Charles Burchfield, Journals, August 5, 1948

Aug. 5 (Thurs.)

Miserable the first part of the night – “burning up” + my mind on fire too, at least I invented a “game” to keep myself from thinking gloomy thoughts. – a bit of nonsense I intended to pass on to Art and Evie. It seemed to go like this:

Have you heard of the Bewilda phone? It is a very useful little gadget. For example, you speak into it a perfectly harmless phrase like, “you grapple wonderfully,” and it comes out, “you grab a bundle free” – A nukker of this, and a nukker of that, and who can predict the results?

Or again you might say to it “In training new recruits use caution,” which comes out, “It’s raining novels and boots in Boston.” One good nukker deserves another, and so on our merry way.

A Bewilda phone can be very confusing at times, which is of course its real purpose. To the anxious farmer who has lost something, you might say, “The barrow is next to the church,” and to his stupefaction it comes out “The sparrow is pecking my shirt.” And so one man’s nukker in another man’s reek, so why not let it go at that?

I fell asleep over this. Dull and listless this morning. A chilly overcast day – rain at times (See under Aug. 8 for additional matl.)

[August 8^th additions to Aug. 5]

add to Aug. 5 – Thurs.

Evening – To Neeb’s for dinner. Dr. Meier, three of Mrs. M’s sisters, + Paul Meier – a very pleasant evening – Mrs. Neeb’s dinner delicious + attractively served. Much of the conversation later centered on my work which embarrassed me a little, flattering tho it may be, I dislike monopolizing the conversation. We made plans to go to Dr. M’s the week of Aug. 22 + later, they are to come to our place – specifically the studio.

[This quote reveals an interesting element of Burchfield’s journals. Although he wrote a portion of this on August 8, he intentionally wanted that element to be combined with the journal entry of August 5. This seems to be both a note to himself, on tracking the precise moments of activity or to be clear to future readers that the order and noting should be considered as together.]

Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, August 5 and 8, 1948