The Folksinger and His Songs by J. B. DiNizo

Author:J. B. DiNizo [DiNizo, J. B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-61204-112-4
Publisher: Publish on Demand Global LLC

“Can't stand the pressure, baby,

Can't sing no more, my love.

Want to sing on my back porch, baby

And just hold you in my arms.”

Ted Peterson, “Memories”, 1971

STEPPING AWAY FROM IT ALL, 1974

Five years later, Carolyn listened with horror as reporters told of Ted Petersen's death on the morning's television news. She'd known Ted, not well, but only as Jim's friend from their school years before the two of them had gone on to fame with the Green Street Four. Despite all that Jim had told her, she was shocked that Ted Petersen, the nice teenage boy with the blond curls and beach lifeguard good looks had had his life ended so tragically. “If this is what fame brings, I know why Jim has wanted out from the world of music so desperately.”

When the furor over Ted's death continued in the newspapers and magazines over the next few days, Carolyn wanted to reach out to Jim. She knew he'd be grieving and forlorn. Ted's body was brought back to the United States and then to Somerville, but his funeral was private, invitation only, and his burial in the family plot not mentioned at all lest fans desecrate the grave as they had Jim Morison's.

On the fourth day after Ted's death, she got Dina off to nursery school and was stepping out her front door when she heard her phone ring. Rushing back in, she picked up the receiver, “Hello!”

Jim's voice was broken, husky, “Hey, Carolyn, I have waited days now for a private time to call you. Since Ted died on Monday, I have longed for the sound of your voice. I haven't gotten near a telephone as we've been guarding Ted's body until the Japanese got ready to release him. We've been getting threats from Ted's special group of fans.”

“Jim, are you okay? Do you need me to drive up to Somerville to be with you?”

“Carolyn, I'll be okay. You stay where you are down there in normal, quiet Vincetown. I've wanted to call you but with all the press over Ted, David, Barry and I have been in hiding. We're going to call it quits with the music scene when we get back from this last tour for the troops in Vietnam. I'm going to disappear for a while, maybe even a year. But I'll be down to see you and Dina when I'm back from Vietnam. Okay?”

Carolyn was prepared. She'd been Jim's confident for years now. At twilight several weeks later, a dreadful, battered, rusty old Chevrolet sedan pulled into her tiny driveway and Jim pulled his tall body from behind the wheel. His face was white, lined with grief and lack of sleep, and he rushed to the front steps where Carolyn stood with open arms.

“God, Carolyn, no one ever looked as good as you do now. Get me inside. I've had all I can stand of people today. We're back from our Vietnam concert and Dave, Barry and I had a long talk together.” He gave her a brief peck on the check and strode on into her house.

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