June 24
Mark S., age 47, Virginia
June 24, 2000
(Day 3 of AIDS ride from Raleigh to Washington, DC.) – Up ~ 5 AM; breakfast at mess tent; sat near Dan Pallotta (president of Pallota Team Works, organizers of the ride). Woke Sarah up; took tent down with Cerise. Rode out with Sarah ~7 AM with her intending to go just to first pit stop => she made it all the way to pit #4 @ Fredericksburg Battleground for lunch (60 miles); saw Kathy Hodge and Katie Byron there => talked to Kathy => she took our picture; “bye” to Sarah after lunch (she “sagged” and took a bus on into camp => rode last 38 miles solo => rode into camp at Stonewall Jackson H.S. in Manassas ~ 6:30=> Sandra met me at ride-in & told me about Daddy dying this morning => I sobbed in her arms; cell phone to mom => more tears; she said “I think Daddy would want you to finish your ride” => decided to finish ride tomorrow; found Sarah and told her about Daddy => more tears; walked through camp with Sandra & Sarah looking for Sandra Brown; showed Sandra my tent and got backpack out of it (Nancy had pitched tent for us and put backpack in it). Found Sandra Brown and told her ~ Daddy; supper in mess tent with Sandra, Sarah, Sandra, Kathy, Katie Byron, Cerise, Beth, etc.; watched stage program (they introduced crew managers, Palotta staff, etc.); “bye” to Sarah and Sandra Brown => to Holiday Inn in Fairfax with Sandra ~ 9:00 PM. Sandra ordered me two beers from room service => drank ‘em after my shower. Phone to Emily re taking care of Sampson and Sadie & to Wendy at mom’s re funeral arrangements, etc. => she told me about plans to scatter Daddy’s ashes at Ocracoke on Tuesday; Sandra rubbed my aching legs, etc. => talk in bed with Sandra => made love.
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
June 24, 1997
DAMN AWESOME day. Went to work after taking Courtney home. It was good. Worked from 9-3. Came home and Courtney and Renee were there. Changed and Em took us to Walnut Creek for the Further Fest. Rocked! :) This guy came on to me and asked for a peck on the cheek but turned his head so I got his lips. This other guy walked up to me and said he enjoyed watching me dance. David Gentele hung with us. Mom was there with “Tom.”
Laura M., age 14, North Carolina
June 24, 1996
Me and Katie went to the pool for five hours and my tummy got a little tan. Me, her, Becca, and Sandra went to Applebee’s for dinner. Me and Katie went to “Mission Impossible.” It was the bomb! Came home and chatted. Fun.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
June 24, 1960
A nice morning. Got out of bed quite easily, took a sponge. Mrs. B. came for a while. Lo came at noon. No ’phone calls. I called Emily as I had her card and one from class. No visitors until eve. when Kay came. Had so many things to tell.
Marcy S., age 19, Tennessee
June 24, 1944
Still hot but at least there was a breeze that was a few degrees cooler. Mum got up at 6 to make jelly, bake a cake and cook a roast! Very few people came in the office but Mr. H. kept me fairly busy. He sent me down to the bank to deposit $150. Saw Pop there in conference with Sour Puss. Talked to Kay. Mr. Harris gave me my check for $9. Off at 12. Mr. H.’s daughter is coming back this week-end. Oh, yes - I had to type some memoranda for the Edington case and one sentence read “Isabelle called him a damn buck private.” Mr. H. apologized for having me type that - Said he’d always tried to keep such things from his children but decided it was better to tell them. I said yes, we had to find out some time. It was funny! Mum was just about done in but we had a luscious dinner. By that time there was definitely a cool breeze. Pop felt a bit under the weather, having drunk too much water yesterday. After dinner and the dishes I gave myself a beauty treatment with the beaten white of an egg. Pop got a good laugh at the sight of me. I had to lie down for 15 minutes and let it harden. Mum came in once and asked me if I’d started crackling yet! She and Pop took a nap with the huge electric fan facing the bed. I emerged with my face so stiff I could hardly talk! But when I removed the stuff (with cold water) my face felt wonderful. Then I washed and curled my hair. Sat out in back yard and finished Seven Keys to Baldpate. So funny! Beautiful afternoon. Sky so blue and breeze so nice. Supper about 6:30. Then I wrote letters, did dishes and ironed some clothes. To bed about 10 - Pop listened to news broadcast. Quite a bit cooler. [In upper margins: “Aunt Nellie sent me a lovely sterling silver pin in the shape of a bow. I walked down part way with Mrs. Warriner in morn - she had just gotten back from visiting Mr. W. in the navy at the U. of Chicago. After supper Mum and I picked some lilies for the altar tomorrow.”]
