I wanted to be treated as a human being who had earned a few rights since her orphanage days.
~ Marilyn Monroe
Ruth took this picture. Holly with Flowers at 14.
The Crusstos moved into the neighborhood when I was twelve. This meant saying goodbye to my best friend Wayno who left the house they moved into.
I was sad. The neighborhood parents talked about the new neighbors John and Ruth. Later they all became good friends!
Ruth had beautiful red henna hair and a slim figure which she always showed off. I heard she once was a dancer in Las Vegas. I did not always listen to her stories.
I wish I could go back now and listen more intently. I do remember what she told me about Marilyn Monroe.
Ruth also came from a troubled past. She met Marilyn when they were living at a boarding house for young girls without families.
Ruth declared bravely,
“Norma was her name then.”
“You knew an actress like her?” I spoke.
“Norma always was a little dramatic with her gestures, she was not an actress then. We were just a couple of teenagers who liked going out on a lark.”
“What do you mean?”
“Norma and I would often break out at night and walk Hollywood Blvd and have so much fun together.”
fin
