Gerald--A Junior in High School

February 7, 1967--GERALD AS AN ATHLETE

Well, as you know, we beat the 5th Ward for the stake basketball championship. Friday we played Colonia Dublan and won by about 20 points.. We really beat them good. Curtis Keith had an engagement with his band so we were playing without him. I made 8 points - 2 field goals and 4 straight foul shots. I have really gotten the hang of them. If I breathe really deep about 5 or 6 times, then hold my breath for 15 seconds, and then shoot I hardly ever miss. I line the ball up straight with the basket and rest it on just one hand—not two. If I do not move the arm sideways, it can’t go to the left or right. Holding my breath (I got the idea from what a marksman told me about how to shoot a gun) steadies my hand and makes the distance right. At least that’s how I think it works but this I do know - it does work. In the last three games, I’ve shot about 11 foul shots and missed only 1.. That’s pretty good although I never do this well in practice. Maybe it’s luck.

The refs at the Dublan game were terrible - granted they were just as bad on both sides and the result would have been the same if the refs were good ones but just the same it was bad to have such bad refs at a bi-region game. One ref called a foul and this is what happened. Bobby Guerra shot and was fouled when shooting. The basket was good, the ref called no basket and one shot. Nobody had a chance to complain because the other ref immediately stopped the other and they had about a 3-4 minute argument. The one that called the foul wouldn’t give in the other’s insistence that the basket was either good and one shot or 2 shots (he was right on that one) and that the call that was called was impossible (true). Well finally, we got the shot and the foul.

In the middle of the argument one of the coaches from Dublan said something like “Oh man, this is unbelievable. This is the worst reffing I’ve ever seen.” He said it loudly and immediately got a technical. Earlier in the game, one ref threw a Dublan player out for holding on to a shirt when Ray was jumping. At the half, one had to yell at the other to get him to come out and start the second half. It was really bad.

That night, I kept 2 of the boys here and we stayed up till 1:30 am. I was clowning around with them and they thought that I was really nuts. The next day at 8 o’clock, we went to Albuquerque in Dave’s car and Benny Hendon’s bus. I went with Dave. The ride up was a blast. It was really neat. In Albuquerque, we didn’t have Curtis and consequently we got beat. We really deserved to get beat though because they really out classed us. With Curtis, I don’t know what we would have done. They were so organized it was humiliating for us. They had 5 real players while we had 1- - - Bobby Guerra wouldn’t pass off until he got stopped and by then everybody was covered. I don’t know how many I scored but I was pleased with my rebounding and I got some when their 6’3” player was right in there. It was pretty good for me.

I got beat up pretty bad. I got a fat lip (I got the ball crammed in my face) in the first three minutes. I was knocked on my can several times. In the last half of the last quarter, I slid off my man to guard Bobby’s because his man got loose. He faked a shot and I went up to block it and as my foot came down his went up and turned it (my ankle) completely sideways. I came down with all my weigh on that one ankle and there was a loud POP!!! I’ve never had anything hurt like that before and I just rolled around the floor about 4-5 minutes trying to keep control of myself so that I would go bust out bawling. The ref made me stop rolling and lie still and that’s when it really hurt because I couldn’t think of anything else. By the time I got around to looking at it, it was about 3 times as big as it usually is. It was huge. About a minute later Bobby fouled out and that was all for us. They were ahead by 6-8 points then but when the game ended, the score was about 18 in their favor. I didn’t know what to think about the ankle so I decided to have it X-rayed. They rushed me off to the hospital in Dave’s car (minus a 30 minute stop over at the hamburger joint) they took me in the emergency entrance and there I sat for 2 hours before I finally got out. It was just an extremely bad sprain and the doctor taped it almost to the knee.. I pleaded with him to shave the hair off first but he said that wasn’t necessary because it would all come off anyway when I gook the tape off. I told him, “Gee thanks, Doc.”

Just think of all the sympathy I missed out on by not getting a cast. Shucks darn it. I finally took the tape off today and it hurt just as much as I thought it would. I have a 2” circle on the outside of my ankle that is all black and blue. It really looks ugly. The tape took all the hair off , and boy did it hurt. We’ll that’s all for Basketball this year.

