Friday, July 15, 2011

That Old Gang Of Mine


One thing I always wonder, when I reflect on the nitty gritty of the case is how much the contemporary Family members look back on their old gang and whether it means much to them anymore.

If you conclude as I do that the whole mess was over and done with by the end of 1972 (some LVH and Squeaky shit to come but still) and it can only possibly start in 1967, we are talking five years of their lives, from a long time ago. Aside from Little Paul who barely got 40 years, and recently Sadie, surprisingly almost all the players are out there in the wind growing old. Which is incredible, really, if you examined say a group of 50 random people from back then you would think that many more were gone than just one or two.

But seriously, does Nancy call up Clem and reminisce about the orgies? Does Donkey Dick Dan drunk dial Ouisch and remind her she was the best lay he ever had? In between vaginal studies does Snake Lake track down Bruce Davis on Facebook?

Of the people I hung with back between my 18th and 24th year, I stay in touch with 4 or 5 of them still. The Col is 88 in Panda Years and this doesn't seem like too many or too few people. I went to a reunion once and as Charlie would have said, "they all got old on me."

You never hear about any of them still communicating. I wonder if they do.

15 comments:

rfoster1 said...

A fascinating thought. I've been curious about that myself. After Red got paroled, I really expected to hear that Blue and her were communicating again. But, nothing. Maybe they are but are managing to keep it quiet. Then again, maybe Red is so valuing her freedom that she has nothing to do with Blue whatsoever.

I would LOVE to know, though!

leary7 said...

I agree, this is a delicious thought and one of my favorite Col posts of all time.
They talk about all the shitty Manson movies that are being made, but wouldn't you walk backwards to Alaska to see a documentary where Mary walks into a room and sees Sandy for the first time in thirty years. Or Ouisch encountering Gypsy or and of them.
They all experienced an intensity of life that few of us can project to. My fantasy is to see a half dozen of the girls interviewed by Chelsea Handler.
Great post Col. It is by far the most interesting part of TLB that we have left to entertain ourselves with.

TomG said...

Funny that the Col (as you guys call him) should start this thread....

Much to my chagrin, dudes who I thought were pretty cool in 1975, are only balding-pot-bellied, fox news watching dried up phonies.

How do I know this? Well, I am on facebook. And I had a class reunion of 35 years, which I do not recommend to anyone.

We had a teacher who said,'The passage of time beats the shit out of everyone."

In this, he was correct. It probably holds true for Ruthie Ann and Nancy. Big Patty and Leslie. Bruce and Tex.

leary7 said...

Ruth Ann and Kitty and a couple of others look pretty good Tom. Go over to Liz's to see. Gypsy still is attractive.
And Diane and Cappy even the notorious Nancy seem pretty happy with their lives. Sandy and Squeeky seem pretty worn, but then they spent significant time in jail.
But like the Col says, it sure would be cool to know if any of them speak to each other or are actually in each other's lives. Inquiring minds want to know.

Matt said...

Some of them still do communicate.

leary7 said...

such a tease, Matt. Is there a reason you can't say who other than you are just a discreet gentleman?

hippichick40 said...

It would indeed be fascinating to know which of the former flower children look back with warmth and fondness at their youthful foibles, and which look back with shame and mortification. I know I look back on my own foibles with a combination of all of the above. But then again, my foibles didn't include group sex, grand theft or murder.

starship said...

womordsI would bet that say if Charlie died, like this afternoon, that Diane Sawyer would be trying to line up such a reunion.

The real fun would be seeing who would come, and who wouldn't because they are today just too mortified.

leary7 said...

yeah, hippiechick, that would be the interesting part. Someone like Gypsy apparently looks back with much shame and regret but from what I read Cappy does not. It would be interesting to see an encounter between the two views.
I wonder most about Mary Brunner, how she feels.

This is totally unconnected, but I was thinking today how Tex was able to get married and have conjugals and produce children. I wonder why Manson never did the same. Could he have not married Squeeky (before '75) or Star or any of his worshipors in order to get some nookey? Or is it possible he preferred prison sex? Maybe he will pull a Hitler and marry on his death bed. What lovely whack job wouldn't want to be Mrs. Manson.

Unknown said...

Matt said...
Some of them still do communicate.

true.

leary7 said...

i'm still a bit baffled, Liz and Matt, why you can't let us know who stays in touch. obviously, you're trying not to piss them off.
I'm still thinking about Charlie's seeming disinterest in conjugal visits.
Not only did Tex have them, but I have a sense that Sadie and Leslie and Bobby and Bruce all have enjoyed conjugal visits. Am I wrong there. No Katie, but she probably ended up happier in the sappho world anyways.
But no Charlie. Strange.

hippichick40 said...

Maybe Charlie thinks getting married is far too conventional and un-cool, and would seriously damage his street cred. At any rate, I'm sure he's enjoyed plenty of "conjugal visits" with his cellmates over the years.

leary7 said...

would Charlie Manson getting married damage his street cred? it is both a fascinating and incredibly silly question to ponder.
but what seems uncool to me is willingly choosing to go without the taste of a woman for forty odd years when you have to option to do otherwise. but then, maybe Charlie would have been denied the option. I don't see how, given that it was granted to Tex. But who knows.
Maybe Charlie, like Pat, just lost interest.

Anonymous said...

i want details! about all of this : )
thank you everyone

Lainee said...
This comment has been removed by the author.