reflected time of day wedding occurred. Morning coat was considered formal morning time attire, while frock coat was considered formal style of men’s dress for afternoon. Tailcoats then were only for evening wear, not appropriate for weddings, while tuxedo was not established as form of men’s wear until late 1880s, then, only for very informal occasions. None of those styles would do on this day. This, after all, was beginning of Roaring Twenties. I’ve been around, you know!

While no top hats, John, his groomsmen too, wore black tails silk satin striped black silver long ties vests silver cufflinks spats over their dressy shoes, all looking so very dandy. New lounge sack suit was considered casual attire for gentlemen of upper classes; however, it was considered best dress for rural classes farmers factory laborers worn by grooms for weddings of that social economic status.

After the turn of century, white wedding dress tradition was firmly established, and further embellished by “the Edwardians” with an abundance of lace and pearls. Wedding dress styles of the early twentieth century continued to follow fashionable dress silhouettes, including the short flapper dress popular later in 1920s, and bias-cut fashions later in the early 1930s. Romantic and historical motion picture epics, featuring glamorous evening and exotic historical styles also influenced wedding dress designs then. In addition to fashionably cut gowns, medieval and Victorian styles were also prominent. “It’s a great day for a white wedding” someone would one day sing.

There is nothing fair in this world

There is nothing safe in this world

And there’s nothing sure in this world

And there’s nothing pure in this world

Look for something left in this world start again!

It’s a nice day for a white wedding

It’s a nice day to start again

It’s a nice day to start again

It’s a nice day to start again

Deborah’s dress with sequined top, bow-tie neck closure, deep v-neckline back opening, voluminous wrist-length sleeves paired with sheer pleated tulle skirt, cutout-bodice with beaded lace appliqués was picture perfect stopping time, never to be forgotten from this fairy-tale wedding. I thought about her dress that day for many years.

From Deborah I heard “I wanted our wedding to reflect who we are plus where we are headed in life. We come from great families who briefly fell on hard times, especially during war, but through it all we managed to remain together in spirit while apart separated by Atlantic Ocean. John’s endearing letters from France kept me going, as seconds seemed days, minutes like months, as I waited praying for his safe return. To me that is what it means to be American. In that sense, I wanted ambience that reflects this glittering time of celebration. We had our floral arrangements with big blooming bouquets, lush, fragrant.”

Women getting married in ‘20s were very particular when it came to their accoutrements. One example, ‘Juliet Cap’ veils, piece that covers entire head en vogue due to its depiction on Juliet Capulet in original drawings of Shakespeare’s “Romeo Juliet” were must haves during this time. If bride wanted to forgo veil, she typically sported cloche hat, as covering one’s head was chic to do for liberated women of that time, representing more masculine style. Brides also wore long-strand necklaces, often time pearls, layered around their neck. As for makeup, it was “anything goes.” Tradition of simply pinching one’s cheeks for beauty went by wayside, as women began applying much heavier makeup. Though concealer foundation was often minimal, brides went for very bold eyes using petroleum jelly mixed with coal to create eyeliner that covered entire lid lined bottom lashes, establishing original “smoky eye” look dramatic red lipstick emphasizing top lip over bottom. Abe Plough was big player early on in petroleum jelly as part of his development of products for all types of use, advent of one day eventual leading global cosmetic line called “Lana’s Lashes™,” only one of his many business endeavors.

From what I know of Shakespeare, doesn’t most everyone die?

Their wedding ceremony on beach at Noon that day, June 21, 1920 in San Diego went off without hitch. Deborah was beaming beautiful, John was smiling heavenly handsome. Someone read from book of Corinthians about love. Vows read. Blessings. Then it started to rain, so they scurried to move reception inside hotel just before it ended. I then just sat there alone near water, bright blue Pacific Ocean was now gray. I stared at waves for hour or two. Someone came out to fetch me, “Hey, there you are” they said to me, so I went inside, too.

For long while I was part of quaint little settings for dinners holidays I sat in dining room at end of table nearly always brought in to round out guest list as last-minute invitee, interloper, afterthought, between loud drunk uncle, weepy perfumed widow to keep peace. Not this one. I was at head table sitting with happy newly married couple. Champagne flowed, just in time before Prohibition became “law of land” that October.

John with his Deborah then went away in car waving to us all as they drove on down road.

“Captain” James Eads and John Roebling, the noted bridge architects and engineers, purportedly, and with no evidence to the contrary, were once onsite near Houston, Texas, inspecting and surveying the site of “The Idlewood Arch & Aqueduct,” originally called “El Magnifico Puente a la Gloria” (“The Magnificent Bridge to Glory”) by the Mexicans under Santa Anna. Both men developed a revolutionary renovation archetype with the intent to save this important and hallowed historic structure and preventing what appeared to be its imminent catastrophic collapse.