BSiC: Closer to Home - A Supplemental Microhistory Timeline

James Parker - August 20th, 1967 - By King_Arthur
20th August 1967
RCT James Parker
Kilo Co 3rd RTBN
Platoon 12
Box 16435
Parris Island SC 29905-6435​
Lydia Johnson
42 Simpson Street
Chicago, IL 60630​

Dearest Lydia,
It has been a hectic three days here at Parris Island. When we arrived, a Drill Instructor (DI) got on our bus and shouted at us to get off. We stood on the yellow footprints, our first formation, as the DI continued shouting. Then I had to send a post card home to tell my parents that I had arrived safely.

Then, our company commander briefly spoke to us and we met our permanent DIs – Gunnery Sergeant Mitchell (the Senior DI), Sergeant Jackson and Staff Sergeant O'Hara. Then we were escorted to a room and told to write three short letters. So here I am. We haven’t done any actual training yet, just administration. Also, we haven’t slept once in the last three days, so I am really tired.

We were vaccinated, issued our M14 rifle and our uniforms. I feel like a Marine now! I miss you, mom, dad and Jill already; thankfully it is only 11 and a bit weeks until I can see you again!

Lots of love,
James

This letter was written by @King_Arthur! Thank you for the contribution. :)
 
Last edited:
Vic Rogers - Sep. 8th, 1962
Vic

September 8th, 1962, Salem, Massachusetts, USA​


Dear Rowe,


I’m glad to hear that college has been treating you well since you got back. Things are a lot quieter here without you around, even kind of lonely. I miss hearing your laugh when The Andy Griffith Show comes on the television, or the sound of your typewriter when Mom and Dad get to talking about the world and I can tell you have so much to say and no one else to say it to. You know you can always say it to me, big brother. I think you’re one of the smartest guys I know.


This girl sounds interesting, for sure. What does she talk about in class that has you so caught up? It’s cool that what she says is what has you so interested in her. Have you seen her around campus before this year? Or is this class the very first time you’re meeting? Take her to see The Music Man, I have a feeling she’d really like that one. I went and saw it with Cecilia this summer when it first came out and we couldn’t get the songs out of our head for a week or so after.


Thank you for asking about her and everything. I hate to admit it, but Mary’s right for once. I have been hanging around Cecilia less than usual over the last few weeks. I’m not sure I really know how to describe it, but there’s something… different between the two of us now that I can’t quite put my finger on. We used to have slumber parties and sleep in the same bed together at night and hold each other in case of, I don’t know, nightmares or whatever, and it was the most perfect and natural thing in the world. But I guess her old lady had a talk with her about that last year, and that we can’t do that anymore because we’re getting too old for it. I thought the change wouldn’t be that big of a deal, but I miss it, Rowe. I really do. I miss holding hands with her and just strolling down Main Street and nobody batted an eye or anything. Why is it any different now? Why do I keep thinking about how pretty she looks in her purple dress? I wish I could figure it all out. Please keep this all in the strictest confidence. It feels weird to even say.


Cecilia is auditioning for that play, same as Mary. She thinks I should audition, even if I’ve never done it before. I don’t know if I should, though. I’d love to have an excuse to spend more time with her again, but I’m so nervous about getting up in front of Mr. Barrett and having to deliver those lines from Shakespeare. What if I mess up, or forget what I’m supposed to say? Mom says that Drama Club would be a great chance for me to get a boyfriend, like how Mary met Doug there. To tell you the truth, I don’t think I like any of the boys in Salem. They’re all obnoxious, and mean, and loud. Dad says he’ll let me and Walt take the F-100 out for a ride with our friends if we can fix it up with him. Maybe Walt can take Cecilia and I down to Boston and see a show or something. That ought to make up for the lack of time we’ve spent together recently. How did your sample piece go over at the Paper? Did they put you on the editorial board? Please write to me again soon to let me know.


Ever your sister,

Vic

OOC: Once again, here are some pictures for Vic. :) To stick with the "classic actors" thing, I see Vic and her twin sister, Mary as looking something like Yvonne Craig... Vic enjoys science, working on cars, and Alfred Hitchcock films, especially Psycho.

MV5BMjEzNjA3Mjc4OF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMzEwMjA2NjE@._V1_UY209_CR13,0,140,209_AL_.jpg
upload_2019-3-15_12-2-36.jpeg
upload_2019-3-15_12-3-14.jpeg
upload_2019-3-15_12-3-48.jpeg
 
Last edited:
John Alexander - Nov. 7th, 1962 - By historybuff
This update was written and submitted by @historybuff

John Alexander.
To, Veronica Mendes, 1841 Oak Street, New York.
(Note, fictional street name and address.)

