November 22, 1963
Tucked into my cozy office here in Woodland Hills, I am nonplussed by the rather cold, heavy wind blowing outside. I wonder, however, if the macrocosm vents around the entire country on the 50th anniversary of JFK’s assassination — as it does here in Southern California…
I felt compelled to send off yet another letter to my beloved Times – in the hopes that I might have a unique take on JFK’s murder — that they might publish for others to consider. Alas, they didn’t: probably because it was a 2-parter. In the first portion, I basically reminisced on my First Grade classroom with Mrs. Bell in then, Farmington, Michigan (now Farmington Hills [but not nearly so hilly as Woodland Hills]); and in the second part, I commented on the new clarity of the assassination photos, and whether-or-not someone has put a name to the driver of Kennedy’s limousine (now that he is recognizable). Those JFK remembrances The Times did print were quite similar to the first portion of my letter and the tone of the second part naturally smacked of conspiracy and probably lost me my printing…
In the first portion of the letter, I recalled the portrait of JFK that was hung in every classroom in the school. As a pioneer of ADHD (I usually got 3 checks in self control) – my eyes would often come to rest on this portrait of JFK. I remember thinking (and feeling) that our president was on a par with Jesus (or King Arthur); and, that we would be safe and secure as long as HE sat in the president’s chair. Later, when I saw pictures on the news and in the newspaper of his successor, LBJ, I was devastated by how we could lose such a handsome knight and replace him with such a troll: JFK protected me, LBJ couldn’t possibly.
When the news came across the school p.a. that JFK had been killed, it felt like a shadow settled over the classroom and the light that once beamed from the portrait was extinguished. I want to say that the macrocosm cried on that Michigan November 22nd; and that it was a dull, dreary and cold outside – but I have no recollection of the weather. I do know that I trudged home with a cloud of gloom over my head.
But I wasn’t yet ready for my childhood naivete to die that day; so with my guardian angel, protector and hero gone – I had to step in to fill the breach; because LBJ was old, ugly and mean looking. It wasn’t long before I immersed myself in The Fantastic Four, The Avengers, Spiderman, Thor, Iron Man, Captain America and The Hulk (and even though the Hulk and Thing were ‘ugly’ – they had a sense of humor – unlike LBJ). I needed to become the hero we had lost! I had to get powers that would make me as great as I had believed JFK to be!!
It took till 1969 (after all-of-the-big 60s assassinations) that I learned that none of these men were the superheroes I thought they were – and would have disappointed me at some point…but they were GREAT men! They WERE larger than life!! And I hadn’t developed any super powers to rescue the world (though I did become captain of the school safety patrol in Sixth Grade [thereby managing my ADHD somewhat]).
So I’ve picked up the pen which is about the only thing I can still wield these days; and 50-years-removed, I believe I can now suggest that when cowards slay Great Men from behind grassy knolls or from trees or in hotel kitchens – without according them the rights of chivalry (to meet on the field of battle) – then I do believe the heavens weep along with the rest-of-us.
So I asked The Times: does anyone have the name on the driver of Kennedy’s car and why Governor Conally looked so pensive in-the-moments before the shooting? I concluded my letter by stating that we know the name of the driver of Princess Diana’s car…come-to-think-of-it…she was larger than life as well…and lovely…