Left to Right: Buddy dePaola, Gerry Meoni, Sandra Schocket (nee Klamkin), Tomie. Gerry’s mother was very strict and wouldn’t let Gerry go to the Junior Prom in Meriden, Connecticut, on November 22, 1952. But, Flossie, Tomie’s mother, had other ideas. So, Flossie arranged for Buddy (just out of the National Guard after serving in Germany) to accompany Gerry to the prom. Tomie, a freshman at Pratt Institute, accompanied Gerry’s best friend, Sandra. The theme of the prom was “Dreamer’s Paradise.” (Bob) Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality
REMEMBERING TOMIE on July 31, 2020
When I re-read my remembrance in the morning after receiving it by email, I often wish I could re-send an edited version. As was the case yesterday. I’ve decided to add this note regarding John David Ridge, the Halston designer. John David was a very nice and humble man during his visits to Whitebird. I asked him, “Why?” (Google John David Ridge and you’ll find pages of articles about his accomplishments.) I had become used to the name-dropping, boasty, and arrogant types I had met while orbiting Tomie’s world. John David explained that he knew there was always someone more talented, more famous, more something, and richer than he was. He understood and accepted that realization. I so admired his philosophy. Now to today’s photo of Janet and David Kidder with a focus on David. David is “local,” born in the area. During the energy crisis of the 1970s, Tomie was getting gas at David’s family’s garage. Although each vehicle was only allowed a limited amount of gas, David always filled Tomie’s tank. He would have been in his late teens, I think. Tomie’s passenger was Lily Tomlin who was staying at his Wilmot Flat home. David outwardly gave no special notice of Lily. She pointed that out to Tomie. During a follow-up stop at the garage, David asked Tomie if his friend had been Lily Tomlin. It’s just that David couldn’t let down his teenage “I’m too cool” facade in front of a Hollywood celebrity. Another David story I especially loved telling… Tomie and director Gene Youngken would often cast local men in their theatrical productions at the female only college in town. In one musical, “Plain and Fancy” comes to mind, but I’m probably wrong, Tomie’s character leapt into the arms of a group of men, including David’s. Whenever I would see adult David talking with folks, I would join the group long enough to say, “David, tell the story of when Tomie leapt into your arms.” I then walked away. I never heard the story David told. (Bob) Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality
REMEMBERING TOMIE on July 30, 2020
(July 4, 1986, South Sutton, NH. Charles Massey, Tomie, Coleen Salley, John David Ridge. Thanks to longtime friend Charles for the photo.) South Sutton, NH, had a “famous” Fourth of July parade. Martha Wells of S. Sutton cornered Tomie in the grocery store and asked Tomie what he was doing for the Fourth of July. Tomie explained that he had guests. Martha said, “Great! Bring them!” Martha explained that almost all of the residents of S. Sutton were IN the parade. Bodies were needed to WATCH the parade. A woman overheard the conversation and asked, “May we come?” But Martha snapped, “NO, it’s private.” Martha led the parade as Miss Liberty. It was a classic and corny, small town parade. In the photo is Coleen Salley, a children’s literature professor at a university in Louisiana. She couldn’t correctly pronounce Tomie’s last name. When Tomie tried to correct her, she told him it would be easier for him to change the pronunciation of his last name than for her to contact the hundreds of teachers she had taught. We knew Charles’ friend John David as the designer who replaced Halston when Halston was kicked out of his own company. (Bob) Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality
REMEMBERING TOMIE on July 29, 2020
Welsh terrier Madison, seven weeks old, with a gay tail (a tail that is curved forward). Madison came from a breeder in the Syracuse, NY, area. Tomie had researched housebreaking methods and had chosen a crate that was big enough to have sod in it. The first night Madison was in his new home, in the living room, in his sod crate, he didn’t just bark or howl all night. He “dog-screamed.” A houseguest, who couldn’t sleep because of the noise, sat down next to the crate. Madison became silent and fell asleep. He was too social to be left alone… a bit like his owner. Madison was sent to dog training “school” in Cambridge, NY. An earlier dog, Bingley, had done well from his training at this same “school.” But, Madison was expelled as “untrainable.” The place wasn’t clean enough and social (humans, not other dogs) enough for him. It wasn’t a good look for the “school” to have a 24-hour screaming dog on campus. Bob Knight, a dog trainer in the Syracuse area, agreed to try his techniques with Madison. Madison quickly excelled in obedience exercises. The Knights gave Madison the run of their home, a freedom not granted their own dogs. Tomie gave Bob K. permission, and prep school fees, to see how well Madison could do in obedience competitions. Soon, Welsh terrier enthusiasts were traveling distances to see Madison compete. Welsh terriers, intelligent and willful, weren’t known for their obedience achievements. We went to Niagara Falls for a competition. Bob K. told Tomie to sit in the balcony, be quiet, and not laugh. Bob K. was worried Madison would hear Tomie and lose focus. Madison was the star of all breeds that day and eventually became the top-scoring Welsh terrier in obedience trials in the U.S. and Canada for a two-year period. I delighted in writing to the “school” in Cambridge, NY, that had declared Madison “untrainable,” to share Madison’s achievements with a “Gosh, isn’t this funny” note. (Bob) Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality
REMEMBERING TOMIE on July 28, 2020
Tomie’s three “primary” houses were featured in national magazines. The house in between the Wilmot Flat house and his last home was called “the red house,” for obvious reasons. COUNTRY LIVING magazine photographed it in 1985 and the article was in the January, 1986, issue. Tomie hated the three-story house, but loved the barn and wanted to renovate it. His architect cousin, Leslie Gill, worked on the new design of the barn. But, the bank wouldn’t lend him the money. He quickly sold the red house and moved into another home in New London. Art director Nanette Stevenson was visiting for a few days during the move from the red house. Early in the morning, Tomie knocked on her bedroom door and told her to get up because the movers had arrived. He was holding a power screwdriver and we needed to take apart her bed. Some days later, he held a large daytime party at the new house. We had barely set up the kitchen and the bedrooms. Boxes were everywhere. There was a lot of curiosity in town about this house, so we told the guests that this was their chance to snoop. Open closet doors, etc. They would never again get this chance. They weren’t disappointed. The living room sofa was hanging from the cathedral ceiling with fluorescent lights underneath. Basement gym shower with mylar on the walls to act as mirrors. Shag carpeting on the ceiling of the shower/hot tub area, and a round light table in the corner next to a real old-fashioned barber’s chair. Just some of the features. Tomie had made chili and corn bread. The dog, Bingley, greeted every guest and was exhausted by the end of the day as were we. (Bob) Pray for Peace, Justice, and Equality