Dear Ronnie.
Our meeting at the chef's convention my father was a part of was a big success. He may go to more in other states when able. I was able to meet your family for the first time, both lovely people, and was given the chance to try different foods, many of which I'll grow to like the taste of over time, I'm certain, though I didn't care for them then, sorry to say.
As you know, I've had eyesight problems for some time. A recent appointment to see Doctor Perry, I believe his name was, confirmed my blindness due to a retina loss due to the botched surgery I had some time after my birth. We're adapting to it as best we can, things in braille and so on. If there's any spelling errors, thery're due to one of the first attempts I'm doing at writing by hand. I find typing much easier on my fingers, no writer's cramp.

Hope this letter finds you and your family well.
Yours, John.
 
Veronica Mendes - Nov. 11th, 1962 - By historybuff
November 11, 1962.
1863 Jackson Street, Nashville, TN.

Dear John.
So sorry to hear about your loss of eyesight, but glad to know your parents have found ways for you to adapt to it. I'm sure more technology will come along in the future to make more things accessible to you.
Mom and dad did like you, in case daddy came off as not liking you. He thinks very highly of you. He thinks you're sharp as a tack for someone so young. He also thinks that, come summer, you could come up to New York, you and your whole family, if that can be arranged.
Hope they say yes.

Yours,
Veronica.

Thanks to @historybuff for the letter! :D
 
John Alexander - Nov., 1962 - By historybuff and Bobby Wilson, Sep. 1971 - By QTXAdsy
John smiled as he at his dinner, salmon and potatoes with roasted bread.
"What's got you excited?" Sherry asked.
"Remember that girl I told you about?"
"Veronica? Yeah, why?"
"Told her how I'm losing my sight. She wants me and the rest of you to head down for a week in the summer to her place in New York."
Robert grinned.
"Nice. I'll see if I can fit my schedule around it."
Sherry told him she'd do the same. Michael just grinned.
"You've got a crush on her, don'cha?"
"I just might."
Brian grinned, sipping his iced tea.

Thanks to @historybuff for the vignette! :)

...

September 23rd, 1971, Doncaster, Yorkshire, United Kingdom​


Dear Julia,

I’m sorry I haven't gotten in touch with you since I left to go on the tour, but to calm you my dear, we're all fine here in California but it has been quite trip. We had to meet up with Flying Scotsman in Canada and drive her and the train all the way across the Rockies and towards the west coast and I don't know how we did with the lack of money we had but somehow we managed to get there and to take an LNER locomotive that far across America, one built in our hometown for God's sake, is one hell of an achievement that no doubt Mr Gresley would approve of! Though we had some of these damn war protesters when we got there all over about England in Rhodesia or something like that, honestly I can't remember why we were there anyway.

I did get the chance to drive Scotsman across the West Coast and I've seen so many sights such as Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, cable cars and I'm yet to visit Hollywood though I'm hoping to twist a few arms, mostly Alan's [Peglar] arm for us to go there. Speaking of which, the best bit of the tour happened in which we went to Disneyland and would you believe the welcome we got out there, all that was missing was a red carpet! Apparently some of the Disney guys were saying that because Walt Disney was a big rail enthusiast himself he would've loved this had he still been alive, but alas I guess somethings aren't meant to be. I do feel bad that we couldn't take little John and Polly to Disneyland as they would've loved to be here and also as a thanks for our efforts in helping boost relations between British and American animation studios, we all got a sneak preview of their newest animated film, 'The Snow Queen', which does look good though I still like Pinocchio better if I'm being honest, my dear.

We have met some funny characters on this tour as many American rail fans seem to know everything about how an A3 works and all and I've come to the conclusion that no matter where you come from in the World, we're all railwaymen and woman and few of us have struck up a friendship with some of them and I will say those showgirls which we have on the tour have all had their fair share of lads wanting to date them. Poor Alan is pulling his hair out making sure we don't get a pregnancy out here as that won't look good!

As I write this, the tour will soon be finished and I'll be home before Christmas and I will show you a few photos from the trip plus I promise to get you and the kids presents while out here, though just to warn you, there are rumours going about that another tour of Japan and Australia is planned to carry on with trading and I'm worried that Flying Scotsman will be able to do it all over again and if there is money out there for it. Hopefully I'll get to spend lot of time with you when I get back but I can say that we have flown the flag for Britain and for the London and North Eastern Railway!

