Prestie vs Fried and Peggy says Goodbye to TC

So much goes on in the final chapter: technical (about legalities); non-cathartic (the newspaper and TV media playing the fight over TC to the hilt); and emotional (Peggy's final goodbyes to many). I've put more page numbers than usual to assure someone can check where is my source.

I follow Peggy's custom of referring to the lawyer for Prestie and TC as Nameless, but not using Peggy's symbolic parentheses '(Nameless)'. "Answer as a Man" was the book that concluded TC's career according to the list Ch10-TCBooks.html and its publication preparation is preceeding throughout the episodes of this chapter. It is clear that Prestie is hoping she will recover sufficiently to write others.

Though Taylor Caldwell will live another five years, that is the last of this strange relationship between the agrophobic daughter, and the needy, famous author. The Denouement is four, unsent, messages to those Peggy claims were in her thoughts while writing the final stages of this memoir. The messages to her mother (TC) and father (Will Combs) ring true, and hopeful. Yet, Peggy ended not well at all, and likely her activities around this autobiography sustained her during her best years, from 1965 to 1980. Then, her life totally revolved around the sea voyages that TC bankrolled when her other daughter (Judy Goodman, nee Reback) would/could have nothing more to do with her.
  1. PRESTIE STEALS TC AWAY:
  2. PRESTIE/NAMELESS STIR THE POT FROM AFAR:
  3. THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION:
  4. MUCH MORE ABOUT THE REBACK SUIT:
  5. PEGGY AND GERRY AT A STORM'S CENTER:
  6. A FOUR MESSAGE DENOUEMENT:
  7. AFTERWORD:
I. PRESTIE STEALS TC AWAY:

p. 831: Peggy, discussing the suit she was to press against Prestie, says she didn't recognize – as Gerry suggested she would – the lawyer Carl [Green]:

"I don't pay much attention to faces. Faces only serve as identification. It is the person behind the face who is important." So sayeth Peggy, but people less abstract than Peggy are hard to find. She claims she had nothing to hide, her life was an open book. Someone analyzing Peggy must have a special feel for everpresent self-deception.

p. 834: To start an injunction the Fried side needed an unbiased witness to see TC's present condition, one acceptible to Prestie/Nameless. They chose Patty Radtke. Peggy prepared a list of questions for TC, who still couldn't speak. p. 841: Peggy puzzles over up-coming move to Connecticut, whose ramifications become apparent later.

p. 845: Has a dramatic scene in which Carl Green tries to stop Prestie from rolling TC away in an ambulance. That was June 12, 1980, over 10 days before the Connecticut home was to be ready. The events include airplane flights, timing of whether the plane was still in NY, and a channel 2 news interview with the ambulance driver. The injunction was after the fact (p. 848) and on June 13, no one in Peggy's sphere knew TC's location.

II. PRESTIE/NAMELESS STIR THE POT FROM AFAR:

p. 855: Reported in the Buffalo Courier Express (June 15, 1980): A tombstone intended for TC next to Marcus Reback is recut with Judy's name on it. June 16th: Gerry and Peggy – accompanied by reporters Susan Banks and Sheila Murphy – arrange a flight to see TC in Greenwich that evening. They do see her, and the next day's visit inundated Peggy's ability to keep the many medical events straight.

p. 867: Why Peggy claims she couldn't stay in Greenwich another day: She has four cnildren and four grandchildren.

p. 873: Ground rules for Peggy's lawyers and doctors to visit TC impossed by Prestie/Nameless: Rules that prevent corroboration of results. This is before HIPAA. That lawyerly invention that countermanded the oft-said motivation to make patient information clear to medical "teams."

p. 874: Fried attorneys have put seven Buffalo news orgnizations on legal notice to preserve recorded material: TV stations WKBW, WBR, WIVB; and radio stations WEBR, WBEN, WGR, WKBW. Even the news seems to have taken sides. The issue was Prestie/Nameless claiming that TC had rejected Peggy and only reluctantly agreed to her visit.

TC's stroke leaves her powerless to communicate clearly. So, this battle over 'gestures' is a farce played out between attorneys, with the hospital trying to avoid getting in the middle, the physician Peggy had relied on, Camp, having decamped early.

Camp, typical of doctor's world-wide, has assessed TC's present mental state from only one point of knowing her, using typical parameters for a typical patient of her age. Serena Williams – tennis star, and superwoman beyond redoubt – once responded about the unlikelihood a quick comeback from an injury to win the US Open by quipping that she wasn't a typical tennis player, and then winning the US Open. Like Williams, did it make sense to judge TC's grit by that of a typical woman of her age.

III. THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION:

p. 876: Peggy turns down a "People" magazine interview after Prestie had given one. Peggy "highmindedly" insists that Prestie will look ridiculous, against her lawyers' and Gerry's advice, that those who read the magazine won't see him that way. Peggy: "That's their problem. I'm not on trial for anything, and they are not a jury."

The July 21st, 1980 article (as are all articles that Peggy collected) is in the chapter. It does have a gloss that symmetrically plays the events as relatives fighting over TC's money. After noting that TC has not started yet to speak, the article morally equates the two litigants: "But both Prestie and Fried are noisily claiming to speak for her."

