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HI! It's me, Barry, and I've promised to let you 16-ers peek into "my secret diary". I don't really keep a diary - I mean, I don't write in a book every day. My diary is in my mind - and my very special days and secret thoughts are recorded and kept locked up in my memory! This way, I have them with me at all times, and I can refer to them whenever I want to. Actually I think this is the best way to keep a diary, cos it's so hidden (in my very own head, no less!) and no one can read it or ever learn what's in it unless I choose to tell them! Also, I believe anything important enough to put in a diary is something I'll always remember - so I'm not afraid of forgetting these things because they're not written down.
I very much want to share my diary with you (especially since a lot of it is about you), so here are a few extra-special days and personal thought I've recorded in my super-secret diary.
MY FAVORITE DAYS
Thursday, September 14, 1967 - Today was a very special day for me. Not only because it was my 13th birthday - but also because it was the day I became a teenager! It was probably the most important day of my life and, silly as this may sound, I do feel older! I advised my family first thing this morning that I am now to be treated as an adult, cos at 13 I am no longer a "little kid". The older guys teased me when I made my announcement (guess they forgot what it was like when they turned 13), but Mom and Dad seemed to understand. They even said that from now on I can stay up an hour later at night! John didn't like that too much, cos he's one and a half years younger than me and we used to go to bed at the same time. Now that I'm 13 - he has to retire earlier than me! (He'll get his turn one day, though).
I didn't expect any fuss whatsoever on my birthday - especially since we aren't home. We're on tour, and today we appeared in Baltimore, Md. Then on stage - in the middle of our show - everyone stopped singing and playing. I thought something was wrong, but when I turned around to investigate I spotted someone wheeling out a ten-pound cake which read, "Happy Birthday, Barry" - candles and all! I blushed and started biting my nails. Boy, what a surprise that was! To top it all off, everyone (including the audience) sang Happy Birthday to me. So, you see, my 13th birthday was very special, and I'm glad I was able to share it with the people who mean the most to me - my family and my fans.
Thursday, October 12, 1967 - Today was one of the most exciting days of my life! We're still in Los Angeles (we've been here about three days), and this is the last day of our promo tour for our first record, The Rain, The Park & Other Things. We're staying at the Century Plaza Hotel, and we did a special show tonight in the L.A. Room of the hotel for 800 people, including executives from our record company, MGM, and lots of celebrities! Jay North, Sajid Khan and two of the Monkees (Mike and Peter) were at the show. Susie wanted to meet Davy Jones (she loves him!), but I guess she'll have to wait till our next trip here.
We were all really excited about this show. Mom was so nervous that I had to hold her hand, so you can imagine the great feeling that came over all of us when we got a standing ovation! That's one of the nicest things about being an entertainer. It's great to see an audience having as much fun as we are. Actually we've been very lucky, cos everywhere we've played the people have been just fantastic. I wish I could thank each one personally!
Thursday, February 29, 1968 - Tonight was special for two reasons. First, we all went to the Grammy Awards dinner in New York City, cos we were asked to present some of the awards in the Country & Western category. The second reason tonight was special was that I got to wear my very first black tuxedo! Grammy Awards are given for the best achievements in recording (I guess you could say it's the record industry's "Oscar" Awards), so you can imagine what an exciting evening it was for me. So much so that I don't even remember who most of the winner were! I was too busy looking at all of the people who were there - I met the Association, George Martin (the Beatles' record producer), and Peter Asher (of Peter & Gordon)!
LUCKY THURSDAY
I just noticed that the three special days I chose to tell you about were all Thursdays. Do you suppose that's my lucky day of the week? It's probably just a coincidence - but I'm going to take note of all Thursdays from now on, just the same! You never can tell, you know. There's a special weekend I must tell you about before I close my diary - for the moment, that is:
The dates are March 1, 2, and 3 - and the reason this weekend is so very extra-special is that I spent it at our home in Newport, R.I. We had a few days off so Bill, Bob, John and I hopped into a car and drove home for three days. It was so good to see our big old house again - I just love all 22 rooms of it! I think about Newport an awful lot in my daydreams and I really miss it. I truly enjoy traveling and I wouldn't trade my life for anything, but as the saying goes - it's still good to come home, even if just for a little while! I got to see some of my friends. In fact, a couple of my buddies stayed overnight with us and filled me in on what's been happening since I've been away.
I walked all over town to see if anything had changed, and on my last day in Newport I walked along the ocean right behind our house. I was alone, and as I watched the waves roll in I thought about all the wonderful new friends I had met. Suddenly, I felt sort of sad and a little lonely, because there were so many people who wrote me notes I didn't get to meet. Then I realized that I still have all your letters, and that brings us closer together until the day I do meet you! Somehow I was happy again - and I knew you'd understand.
In closing, I'd like to tell you - every day is special and I look forward to every tomorrow. I'll be back real soon to bring you up-to-date with my diary, but 'til then - let me hear from you! Write to me and the rest of the Cowsills at Box 788, Radio City Station New York, N.Y. 10019.
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