I met Beth Ann Wilson at Wagon Valley Ranch  summer camps . near Healdsburg . Probably 1962-64

10-11 year olds. Camp offered limited male female  interaction but I did manage to connect with have conversations with Beth Ann.

Purely a friendship.

Alas it was a two week connection as we went back home after camp.

I think I saw her two summers in a row.  not certain.

anyway the significance is that in 1968 I was in Berkeley at Live Oak Park when we bumped into each other.

complete coincidence.

We were happy to see each other. however her boyfriend got very upset and angry (jealous0 and wanted to have a fight over her.

I had no interest in her worth a fight but i was 15 and no challenge in the park would remain unanswered.

We retired to the lawn north of the park building and started to fight.  Unfortunately for him  he did not know how to fight well at all.

I got bloody knuckles and he got the worse end of it.

After the fight ,the crowd warned me about his older brother who had a reputation as a very tough guy.

Several weeks later I saw his older brother and confronted him , I asked if he had a problem with me that we needed to settle? He  said  "No , it was a fair fight"

I did not see much of Beth Ann after that and I always wondered what happened to her. done a few searches but never come up with any results.

Notes,

Bob Dabney  did know how to fight and Kicked my ass in the boxing ring at live oak.

Bill Clopton  says that Bob came to no good end ( no details)

Last time I saw Bob was at Oscars  burgers on Shattuck near Virginia. Probably early 70's

I was about 6-7 not sure when. San Francisco , Miramar street.

There was a girl about my age and we were friends. 

Our parents realized we liked each other  so they arranged a play date.

I recall going to her house and  sitting down for lunch  I noticed she was very particular abut her food.

After lunch she offered some wafer cookies.  I noticed they had a different taste. They were sugar free.

She had diabetes. this was interesting to me since I had no Idea what that meant and was concerned about my Friend;'s health.

I think her name was  Paula but I don't remember. the point of this story is that I became aware of children with serious illnesses.

To look back on it I was also impressed by the cuteness of the formality of our lunch date.

How I met Sara

Berkeley 1967/1968

El Dorado Ave North Berkeley .

9th grade Living with Dad on Oxford ave (1749)

West campus Berkeley high it was a 9th  grade only school.

I liked it. Interesting general education and  some art classes involving Copper impressions.

I met Bill Clopton there and we struck up a friendship.

He invited me to his house and to Live Oak park where he and his group  spent a lot of time.

Bill had a sister and  the neighborhood was full of kids in our age group.

Sara Lived across the street on the north side of El Dorado

Next door lived Sue Rapp.

We all spent time together  doing teen stuff.

I liked all of them but Sara really caught my attention. apparently it was mutual.

I recently had a email communication  re union with her. and she reminded me of some of our  early petting and kissing sessions.

Our relationship developed to boyfriend girlfriend status.

I never felt like it was a "total commitment" because really we were both very young. 14-15

We did eventually "Go all the way"

I'm amazed we did not  wind up  being parents too early in life.

I have a nice letter I'll put an image here()

Jimi Hendrix song "Foxy Lady  "was new and popular, I called her 'Foxy lady"

Sara was a real friend, when I ultimately went to New York she was a connection by letter that kept me less Isolated and alone. I felt like she really cared for me.

This Relationship was  based first on friendship and I feel like it helped set  my attitudes towards relationships. which have persisted lifelong. for the most part all of my relatinships no matter how short or long seem to have been based on a friendship or connection before anything else. (Thanks Sara)

Notes

Sue Rapp  very pretty Blond girl lived next door to Sara .. She died very young from Seconol (reds) overdose. very sad. Drugs were  big time in Berkeley in 1968

Sue Clopton  Bills Sister  I liked her but  we never developed much  "Friend's sister"

Bill needs his own article  probably one of my best Friends in Berkeley.