February 20, 1967--GERALD AS THE DATER, PRANKSTER, AND SCOUTER
Pam had her baby on the 12th and it was a redheaded girl. I told Pam on the phone that I was disappointed that she didn’t hang on one more day [2009 NOTE: Gerald was born on Feb 13, 1950], to which Bob replied, “Oh well, we did second best. We got her here on Abraham Lincoln’s birthday.” I suppose that they named it Robin like they planned to but I don’t really know. You now know all that I know, which isn’t very much. I don’t know why but they don’t ever tell us anything about it.

Well to go on, this past week was twerp week at Eastwood High School. I’m sure you know what twerp week is, but it is where the girls are slaves, etc.. Well, Barbara (2009 NOTE: Currie?) asked me out to the twerp dance. I accepted and what a date! She called the day of the dance and informed me that we better not go to the twerp dance because all the guys were going to get drunk. That was just fine with me because that was the night of the district play offs, so we went there. If we had gone to the dance, she would have paid the way and she wanted to do the same for the game but I wouldn’t accept it. She didn’t know any of the basketball players and it must have been boring but I didn’t care a bit. I let her have some of her own medicine, making it not so pleasant for her date.

After the game, we went to the A&W and when we were through there it was only 9:45 pm. I wasn’t about to end it there so we went driving around. We went to Bart’s house and his mother is out of town so I decided to have some fun. I went to his bedroom window and scratched the screen. Nothing happened until the third time and then he opened the window and said “Hello- - Hello.” Well I had hidden myself and then he closed the window. I repeated this and then we saw him trying to sneak around the house and catch us. He had a little screwdriver with him that was about 3 inches long. A lot of good he could have done with that. Well anyway, we went in the house and talked for about an hour and a half. When I took her home, it was about 11 PM and it is the funniest thing about that. When we got there, it seemed like every light in the house was on. I had a good chuckle over it, if I ever want - - - well never mind. Her mother was there and she invited me in. Well I stayed a little while and left.

Last Tuesday in the Herald Post there was an article about me. It was a real nice write up and boy was I surprised. The top heading at the very top of the page said “Gerald Lee Romney, 17.” The larger heading below that said “EP Scout in World Jamboree Host Corps.” It told all about what I was going to do and told about the awards I have received. They even put in on the TV logs page.

El Paso Herald-Post, Wednesday, February 15, 1967
Gerald Lee Romney, 17
E.P. Scout in World Jamboree Host Corps
Gerald Lee Romney, 17, El Paso, has been selected for a special host corps at the XII World Jamboree to be held in Idaho in August, President Robert W. Lee, Yucca Council, Boy Scouts of America, announced today.

The youth, son of Mr. and Mrs. I. B. Romney, 266 Nogal Place, is a junior at Ysleta High School. He is member of Post 38, sponsored by the 2nd Ward, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

The host corp is made up of Eagle Scouts who will be assigned to each troop or patrol from a Scout Association of another country, President Lee said. Most of these Scouts will have knowledge of at least one other language or are studying the language of the group to which they will be assigned.

Gerald, an Eagle Scout, is active in the Order of the Arrow, is president of Post 38. He has held many positions in Scouting: namely, Patrol Leader, Librarian, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, Junior Assistant Scoutmaster, and has attended both Yucca Council’s Camp Dale Resler, Cloudcroft, N.M., as well as training at Philmont Scout Ranch, Cimarron, N.M. He attended the 6th National Jamboree and the first Pan-American Jamboree in Brazil. Gerald has also received the Duty to God Award.
The host corps scouts will assist in the reception and orientation of the visiting Scouts and will be prepared to assist in getting the camp ready and informing the Scouts regarding the various Jamboree services and facilities that will be available.
The Jamboree will be held August 1-9 at Farragut State Park, Idaho, and will be attended by about 14,000 Scouts from nearly 100 countries.

The Yucca Council will also have 9 Boy Scouts and Explorers as part of the contingent from the United States, president Lee said.