Regards,
Bobby (AKA your favourite husband)

Thank you to @QTXAdsy for the magnificent letter! I for one can't wait to read more of his supplemental timeline to BSiC about the Flying Scotsman and her adventures all around the world! :D (Which you should all go read immediately if you haven't already)
 
John Alexander - June, 1963 - By historybuff
John Alexander, to Veronica Mendes. June 23, 1963.
Dear Veronica.
Good news. My father was able to get time off work over the 4th of July weekend. We're arranging our flight and so on. We can only stay until part of Sunday. Hope your father, Hiram, (I've heard the name, who hasn't.) Welcomes us as guests while we're there for the weekend.
Yours,
John.
8241 Jackson Street.

Thanks to @historybuff for the letter! :D
 
Rowe - Sep. 10th, 1962
Rowe

September 10th, 1962, UMass Amherst, USA​


Dear Vic,


Thank you for your kind letter, as always. I ran back to my room as soon as I received it and couldn’t wait to read what you had to say. I’m glad that Dad and Walt are giving you something to do with the car. If drama club isn’t your scene, find whatever it is that is, I would say. Don’t let Mom, or Dad, or anybody else tell you who to be. The only person who can know what is best for you is yourself. As Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams and endeavor to live the life you have imagined.” Keep trying out different things and you’ll find your niche eventually, I’m sure. Have you started working on the truck? I wonder if Dad will let Walt keep it when you two are finished with it. My Oldsmobile is still running like a charm, but if I ever have a problem with it, I’ll be sure to send a holler and have you and Walt come and fix it. I wouldn’t have any other mechanic than you two.


I have plenty of exciting news to share with you, which has me feeling giddy! My piece, “Calling for a Clean Air Act is as American as Can Be” - supporting President Kennedy’s new environmental initiatives, was a hit with the editorial board at the paper and they’ve agreed to make me a member! I really wasn’t sure until the very last moment whether they would promote me or not, but now that they have, I can’t wait to get to work on writing more pieces and maybe trying my hand at some investigative stories as well. Even if I do become an English teacher or a college professor myself some day like I’m planning, having some experience in journalism as well couldn’t hurt, could it? Landon and I both tried out for the track team and made that too, how’s that for a solid week? And get this, the best part of all? Daisy, that witty girl from my Humanities lecture; she’s on the girls’ track team too! Landon and I were running laps on the track after tryouts, actually talking about her as quiet as we could manage, and lo and behold she runs up alongside us and strikes up a conversation. She told me my comments about Plato’s Republic last class really got her thinking and that she hoped she’d be seeing more of me around now that we’d be doing track together. I was just about dumbfounded and could only manage a “thanks, you too!”. As she smiled and ran away with that perfectly honey colored hair and gray-green eyes of hers, I felt Landon elbow me hard in the side and start laughing under his breath. “And to think,” he chuckled once she was out of earshot. “You were nervous to even go over and introduce yourself!” I had to admit, he had a point. Maybe there is something to this whole being confident thing that I overlooked before. In either case, I feel on top of the world, and if I can get to know Daisy a little bit more, maybe we can go on a date to The Music Man, like you suggested. I am a little nervous though, my buddy Stanley was talking about a cute blonde he was interested in as well over lunch the other day and she sounded a lot like Daisy. I’d hate for us to get into it over liking the same girl. You know I’m not the competitive sort.


The weather out here’s been good enough that Landon, Trevor, Samuel, and I have been able to go out fishing both weekends since we got here. There’s nothing quite like a nice, quiet morning out among the trees or out on the water. I wonder if Daisy’s ever gotten lost just walking in the Woods, or ever felt a summer breeze cut through the glowing pines. It’s funny, I keep wishing I was back on that track, talking to her again. I’ve thought of so many things to find out about her, it’s nuts!


I’m sorry to hear that about you and Cecilia. You’re saying she doesn’t want to hang out with you as much because her Mom told her you were odd? I don’t think it’s weird for friends to have sleepovers, no matter the age. Heck, Samuel spends half his time on the floor of my dorm same way he has ever since we were little kids back home. Maybe she’s just being protective now that Cecilia’s getting older and all. Have you tried talking to her about it directly? Sometimes it’s best to just be honest about stuff like that. Anyway, be sure to let me know how it goes! Try going bowling or out for milkshakes or something, it shouldn’t be too cold for that yet, surely?


Your loving brother,

Rowe
 
Top