{"id":81485,"date":"2018-09-26T10:55:16","date_gmt":"2018-09-26T17:55:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/?page_id=81485"},"modified":"2018-09-30T18:05:22","modified_gmt":"2018-10-01T01:05:22","slug":"oona-chaplin","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/?page_id=81485","title":{"rendered":"Oona Chaplin"},"content":{"rendered":"

Route de Fenil 2
\nCorsier-sur-Vevey
\nSwitzerland
\nNovember 20, 1978<\/span><\/p>\n

Darling Carol,<\/p>\n

Another night I can\u2019t sleep. Tried almost everything, two glasses of wine, reading that new novel everyone is raving about, the Garp <\/i>book. Thank you for paying all that postage and sending it to me, but the words are so blurry, and I can\u2019t read. Not sure if it\u2019s the wine or not being able to sleep.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m listening to David doing that Beatles song \u201cAcross the Universe.\u201d It\u2019s so beautiful. I realized I needed to write you. Ghosts are haunting me, can\u2019t shake them. When you get this letter, what happened in Guyana won\u2019t be front page news anymore. The people who died there will be dismissed as crazy. One of them wasn\u2019t. At least when I met her, she wasn\u2019t. Stop reading right now and read the journal entry I\u2019ve enclosed here. I only want you reading it. The next part of the letter is the following.<\/p>\n

* * * * *<\/p>\n

When I went back to settle Charlie\u2019s affairs, his lawyer Louis was kind enough to arrange for me to stay at a house in Silver Lake. It was a furnished house he owned, and clients stayed there on occasion. There was no way I could stay at the mansion. It was bad enough the press knew I was back. \u201cOona, are you leaving Charlie? What will you do now?\u201d They didn\u2019t know me at all. Of course, I wasn\u2019t going to leave Charlie. We were in this together.<\/p>\n

After I managed to save all of Charlie\u2019s early works, after I made sure I gave the staff severance pay, and after I packed the suitcase with money in the safety deposit box, I was ready to go. Betty helped me pack up. \u201cBetty, I just don\u2019t know what to do,\u201d I said. \u201cWe were supposed to go on holiday and back. This wasn\u2019t supposed to happen.\u201d
\n\u201cLove, they\u2019re scared of him. He wants people to love each other. This country doesn\u2019t know the meaning of love.\u201d<\/p>\n

I was so thankful one of Charlie\u2019s relatives was there for me. Mother has been busy working on that book about Daddy, and Shane was being, well, Shane.<\/p>\n

It was raining when Louis dropped me off. \u201cOona, don\u2019t worry about a thing. Betty will pick you up tomorrow and take you to the airport.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, you\u2019ve been so kind. Is there a store nearby to get groceries?\u201d<\/p>\n

“You shouldn’t be seen out. The press will be all over you again.\u201d He thought for a moment. \u201cThe Alexanders might be able to help you. They live down the street. They’ve had a rough time of it. Mr. Alexander is an unapologetic Communist.”<\/p>\n

I know this sounded odd, but they sounded divine to me. What could be better than meeting Communists who don\u2019t apologize for who they are? \u201dIf they can help, that would be grand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll give them a grocery list.\u201d He handed me a key. \u201cI\u2019ve arranged for you to stay at the Plaza when you get to New York. Jerry Epstein will pick you up at the airport.\u201d<\/p>\n

I walked inside the house. It was a bit nippy. I managed to find the heater, then turned it up. The house did have hot chocolate. And a tea kettle. It hit me then that I was alone. I hadn\u2019t been alone in so long.<\/p>\n

Even though it was early, I changed into my blue silk pajamas, washed my makeup off, and put my hair into pigtails. I turned the radio on, I made myself a cup of hot chocolate, then curled up in the living room and read East of Eden<\/i>. Although I missed Charlie and the children terribly, it was just lovely to read and not be interrupted.<\/p>\n

An hour later, there was a knock on the door. \u201cWho is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

“Mrs. Chaplin? I\u2019m Mrs. Alexander. I was told you needed groceries.\u201d<\/p>\n

I opened the door a little. The woman looked quite nice, wearing a man\u2019s shirt and jeans. With her was a girl about thirteen, wearing a plaid skirt with a green sweater. Her short brown hair was curled up at the ends. She wore thick glasses. \u201cNo one followed us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry. Please, please come in. And my name is Oona.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFreda,\u201d the woman said, pointing to herself, “and this is Phyllis. What\u2019s happening to your husband is disgraceful. I\u2019m ashamed of this country.\u201d<\/p>\n

They came inside, taking off their jackets. I tried to smile. \u201cThank you. I needed to hear that tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

“We brought bread, spaghetti, and cereal for tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

“I want to repay you for this,\u201d I said, reaching for my purse.<\/p>\n

Freda held her hand up. \u201cNo. You have paid enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen let me make you dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would be perfect.\u201d<\/p>\n