March 13, 1967-- GERALD AS A STUDENT (I ALWAYS REMEMBER HIM AS A BRAIN – HE CERTAINLY WAS AT BYU)

This six weeks, these are my grades: Typing - C, Algebra - C, Chemistry - B, American History - B, Debate - B, English - A. Algebra was just a shade off of a B, Typing was a D, but I got some extra work squeezed in and kept the roof from falling in. American History was just below the line and the Debate teacher was mad. My Chemistry and English came through. You won’t believe this, but we have 2 assignment this 6 weeks in Algebra and I have a total of 22 points. This is on a 4-point scale. My average is an 11. Impossible? It seems so but I have 16 extra credit grade points. Boy is that going to help. Miss Amenta is the same old cuss. The other day she was telling us what we had to do to pass the course. She would announce with glee and the wickedest smile on her face that this combination of grades wouldn’t pass and that combination of grades wouldn’t pass. Every time it wouldn’t quite make it, and it would be a failing grade, she would smile and vigorously blurt out I guess you can take it next year. Of course, I wasn’t affected but it got to me how she delighted in flunking people. In English, I am doing my research paper on Robert E. Lee’s surrender and his farewell address to his troops. It is a very interesting subject. Typing class is a living HELL. I intensely dislike that course. It is nerve racking because you are constantly under pressure. There are two windows in the class and the teacher won’t let us open them so it is always hot. The temperature, pressure, and my impatience don’t mix too well and I am always getting mad. Sometimes I just sit there and silently cuss the typewriter out. I realize that there is nothing wrong with the typewriter most of the time but that doesn’t make any difference.

March 31, 1967--GERALD AS THE OBEDIENT SON, THE GIFTED AUTHOR (ESPECIALLY OF FEMINIST TALKS)
As far as sports are concerned, we are in a bad way here. I don’t want to conform to some of the new rules. Today (Sunday) Mom got all over me for throwing the ball to the boys in the street. It is now against the rules to shoot a basketball on Sunday. We cannot throw a baseball on Sunday. Mom got mad because she has told the neighbors that Park and Brent cannot play on Sundays and then I go and play with them on Sundays. She was mad and said go ahead and play if it doesn’t bother your conscience. She said it as if it should be against my conscience. I said I quite frankly didn’t make any bones about it. Well Dad just now came and started a discussion on it. This is really quiet unique. You are being typed in an argument as it happens - - hang on it just started again. Now I feel like a live sports broadcaster. I’m in the middle of it now. Well forget all that now. The thing has all been cleared up now. The storm came and the storm went, and now all is the same before the storm was sent. Well it is now 24 hours later and I can hardly remember the GREAT BIG DISPUTE OF THE AGES. The whole thing was a misunderstanding and it was all cleared up. I made Dad mad by asking, “Do you really honestly believe that?” Before he could answer, I asked the same question again only more dramatically. I don’t blame Dad for hitting the roof. Anyway, it is all over so let’s forget it.
Today I went to ground school (which is going fine). It had just rained and the air was nice and fresh with the fragrant aroma of spring. The moon was shinning and a soft breeze blowing that gently cools as it goes on its gentle way. In the air, there was a gentle something that whispers and plays music to the ear. It was the night of a thousand hopes and dreams that come very seldom, but leaves its beautiful mark. It is a beautiful night that leaves you thirsting for more when it fades away. Yet with all its splendor my heart was sad, for I had no one to share it with. The bright moon and the cool breeze whetted my appetite, yet I have no chance to fulfill my dreams for I was alone. Think I out to turn author? Seriously though, that is how I feel right now.

I’m not doing too well socially. Boy I look back now at what I thought I was going to do when I turned 16 and guess what a fool those thoughts make of me. No one else knows or particularly cares but me I guess, but I haven’t been on a date for 5 and ½ months. Once I went out to a twerp dance but that was all. I even feel stupid and dumb admitting this to anyone, but you are about 5,000 miles away and the next time you see me you won’t remember this; if you weren’t, I wouldn’t tell you this. I couldn’t tell this to anyone in person. I also have been out with only one girl, one I haven’t liked for a couple of months. Then why am I still sitting around? Good Question. I am tempted to X all that out but I won’t.

I have over sized tires on the back of the VW and I had a flat today. The spare is regular sized, so I have two different size tires on the back and boy does it drive funny. It slides real easy to one side but it won’t budge to the other. I’ll have to drive that way until it gets fixed up with the other tire though.