Still, it's a tough call, though I'd put it in Peggy's favor. Prestie does look ridiculous, even if  readers don't see that, and does it really matter whether they do? TC is one who gets it worst. She is hoist on the petard of her own previously published words as recorded actions that showed to be truly unfit as a mother.

The issue here of TC's insecurity is played by Prestie: "All her life she's been told that she is ugly." Gerry's remark, which I've noted often, too: While Peggy was far from ugly, the resemblance between her and TC is unmistakable. As a kid I used to note that even, with identical twins, commonly one is considered the more attractive. It's strange.

Also, TC's published words are actually just as damaging to Prestie. Prestie's resume is on p. 878 [quoted from the article]. Example: When Prestie met TC "he was in the employ of another wealthy old woman, Rosalie Hearst, seventh wife of George Randolph Hearst [son of William ...]."

In the Buffalo Courier-Express article, Nameless speaks confidently of knowing what TC wants, while revealing full well that he can't possibly. Nameless is a shameless caricature of many attorneys.

IV. MUCH MORE ABOUT THE REBACK SUIT:

The Sept. 2, 1979 suicide of Judy resulted in a $1.2 million windfall grant to Hebrew University. The details of the Marcus Reback claim of co-authorship of five novels with TC are on p. 881–882 and p. 885, where a NY Justice is named as guardian of TC's estate.This includes that, at the time of her death, Judy had received nothing, but would have gotten $340,000 if TC's death preceded hers.

In the attempt of Prestie/Nameless to involve everyone, Ted Goodman must officially the disinterring of Judy's remains for reburial in Buffalo. The Courier Express kept alive Prestie's hope to win the legal battle in the Court of Public Opinion.

It seems to take Prestie's side in his "suit against 8 for $5 Million." The spokesman for the Fried side is Greenwich lawyer Arthur Rogers Ivey (p. 888). The claim is that TC has recovered considerably: able to walk and to speak (p. 890), but during an interview with the Courier-Express, she mostly stares into space.

Nameless defies reality (and our knowledge of TC) in stressing: "[TC] is not at all concerned with communicating with her fellow persons." Dr. Camp has encamped with Prestie and Nameless. Gerry urged Peggy to call Dr. Camp and ask if he was correctly quoted. Her's and Gerry's later calls to him weren't returned.

p. 894: The contention by TC in the Court Records for Judy's case: Marcus Reback never paid his agreed upon 45% (resp. 50%) basic (resp. personal) expenses). The details here are a warning against blanket assumptions of marital magnonimity.

Of course, no such details would have been parsed out of their marriage/business relations without the help of a lawyer like shameless Nameless. Given Peggy's previous attempts to diminish Marcus Reback, she calls these curiously "convenient findings" (p. 895) suspect. Convenient because Judy and Marcus Reback could no longer refute by documenting the clear case that he took care of his family in ways morally beyond Prestie.

Besides, like TC, Mr. Reback was learning how the mix of publishing, celebrity and money worked. Peggy becomes Reback's advocate, attesting to his clear caution and frugality. Further, "Why was this article suddenly appearing now," rightly asks Peggy.

V. PEGGY AND GERRY AT A STORM'S CENTER:

p. 896: Peggy and Gerry request Sam Vogel, TC's long-time doctor, to clarify statement's from him seeming to support Prestie and Nameless. Dr. Vogel vouch's that his statement was only that he saw Peggy and TC socially, and that had been misquoted as saying their relationship was not warm.

p. 897: Two phone calls to 67 Hendricks from unknown parts feature the question, "Why did Judy commit suicide?" Peggy has never been a serious question asker. So, rather than engage the question seriously (even to herself), she is done upon summarizing that Prestie as being behind the calls. It may be likely, but it isn't the only issue. 

August 31, 1980, Arthur Caldwell dies. He was a member of the Amherst (township in which 67 Hendricks lies) Lutheran church, but I'd never met him. Gerry, but not Peggy, went to the funeral and then to the reception at Patty Radtke's (Arthur's daughter's) house. Again, although Peggy already regarded her aunt Gene as in Prestie's sphere, and she wasn't too sure of Patty, the heart of her inattendance was her ageraphobia, as always. Outside, and with lots of people, was just out of the question, even with Gerry there.

p. 900: September 11, 1980: The motion by Prestie to dismiss Peggy's lawsuit is denied by NY Justice Vincent Doyle on the basis of TC having clear residential ties to NY at the time of the suit. This included many still extant business ties. p. 901: From Margaret Dushane, who called prestie, Peggy gets a report that the Prestie/Nameless claim of TC's mental recovery exceeding her physical recovery is a sham.

p. 903: The Buffalo Evening News reports on an affidavit from TC. Herein she says she's fine and Peggy should stop these actions against her loving husband. Carl Green reports that Prestie/Nameless say they are willing to let Peggy see TC, though they will only accept Gene and Patty, not Margaret nor the Robinsons, to visit.

p. 905: Dr. Camp disavows the words placed in the newspaper reports that have him saying that Peggy was impeding TC's progress. Camp also offers a hearsay: "That a settlement was in the process of being made." Peggy has heard only that Prestie "is planning to take mother to Florida."