I made spaghetti as the rain pattered on the roof. It was all so reasonable. I could’ve been any woman, making dinner for a friend on a rainy night. Only nothing was normal. I was Charlie Chaplin\u2019s wife. In two days I would go back to England. I wasn\u2019t sure if I ever was going to see my mother or brother again. I knew Mother would be fine. Shane was a different story. He was still doing heroin, and when I saw him weeks before, he was gaunt and sad. Charlie tried making his children laugh, but they looked so woebegone. I tried to talk to Shane, but I wasn\u2019t sure what to say. Heard from Daddy lately? Oh, that\u2019s right. He disowned him. After Eugene Junior died from crib death. He had his own problems. I wish I could help more, but I had no choice. My home was with Charlie. I had to be with him.<\/p>\n

We ate by candlelight. \u201cIs there anything else you need?\u201d Freda asked.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201dThank you, but I will be fine. My cousin-in-law Betty \u2013 I call her Boopsy because she reminds me of Betty Boop \u2013 will be driving me to the airport tomorrow morning. A friend of mine will be meeting me at the hotel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0“I must say, this is the best dinner I\u2019ve had in a long time. I never thought\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

“That a movie star\u2019s wife can cook?\u201d I laughed. \u201cI went to an all-girls school. Cooking was required. I only wish we had dessert.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWait, we do!\u201d Freda clapped her hands. \u201cI have macaroons at my house!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s for school,\u201d Phyllis protested.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I made four dozen. I think we can spare some for Mrs. Chaplin, can\u2019t we?\u201d Freda stood up. \u201cI\u2019ll be right back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Phyllis stared at her plate.<\/p>\n

\u201cPhyllis, I hope you haven’t been bored by all of this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Mrs. Chaplin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Oona. Tell me about yourself. What grade are you in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEighth. I hate it.\u201d<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t have to ask why. Being thirteen is terrible. Throw in the fact your father is a Communist, and you\u2019re Jewish in nearly Aryan Los Angeles, it made it worse. \u201cYou\u2019ll get through it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou just will. I was very lonely when I was your age. My mother was busy, and my older brother was in boarding school.\u201d<\/p>\n

“What about your dad?\u201d<\/p>\n

The girl didn’t know. She had no idea my father was Eugene O\u2019Neill, America\u2019s most excellent playwright. Not the most excellent father, but an outstanding playwright. \u201cMy parents were divorced,\u201d I replied. \u201cYou know what? When I went to high school is when things got better for me. I met my best friend Carol and another friend named Gloria. They saved me. But you must stick it out. You have to believe something better is going to come along.\u201d<\/p>\n

The girl looked at me. \u201cAre you scared?\u201d<\/p>\n

No one had asked me that. I had been on automatic pilot, taking care of business, Charlie\u2019s films, the house, all the business dealings. No one asked how I was. \u201cYes, I am scared.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat they\u2019re doing to Charlie is rotten.\u201d<\/p>\n

“Oh, it\u2019s rotten all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

“I hope someday you can come back.\u201d<\/p>\n

I smiled. “I hope so too.\u201d<\/p>\n

By then Freda came in with the macaroons. We ate them and laughed. Oddly, it was a perfect way to celebrate my last night in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

* * * * *<\/p>\n

Carol, I\u2019m back.<\/p>\n

So that little girl Phyllis? She married a man named Eugene Chaikin. They had two children. Saturday, because a madman told her she had to, she killed herself, or someone killed her. We might never know the truth.<\/p>\n

Oh, darling, I\u2019m so angry. <\/span>That beautiful, beautiful girl is dead. Maybe it\u2019s because I keep thinking of Shane jumping off the roof, perhaps because I miss Charlie terribly, but why didn’t she listen to me? Hang on, I told her to hang on. Oh God, why didn’t she? Now I will write a condolence letter to the Alexanders. Charlie was right: Words are so futile. When Charles Junior died, people didn’t know what to say to Charlie. No parent should outlive their child. Of that I am sure.<\/p>\n

Oh, I need another glass of wine. Hug Walter and your Charlie extra tight tonight. David keeps on singing Nothing\u2019s going to change my world, nothing\u2019s going to change my world. <\/i>If only that were true.<\/p>\n

xo<\/p>\n

Oona<\/p>\n

(Jennifer Kathleen Gibbons is <\/em>a regular contributor to <\/em>the jonestown report. Her other article in this edition of <\/em>the jonestown report\u00a0is This Is Not a Beach Book<\/a>. Her previous articles are <\/em>here<\/em><\/a>.)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Route de Fenil 2 Corsier-sur-Vevey Switzerland November 20, 1978 Darling Carol, Another night I can\u2019t sleep. Tried almost everything, two glasses of wine, reading that new novel everyone is raving about, the Garp book. Thank you for paying all that postage and sending it to me, but the words are so blurry, and I can\u2019t […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":80734,"menu_order":13,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-81485","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/81485","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=81485"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/81485\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":82061,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/81485\/revisions\/82061"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/80734"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=81485"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}