They had the speech festival and I wasn’t in it per say. Lynn Strever was in it, she didn’t know it, and her topic was “Femininity is the Essence of Womanhood.” Well she was lost so I wrote her talk. Imagine me writing a talk on “Femininity is the Essence of Womanhood. The contest was nothing but a farce. The speeches were the worst that I have ever heard. No one gave even a decent talk. It was also set up wrong, 4 Laurels, 0 Explorers and Ensigns, 1 Beehive, and one scout. I’m not bragging but you or I or just about anyone could have done better with a 2 minute preparation. It was sick and a flop, but that is always the case when you leave it to Aunt Bessie.

P.S. Tim and I placed 4th in district (in Debate). We lost 3rd by just a hair. The judge said that we came within a HAIR OF BEATING IRVIN AND THEY ARE THE STATE CHAMPS. JUST WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR. Everybody that placed above us is graduating. Not one of them will be back.

May 1967 “I NEVER WAS VERY GOOD AT CATCHING GIRLS EITHER.”

If I get three C’s this year I can forget about National Honor Society. That is why I am working so hard. But as far as National Honor is concerned, I might as well forget about it anyway because I have made too many enemies out of teachers.
I had one of my boys in the guide patrol graduate and now I have 4 boys - one completely inactive whom I have never seen, one that comes about 60% of the time, another about 80% of the time, and of course Park. I am going to take them on a hike in the next two weeks - boy are they really looking forward to it. Park can hardly hold on. I always let the boys play in the last 10 minutes or so of primary and they usually play fox across the river. They never can catch Park - even if all three of them try, so I let Park go through 4-5 times and then I tell him to let them get him and he always agrees. Boy, can he run like a streak but something astounding came up the other day. Park was chasing his girlfriend, Mary Lyons, and she out ran him - I could hardly believe it. Oh well, I never was very good at catching girls either.
Speaking of girls, I took Beverly Paine out the other Saturday to see “A Man For All Seasons.” It was the academy award winner for the best picture of the year. It was also the first weekend that it had shown in El Paso. It started at 8:00 and we got there at 7:45. Needless to say, we didn’t get in the door. We went downtown and saw another movie. The most interesting thing was when I parked at their house and went to open the door for her. Well when I opened the door, she hopped out and didn’t even wait for me to shut it. I had to hurry to catch her before she reached the front door. When I caught her, she was at the door already, said goodnight I had a good time, and poof she was gone. I thought it was quite amusing - most people would be mad, but I thought it was very amusing - I’m going to take her out again and I’ll be quite interested to see what happens. By the way, any suggestions?
Sr. Currie has started an Anti-Romney campaign and her chief mouthpiece is Barbie. The other night at a meeting, she was just ripping into me for nothing. Later, I talked to her and it came out (indirectly) that she thought I was arrogant and conceited and I was a ROMNEY. The way it came out was that I was a Romney!! I asked if, because I was a Romney, that I was conceited and she said something like “Aren’t they all?” Boy was I burned up. We haven’t done anything to them. I haven’t done anything to them that I know of and the only thing I can think of is that I stopped dating Barbie and stopped paying any attention to her. After all, she did that to me a whole year when I was dating her. I don’t give a darn though.

May 25,1967 WATERMELON THROWING

They had an employee party here a while ago and it was a lot of fun. Albert, Jimmy, and Ray played Park, Brent and I. Well they beat us 50-44. I figured that they would be too rusty to do any good. Well they weren’t as rusty as I thought. No offense, I figured that I could drive in and lay it up. The problem was that they just formed a wedge and I couldn’t get in. Those three guys are pretty big and when they put their arms out and move just a little bit on our tiny court, well I just couldn’t get through very well. I did get in (about 30 points worth) but not enough. Of course, Park helped a little and Brent was frankly worthless. This I knew and expected though. If the court was bigger and they had to run some, we could have beaten them. Even though 2 of them were always open, it was a lot of fun. All the employees and wives were on our side and they were rooting for us. But they beat us fair and square. It was one of the most fun games that I have been in.