Camp says TC "laughing and happy. Sometimes she can be hysterically funny." Peggy responds with the obvious: That's not TC. So, Camp suggests the stroke caused a personality change.

Camp admits that if TC is in such good health, it is inexplicable that Prestie won't let Peggy see her. Also, why were TC's medical records denied to Peggy [Oh, the barriers lawyers and hospitals both still put up to block these, as witnessed by the problems Karen and I had in getting Peggy and Gerry's medical records. Covering up faulty hospital diagnosis for both around dementia and strokes explain well this last case. TC's situation, however, was being tried in the press and you would have thought the press could have asked that one.]

VI. A FOUR MESSAGE DENOUEMENT:

 Dated December 17, 1980: Peggy hadn't seen TC for six months. She considers that it is really TC who is the culprit behind much of the shenanigans: "Maybe she wants to know how far I'll go to protect her. God! She's kept me in bondage to her all of my life."

The book concludes with four short – never sent – messages. I have concentrated on a core essential in each.
  1. To TC: "What was it you still wanted to tell me on the Rotterdam."
  2. To Peggy's Father (Will Combs): " … a short meeting [in the hereafter] will suffice … You managed to shrug your [parental and filial responsibilities] off during your early manhood, but I have never been able to dismiss mine."
  3. Words to Prestie on this autobiography: Recounting the Prestie/Weiss [is Weiss the actual identity of Nameless, left in by accident?] desire to reprint TC's novels – but finding no takers – Peggy disavows a desire to publish "this disturbing tome" [at that time].
  4. To Peggy's children: "Our children should know more about the strange woman … your grandmother, and … about their … hardly a normal 'mama.' … And don't forget … my children, considering everything I think I did a fair job as a wife and parent."
VII. AFTERWORD:

December, 2005: Conversations with Gerry started – really for the first time – when he announced that he was intending, for tax purposes to gift us and the Children. It was a strange business, with the intentions opaque beyond the initial statement. Eventually he reneged, as I suspected he would.

Still, when my father had a pacemaker installed, and he started to deteriorate we [siblings] followed the biblical admonition, "Honor, thy father," (no matter what you think of him). At the end of Summer in 2006, the whole Fried family had a reunion, to honor Gerry and Manny, the only surviving "Patriarchs." The turnout was serious.

By October Robin was made executor, and then, there was a gifting.  Gerry's death came so quickly I was taken aback. I thought his robustness protected him, and I hoped me, too, and it didn't really seem to. Gerry's brother Manny, older by four years, survived him. These two shared several aspects of their life: Engagement in the theater in particular. Manny is still reviewed for plays that have premiers. Also, it was Gerry's still extant business that housed Manny's endeavors for several years after his difficulties with the "House Unamerican Activities Committee" in the 1950s.

Frail, bird-boned, Peggy survived longer. Gerry described her last three years as totally confined to her bed at 67 Hendricks. She never in her life exercised; thought it bad for you.

Her autobiographical preoccupation with TC hides her own strange beliefs expressed without filter to her children. Like the soft x-rays that emanated from the TV, to which she was tethered by an attached belt installed by Gerry. She would walk across the linoleum floors and carpets in a zig-zag pattern to avoid those x-rays shooting out straight at her. Such aberrations may have manifested most during the years that blur at 67 Hendricks, as recounted in Chapter 6,

My wife Karen – having been an administrator of assisted living facilities for many years was quite capable of affirming what my own intuition told me: A diagnosis of Alzheimer's, from the "commanding" doctor at the Rosa Copeland facility in Williamsville (further north of Buffalo from Amherst) was inappropriate for either Peggy or Gerry. It was clear that both had undiagnosed strokes, and both lapsed into "dementia" very quickly. Certainly, with Peggy, it is telling that the doctor had not a clue about her alcoholism, for her dementia reeked of that.

That tidbit is the tip of an iceberg of data we siblings learned about how poorly will old people do without much closer monitoring than those two had, despite their considerable resources.

While the eulogy peggyfried.html suggests Peggy taught me to read and write before I went to school, there was a deception on her part that led me to believe she was at one time an engaged learner. Her autobiography makes clear she was not. I got that idea early in 6th grade when I was starting to try to read more serious novels. She told me about the Shalom Aleichim novel, "The Brothers Ashkenazi," which I took to be just an example of her extensive reading. As the autobiography states, that was the subject of her one brush with serious education, in an English class at University of Buffalo. I believe she so underestimated Marcus Reback's role because she feigned education herself, and then refused to entertain it seriously.

Her actual reading, which I also picked up after her, favored science fiction novelettes. Yet, there was a deception there, too. Neither Gerry nor Peggy showed the slightest interest in the wonders of the day,  science/math/engineering, say as evidenced by Sputnik and the aerospace race between America and Russia, that always fascinated me. Indeed, they both dismissed or ridiculed those subjects whenever they came up. I must guess now that was based on a combination of insecurity, more Peggy's, and incuriousity, more Gerry's.