Wild With Possibility: teen diary of Alysse Aallyn

Quebec – Thurs – July 2 – 64

So much to write don’t know where I should start! Quebec is a beautiful city built by dreamers. From the grassy fortress of the citadel to the boardwalks of the wharf I have fallen in love wit it. I loved London, Florence, Paris and Rome and now I have to add Quebec! You could be fooled into thinking that it was a prosperous French seaport.

Not just the money and signs are different, the people are different as well. We drove all night to get here and when I awoke from my uncomfortable position on the floor we were parked on the Green Plains of Abraham!

A troop was sent to buy breakfast while the rest of us walked around. I stood on a bluff overlooking the harbor and then sat meditatively on a bench. How beautiful life is, what a precious thing to have! How can people look forward to eternal life when this is so good? Seems greedy to ask for more!

After breakfast, put on my blue gingham sundress and off to the Chateau Frontenac to use the john. “You can’t miss it!’ said Stu, putting me in the lead because my garbled French has him fooled.
He underestimated me. I clung to the belief that since Chateau Frontenac is old, big and made of stone, any old big stone building would do. I led my faithful few to a storehouse, a club and the Quebec Institute of Dramatic Art before we wound up at the Quebec Parliament where we wandered up and down the halls.

After all that fun, Andrea and I were on our own, working on more creative ways of getting lost. A street artist did my portrait for $2. He made me too pretty but flattery will get you everywhere. I’ll give it to Mom in a last-ditch effort to give her some illusions about me. I ruled the sailors and hoods and old men who came after us Unacceptable! Poor Andrea in mourning for her brothers will take anybody but I won’t let her. She wanted a midshipman, I wanted a French beatnik. We found two charming French beatniks (short-ish- my height) who walked us to our bus. Learned a new French word: “ravigoter” to freshen. Two beatniks gave us two kisses each!
Singing on the bus: Up in the Air, Junior Birdman, Up on the Air, Upside Down! And Down in the Sea, Junior Frogman! Made camp WAY outside Quebec and we were tortured all night by malevolent mosquitoes. Next morning I was so sleepy I didn’t think I could stand up. Fortunately I can sleep at the laundromat. I sent so many postcards!

July 4, 64 – Stratford Ontario
Happy Independence Day! The trip just began and tonight’s the last night!  I will pitch it to make it really great!
Arrived in Stratford too late to get the mail. Drat. Cruised around town, listened to some bagpipers, then pitched tent on the edge of town.
Dinner was delicious: tuna fish salad (in honor of the Catholics) and doughnut balls (Bisquick blobs in boiling Crisco) for dessert: delicious!  After that, we were all getting ready for the play Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme which I had seen twice and loved in the original French.  In English I should understand so much more.  Wearing my figure-flattering sailor suit  and white wood heeled sandals. 

Unfortunately my hair is dead after all this camping. It isn’t doing anything.
Stratford is a lovely town and the theatre a splendid combination of old and new. Front balcony seats! The play was very good. At intermission Debbie came over and said two of the ushers were asking about me! I gave my address to the handsome one Dell Rynehardt. They walked us back to the bus Dell holding my hand. I would have let him kiss me but he didn’t try.

We performed our song, the Trailblazer Anthem and Stu talked about how much the trip meant to him until the tears were hot in my head! I apologized for not doing more for the group and he was very understanding. Afterwards Andrea, Vicky and I slept in the same sleeping bag!!!
Later –

Saw the Falls! They were so beautiful but I did think they’d be taller. Too bad we won’t be seeing them by night – must be even more breathtaking than by day.
Beginning to think tenderly of home, especially the sunlight striking that gray rug in the hallway. SusiAnna (he’s a boy) always hogs the brightest sunlight on the dining room floor. Plants everywhere, green and rich, the wood carved king with his tired kind face. Maybe there will be a letter from Mark!

Last but not least my room with its green walls and twin pink-covered beds. Furry white flokati rug.
Ending this on a happy note. Isn’t that the way all good things should end?

TRAILBLAZER ANTHEM
Oh we set out from Toledo on a bright and sunny day
And our parents were there to wave us on our way!
Gettysburg was our first stop where we made a movie flop
As we rolled along the bumpy Eastern Roads!
Bruises and hives, seven campers lost their lives as we rolled along the bumpy Eastern Roads!
CHORUS: We’re still moving thank God, still moving Hallelujah! And the bus hasn’t conked out on us yet!
Valley Forge was just a hop where
We were picked up by the cops
And the New York Fair made us spend our money there!
Hanover we found was a Dartmouth kind of town
As we rolled along the bumpy Eastern Roads!
Peanut butter, jam, bug repelling spam oh we rolled along the bumpy Eastern roads!
We flew to old Percé which is on the great Gaspé
Where we realized French boys just love to fraternize
“Bonjour, good day, ou est le cabinet?”
As we rolled along the bumpy Eastern roads!
Garçons of all kinds, Stu & Shavonne lost their minds
As we rolled along the bumpy Eastern roads!
We went out to the Boardwalk to see what we could find
And each girl there had sailors on her mind
The last two of our hauls were Stratford and the Falls as we rolled along the bumpy Eastern Roads!
Rollers and combs, without money from our homes
As we rolled along the bumpy Eastern roads!
Oh, our sleeping bags were nests for nasty insect pests
And the mess on our bus was very picturesque
Though the trailer broke down once
We’ll remember this for months
As we rolled along the bumpy roads toward home!
Impetigo and fleas, we had Band-Aids on our knees
As we rolled along the bumpy roads toward home!

Mon July 6 – 64
Dear Diary, I‘m sure you’re tired of my lovelife, but I’m not. The Trailblazer bus roared into Brockton at 5:30 PM on a hot Sunday afternoon. Passed familiar figures – Haze & Bookie!!! I cried but he didn’t see me. Forgot about Tom & Dell, it’s all Bookie Bookie Bookie! Forced to go to the Pendragon house because my parents are out of town so I called Bookie from there. Bookie rushed over and kissed me. He doesn’t like taking off his mirrored shades but he will remove them for me. Julie & I agreed to meet Bookie & phil at the college snack bar. I care so deeply for him!