Glen Leffler really caught it Saturday. I got ticked at the bunch (Glen and Dean). We were unloading watermelons and he had the middle spot. There were 3 of us in one of these long bobtails. Well I packed in the bins for the first 12 or so. Well the melons were sailing smooth and easy when they got to him but when they came to me there was no telling which way it would be heading. Well I decided to let him pack the last 6 bins or so. By this time we were pretty stretched out and throwing the melons about 12 feet. They were great big Texas melons so he had it pretty rough. I threw them a little harder than necessary and a lot higher so that they would drop in on his chest. He was catching them on his arms and letting them hit either his biceps or his chest. Some of those melons weighed 35 pounds (average about 27-29). Well I thought he was going to get pounded to death before he caught on. After being told about 25 times, and catching about 200 in the chest, he finally caught on and could catch little ones in his hands, although the big ones still clobbered him. Every time he caught a big one, it would back him up about 2 steps. On some of the real big ones, I thought he was going to fall over. He made it anyway. I was laughing so hard I thought I was going to die. He kept saying, “I quit”, “I resign”, “Please let me be in the middle.” About this time, here came a big watermelon that would clobber him in the chest and he wouldn’t be able to say anything for 2-3 minutes. Every time one would hit him you could hear him go harrumph. It knocked the air out of him every time. I was having convulsions with all the laughter and couldn’t see straight. Man, what a guy.
After that, we did potatoes. He probably only weighs about 10 more pounds than they do. He would get all set and strain like the devil to get it off the ground. He couldn’t lift it above his chest. I made him try about 4 times and every time he got it to chest level and tried to get his hands under it he would lose it. I finally gave the poor sack of potatoes a break and put it up there myself. He stacked one pallet 4 feet high and it fell over. What a funny day. Now I know how I must have looked, although I know I was never that bad. Don’t get the wrong idea; I wasn’t being overly rough with him. He has been down there 6-7 months and hasn’t done a day’s work yet so it was about time he did some work. He still has one of the easiest assignments of anybody down there. From the look in the guy’s eyes though, if it had been any harder it would have killed him. All he did all day was one little load or sandias (watermelons) and 1/3 of a load of potatoes. He finked out on us again at lunch though.

7/1967 “I NEED A PUSH FORWARD NOT A PULL BACK”

I have had to work the last 3 Sundays and also the 4th of July. I am getting about 70-76 hours, which adds up to $130 or $100 clear per week. I would have a lot more hours, but I teach Primary and getting ready for the Jamboree has taken all the cream off.
Saturday, I took Beverly Payne out to Spartacus. She is really a great person. To tell the truth, I am really falling for her. Mac is still in the way but I’m working on that. As long as she is real nice to me and I’m happy – I don’t care. I would be a lot better off without him, but if I can take over the #1 spot it will be good enough for me.

The other weekend was BYU Education Week and Grant and Johnny were going to ditch and see a James Bond movie. Well, I went along and I got Bart to go also. We had a lot of fun but boy – I got caught – I thought I had had it but I didn’t go on restriction. Dad sure made me feel bad though.

Bart is leaving and he is my best friend. I’ll be a loner again when he leaves because there is NOBODY in our ward or school that I am good friends with, or want to be. We plan to room together at the Y. We hope to get in with about 4 other guys – some return missionaries – in an off campus basement or something similar. I am told that there is almost NO supervision on campus and the advantages aren’t worth what they cost. How about your advice? I don’t think I need supervision anyway. I’m so slow I need a push forward not a pull backward.

August 1967 “Romney’s a tough one.”

The other Saturday night I took Beverly Payne out to a movie. The movie was terrible. It was gory, indecent, and full of hate. I almost walked out. Boy was I embarrassed. When I took her home just as I got to her house a car zoomed by and stopped. I walked her to the door, I said goodbye and walked out to my car. The car that had stopped was parked in front waiting for me. Well just as I was getting in my car one of them said, “Mac has some words to speak with you.” I know now that it was Kenny Call. Well there was a pause and then Kenny said “Well if you don’t want to say it, Mac, I will. Beverly is supposed to be going with Mac and we here don’t appreciate you dating her.” He was really ticked. I just stood there for a minute and then said, “OK, but I’ll do what I want to and until she says something, I don’t care what you say.” Then someone said, “Woo, Romney’s a tough one.” After that nothing much was said and I got in my car and left.

The next day was Stake Conference and Sr. Payne came up to me, apologized for the incident, and asked if they bothered me (she was speaking of physically harming me). I said it didn’t bother me and I wouldn’t let it bother you. She also spoke to Mom – apologizing, although she had nothing to do with it. She told Mom that Bro. Payne was just getting his pants on when we left. Man I wish he would have come out – boy would that have been funny to watch those boys scatter. By the way, I am taking her out Friday.