While at Franconia I chose to keep my pregnancy secret. I was afraid the guvmint would take my baby away. I was afraid my friends would judge me in a negative way. Only my sister and a few others knew. Abortions were not yet legal in the summer of '71. A boy I knew insisted I go see a certain local doctor. The doctor was not pleasant, he spoke to me in a condescending manner, he offered to "fix me up" for a fee. I felt like a dog about to be spayed. I became irate, I told him "I didn't need fixing, I was fine just the way I was." I stormed out of his office knowing full well I wanted to keep my baby. Shortly after, I left the New Dorm and moved into an a-frame with a bunch of folks. This is where Muff befriended me. He would stop by every day to check on my well-being and keep me company for awile. We would sit across from each other at the small wooden 2 seater dining table and talk and listen to music. We listened to Neil Young,'After The Gold Rush' alot. Muff was supportive of my pregnancy. We decided to choose baby names together. We wrote a list, I came up with 'Willow Fawn' for a girl, but Muff insisted I name a girl 'Reba'. I kept my pregnancy hidden for over 6 months. I was not getting adequate nutrition and became tired and anemic. My sister took a waitressing job at Thayers in Littleton in order to support me. She and Carol got an apt., and I moved in with them. But this could not last for long and I went on home to West Virginia to have my baby. I never saw Franconia or Muff again. It was a boy! I went to the dog pound and got a beautiful dog. I named her Reba. She grew up along side my son and they used to roam the West Virginia fields together. It was a beautiful sight.

Riding home from The REUNION with Morgan just last week, I asked her, out of curiosity, if she knew why Muff was so adamant about me naming the baby Reba. She told me that Reba was the name of Muff's grandmother, and that his grandmother meant the world to him.

"Don't let it bring you down
It's only castles burning
Just find someone who's turning
And you will come around"

Thanks, Ivan. 

Jodi
 

Castles
Sunday, 27-Aug-2000 09:29:19 

All I knew of Muff was the obnoxious side. I'd heard of the other side, but only 2nd-hand. I'm glad you posted this.

How's your boy doin? 

Linke 
 

Re: Re: Castles
Monday, 28-Aug-2000 09:59:28 

jodi, your story was both beautiful and touching. Muff was a regular visitor at Paradise Dorm while I lived there in the early seventies, visiting with the women of the house. Sometimes he was nice and other times, well.... especially when drugs were involved it wasn't much fun. knowing all sides of a person makes the memory fuller and makes you miss their spirit even more. oh, what could have been! 

R Busan 
 

Muff-the real story
Monday, 28-Aug-2000 14:27:14 

I heard the story 
about the needle in his 
arm at the reunion.
Muff died of AIDS in a hospital
in Boston around 1990.
I'll get the exact date and post it.
He has a teenage son living in Mass.
We spoke on the phone regularly
from the hospital in his last few months.
I'm sure he'd be greatfull of all the attention.
Randy 

Randy Bloom 
 

Re: Muff-the real story thank you
Monday, 28-Aug-2000 18:50:10 

thank you for letting us know the real story.
i checked the aids quilt to see if muff had a block and i could not find one.
i am glad he has a son. and i am glad he did not die on the street. i am feeling better knowing he had a son who was there. 

morgan