Aloys F., age 16, County Cork, Ireland
June 24, 1926
Was scarcely able to stand this morning after yesterday. The last day! Must here give the names of my class, for we will not all be together ever again. First there is John Cottrell, alias Fannie, alias Bidebau, 6 ft 2, a really good-natured fellow, always generosity itself, and always ready with funny stories and remarkably good impersonations. Next Charlie O’Connor, alias Borax, alias Cha-boy, about the most intelligent and clear-sighted fellow I ever met with. If he worked he could do wonders. I and he were always disputing and he delighted in drawing me out. He is really handsome, Roman features, and has got invincible good-humour. Then there is Jack MacSwiney, Nancy or Suilin, a straightforward, hard-working fellow, and though I had a few tiffs with him, particularly about jazz and ‘No, No, Nanette’ I liked him immensely. Then John Spillane, Quilp, Birdie, a solid, good-natured humorous fellow, the image of Macduff, whom he impersonated in the play, except that Quilp is always happy. Next, John Coffee, more serious than the others but very witty, and extraordinary in mimicking when he wished. Bony was his nickname, and a really amiable quiet fellow. Next Finbar Desmond, Dede, Granpa, also good-natured though retiring. If ever I meet fellows again half as generous, as kindly, as jolly and as really good boys, I can be indeed happy.
*(Original Archive Copyright © Estate of Aloys Fleischmann. The Fleischmann Diaries Online Archive by Róisín O’Brien is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Used with permission.)
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
June 24, 1888
I have been miserable all day. They all went to church but me and the baby. I took Kate and Una over to father Queal’s just before dinner, and then I went over there about 3 o’clock and staid until after lunch. Mr. and Mrs. Adams were there, and so were Henry and Kate. Pa went to Ann Arbor to attend a funeral this afternoon. The weather is much cooler tonight.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
June 24, 1887
I spent most of the forenoon in hoeing in the garden and planting peas and beans. Mr. Cooley and son and Miss Gertie Bailey were here picking strawberries. This afternoon I cultivated the front yard and among the young pear trees it was hard work […ing?] to sods. I hitched to the new Buckboard after supper and went up town for the mail and to buy some few things. I received a letter from ma, and was glad to hear from home. It has been cool again today.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
June 24, 1871
Philip had the ague very bad to day. Jake brought us some fine wild plums he had found.
*(kansasmemory.org, Kansas State Historical Society, copy and reuse restrictions apply)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
June 24, 1863
Headache for two days. I took some pills before dinner yesterday but they did not relieve my head any. It got easy this evening. I have been in bed nearly two days the most of the time. I have it very bad of late & it last some two or three days. The baby’s neck is better. It has a greased cloth to it now. It does better than anything I have tried. Harrie getting on as usual. The others all well.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
June 24, 1862
Finished my cap today. I do not get much time to work for Mr. Henry is cutting his wheat & has a good many hands. Our vegetables have not come in yet, only lettuce & onions so we are up to all we know to get something besides bread & meat to eat. Mr. Henry sent George to Mr. W. McDowell’s after a goat. Pinck went too. He got a little damp as it rained. We were at supper when he came back.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Samuel P., age 34, London
June 24, 1667
Up, and Creed and Colonell Atkins come to me about sending coals to Tangier: and upon that most of the morning. Thence Creed and I to Alderman Backewell’s about Tangier business of money, and thence I by water (calling and drinking, but not baisado, at Michell’s) to Westminster, but it being holyday did no business, only to Martin’s … and so home again by water, and busy till dinner, and then with wife, Mercer, Deb., and W. Hewer to the Duke of York’s playhouse, and there saw “The Impertinents,” a pretty good play; and so by water to Spring Garden, and there supped, and so home, not very merry, only when we come home, Mercer and I sat and sung in the garden a good while, and so to bed.
*(The Diary of Samuel Pepys M.A. F.R.S., edited by Henry B. Wheatley F.S.A., London, George Bell & Sons York St. Covent Garden, Cambridge Deighton Bell & Co., 1893.)