Rev: 01/01/00
10:26 PM
Fran heading to the Orient, this was in November of 1963. Just after
landing in Formosa (Taiwan) it was learned that JFK had been shot. Charlotte
(Carlota) Pepper, Fran's mother, and Fran both were originally scheduled
to go on this trip. However, after her plans changed and was unable to
make the trip it was decided that Fran would go on the trip by herself
instead. The trip was sponsored by the Elks or Masons. Charlotte heard
about the trip through Clyde Watson (Bob Vance?) a Los Angeles police officer
and Elks (Masons?) member that also happened to rent a room in Charlotte's
home. As a sidenote, one memorable story of Clyde's while living in Charlotte's
home, was that after being awakened around 4am and looking out his window
he observed the robbery in progress of a taxicab driver. After explaining
to the robber that he was a police officer, as witnessed by the revolver
pointed at him, the robber who apparently had keen night vision after a
short deliberation decided to get some exercise and immediately took up
running. Another sidenote, Clyde also stored his surfboard in our garage.
This 10' balsa wood and fiberglass board was the first board that I used
to surf. I recall building a contraption that looked like a trailer for
my bike that was for getting the board to the beach.
