The Johnson Journals, Chapter 206

• Don and Layna travel to Minneapolis

• Don and Layna prepare for Karen’s wedding

• Don writes that his friend, John, died

11/12/68 I packed a little gear and off for Cliff Moe’s, arriving at dark. He had just come in from hunting all day - skunked. He had not seen a deer in 5 days of hunting. We had a hot rum, a good supper of boiled lake trout and talked on many subjects until 9 p.m. We have much in common, especially when on one else is around to do the talking.

11/13/68 Not very optimistic about hunting possibilities. Cliff painted a rather gloomy picture, based on the unproductive hunting he had had. At 10 a.m. I jumped two deer in the slashing. I dropped one of them stone dead with one shot at about 100 yards, running. We went to cabin for boat, ran into second bay, breaking some ice and dragged deer out. Had deer (spike buck) hanging by 3 p.m.

11/14/68 Layna and I picked up Grace at 12:30 and off for Grand Rapids. Met Harry at 2:30, had coffee and away for Minneapolis. Registered at Radisson Hotel about 6:30, and dinner at Press Club. Not many there, I imagine other newspaper people out on town.

11/15/68 Layna and I to ADM office at 11:30. Had lunch with Nissi, Gloria and Bruce. Very pleasant. On to office where we met with Roger Nordbye. All very cordial, even when I asked for a very substantial increase in our rent. We shall see how smart that was soon. Sally and Jim joined us for dinner at Press Club. All very fine. On to see Merton of the Movies at Guthrie. A great, nostalgic performance. Surely we never laughed more at any show.

11/16/68 On road for home by 10:30. It might be worthy of the record to say we paid $18.50 a night for a double bed room. No wonder the motels are thriving. Robin and Karen at Gene’s and we joined them about 7:30. Gene showed interesting pictures of her work with Indians last summer. Robin then gave us and hour and a half show of slides from Vietnam. Many of them were gory scenes, taken right in the operating room. Lord, what an experience for a potential doctor! I came home feeling that Karen has tied herself up with an outstanding young man.

11/17/68 Robin here at 8:30 and despite heavy snow and strong east wind, we went to Deer Island. The underbrush completely covered with snow so that in places visibility about zero. I like my future son-in-law. Home to a venison feed, joined by Gene. Kids took off about 5:30.

11/19/68 Buck called at 8:30 to say he needed help to pull boat out at place on Jackfish. On to Curtice Island where we got Buck’s table saw. Then back to pull out our boat and his. We have had it for this summer. As always, I got an empty feeling when we call it quits for the season.

11/20/68 Layna and I worked in basement most of day. It is a mess at the moment but should improve.

11/21/68 Lou came at 8:30 to report on Cliff. He has a bleeding ulcer and it looks like surgery. How about it, you city slicker, high power executives? The little man in the bush is subject to the damned things, too. To see Cliff. He looks good and is ready for surgery. I think I took his mind off it for an hour, anyway. Made great progress on storage closets in basement.

11/23/68 Worked in basement all day. Some of time I play my Spanish records and I think that some of it soaks in. At 5:30 we went to Irene Cases for dinner. Harry Oveson there. We have always liked Harry but I would say this was the longest visit I ever had with him. We talked on many subjects - I think he is smart, he agrees with most of my thinking.

11/24/68 The Burrocks brought our tape recorder back, they have had it since Nancy’s wedding in July. They were both limping and sore because they had curled last night. They were talking about how much fun we used to have and I said “I can’t remember when we has so much fun that we were laid up all the next day!” Irene Case and Harry here for dinner. We played our tape of Jim DiOnne and Harry copied it. Much good talk about Jim.

11/25/68 Called Irene MacKellar for the first time since funeral. She said she was keeping herself busy, which helped. Said she had heard that some of the busybodies thot she was out in public pretty early after losing her husband and I said “I know what Fred would say to that but I can’t repeat it over the phone.” She knew what I meant. Layna and I in at 7:00 to see Cliff. He is being built up for surgery Wednesday. He does not appear too apprehensive but who can read that Norwegian?

11/26/68 Layna and I worked in basement much of day. She painting, me patching cracks in cement. We had the record played going almost constantly. Very pleasant. A great way to spend time - pleasant surroundings, good company, something worthwhile to do.

11/27/68 Layna and I off for Minneapolis by 11 a.m. All well with our brood there. Little John developing into a real pistol. Nancy much more friendly than before. Jimmy a real boy. The parents up to their ears in many activities.

11/28/68 As Sally observed, Thanksgiving is a man’s day. Much work for the women. We all attended an ecumenical service at their Catholic Church. It was an eye opener. Protestants and Catholics, black and white, all sang together with great gusto accompanied by couple of long haired boys on guitars. There was no “old time religion” in evidence there. Sally put on a great feed - exactly like one Layna would have prepared. Well, why shouldn’t her home training show thru her years as a home economics major?

11/29/68 A very comfortable, homey day with our kids and theirs. Nothing spectacular but a warm feeling fills me tonight. Good people.

11/30/68 To downtown St. Paul where Layna and Sally shopped, mostly for wedding. Jim and I took Jimmy to see display at Daytons. Amusing for kids - all of us. Took whole gang out for dinner at Webers. John slipped a couple of packages of sugar in my coffee - the rascal.

12/1/68 The great day finally arrived when I would see a NFL ball game. Jim, Robin and Frank Majerik and I sat in snow and rain and watched our Vikings clobbered by LA 31 - 3. I rather enjoyed the whole deal except for the booing of the goddamned fans. “People are no damned good.”

12/2/68 A mixture of snow and rain but no ice on pavement. To Duluth without any trouble, stopped at Jernbergs’ where we admired their colored TV, listened to aches, pains and deaths and off for Karen’s by 2:00. Robin came soon after and we carried the davenport up a very creaky, slippery, winding back stairway. Off for home, roads not too bad, arriving at 6:30. Gina called to say John had passed away. Saw in paper where Leo Jung and Mabes Anderson were gone. This will be a chronicle of deaths until my own will be recorded - AMEN.

12/3/68 Irene MacKellar and Mrs. Mel Newman here at 3 p.m. Irene brought Karen’s wedding present. We had a full 1 ? hour visit, and not a tear shed. Much talk of Fred but on a good level. She has plenty of guts.

12/4/68 The 4 younger Johnson kids here for supper. Jayme taking Spanish and he and I had a ball. A sharp kid, as they all are.

12/5/68 Buck and Dale moved today. Layna thot we should go help altho they had assured us they did not need us. We could have had a serious argument. Layna went to Buck’s about 1 p.m. and I stayed to work on basement.

12/6/68 To dinner at Rainy Lake Hotel with Wayne and Opal. Back to their place for much talk on Mexico. A very pleasant time. Opal in rare form. I don’t know why we don’t see more of them. Layna getting a cold. Much coughing.

12/7/68 A sad day for me. Gina and Arden had asked me to say a few words at John’s funeral. I did not know what they would be until this a.m. I was completely satisfied with what I had in mind but worried stiff that I would break down at delivery time. I did get thru it - but God - what a struggle. The old man was nearer and dearer to me than I even knew myself.

12/8/68 Met George Williams at airport at 1:15. We were on road to Red Lake by 2:30 - arriving at 5:30. Willie and Jean had trailer warmed up, even had path shoveled to the biffy. They seemed genuinely glad to see us. Burt Good, Willie’s brother, came about 7 p.m. He visited about an hour. An exceptional man. He drew us a map on which he showed the two lakes we were interested in. Also told us about a series of burn outs where the mallards hang out in the fall. Much good conversation about snow sleds, logging, war, travel. A very, very pleasant evening.