A summary for those that haven’t been keeping up with this series:
I found a number of 5.25″ disks at a thrift store several years ago. I finally got around to acquiring a 5.25″ disk drive and extracting the contents a while back. Since then I have been posting the contents here.
Based on the contents, at least some of these disks were apparently once owned by someone named Connie who used to run the “Close Encounters” Special Interest Group (SIG) on Delphi in the mid 1980s.
A specific definition of this SIG was found in a document on one of the disks: “This SIG, known as ‘Close Encounters’, is a forum for the discussion of relationships that develop via computer services like the Source, CompuServe, and Delphi. Our primary emphasis is on the sexual aspects of those relationships.”
This service was text based and was accessed via whatever terminal program you used on your computer to dial in to Delphi’s servers. Many of these disks have forum messages, e-mails and chat session logs. All of this is pre-internet stuff and I don’t know if there are any archives in existence today of what was on Delphi in the 1980s. In any case, much of this stuff would have been private at the time and probably wouldn’t exist in such archives even if they existed.
This post includes the contents of DM1112.DOC which appears to have been created November 12th, 1985. This is basically another dump of an e-mail session. Not as long as the last one but plenty of drama!
The previous post in this series is here: here.
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DM1112.DOC
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dir
MAIL
# From Date Subject
1 BOS1A::BUSSIGMGR 11-NOV-1985 RE: AN.ny time!
2 BOS1A::CABUYS 11-NOV-1985 I see you there!!!
3 BOS1A::PRINCESS 11-NOV-1985 letter send.t to Stu, may need to talk,
4 BOS1A::PRINCESS 11-NOV-1985 empty sens now hon?
5 BOS1A::CABUYS 11-NOV-1985 one heart to another
6 BOS1A::CABUYS 11-NOV-1985 another heart for you!
7 BOS1A::CABUYS 11-NOV-1985 Peggy's on phone now (7:49 pm)
8 BOS1A::RODM 11-NOV-1985 WOW! GET READY!!
9 BOS1A::RODM 11-NOV-1985 take deep breath!
10 BOS1A::RIDPATH 11-NOV-1985 NEW BBS!!!
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#1 11-NOV-1985 18:40:54 MAIL
From: BOS1A::BUSSIGMGR "Paul Wilczynski"
To: BOS1A::CABUYS
Subj: RE: AN ny time!
ok - Talk to you later !
Big B*** (can't get the spelling of that word right!) HIG! UG!
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#2 11-NOV-1985 18:41:37 MAIL
From: BOS1A::CABUYS "CONNIE"
To: RODM,CABUYS
Subj: I see you there!!!
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#3 11-NOV-1985 18:50:27 MAIL
From: BOS1A::PRINCESS
To: CABUYS
Subj: letter send t to Stu, may need to talk, dont' know if i can
--------------------------------------
November 11, 1985
Hi Stu,
Now to write a real letter.
It is cold and wet here today. The kids are
home from school and in the house. I let them watch
Superman on the VCR and afterwards had difficulties
between Scott and Brian - evidently there was name calling
involved and Brian did not appreciate what Scott was
calling him. When he came up to tell me I called
Scott up to ask him about it. When he refused to come
after the first tentative calls I raised my voice
higher and higher still .
When he still did not come I went out into the hall
and called yet again. This time he responded but
it was too late. I guess with the TV on he could
not hear me and as I am more important than the TV
I told him his punishment for not coming was losing
the next movie. He is now throwing a fit in his
bed. He sounds like a wild animal. If he had come
up when I called him the first or second times he
would not be losing the show, but since he cannot hear
if he is in front of the TV than he will not be in front
of the TV right now.
I'm sorry about tonight. I must go out to the
Wake though as it is for a close family friend as I said.
He has been sick with Cancer for some time and finally
went in his sleep. I do not know when I will get back
in tonight and tomorrow is an early morning - school
again!!
( I will look for mail from you tonight when I get
online to see if you had an alternative idea for time.
If not I will assume that I should call you Wednesday at
8:10 as usual.) Taken out of letter
I talked with Connie for awhile yesterday. She
seems to be doing well. Her company is moving in the
beginning of the year so she might not be able to visit
us right after Christmas. Oh well, who knows?
Something may work out.
I will be interested to find out how Gladys reacted
to Friday night. I just hope John remembers what I told him
about not telling her my feelings. I am not sure he can do
that, as he has not been great at it in the past, but there
is always a first time. I wonder if she will come
back again. John says he hopes she will. Also, he gives
more chances for her coming when I am not here as opposed to
when I am here. Oh well, is just as well I guess. As I've
said before, I do not want to make the same mistakes I made
before. But, it is equally hard for me to stay seperate from
someone who is intimate with my family. That does not mean we should be 'soul-mates',
but friendly helps in these situations I have found. When there
is no friendship it gets very awkward.
I know you do not feel that way. You have no want
or intentions of becoming friends with John. It is a shame
in a way, but does not matter in the long run. I am not
the same type of person as you. I get involved with people -
give of myself - just consider the Susan's, Joannies', Connies',
and Pnut's of life. I want to help people. I do not like to
feel constraints or restrictions on relationships. I like to
feel free to talk - to be myself - to be silly, serious, happy,
sad, left alone when I need to be, treated like an equal. All
these things are rights we all have. I do not like to feel as
if someone is trying to change or control me. When I do things
I may consider whether or not they will affect others - and how
they will - but for the most part I must consider how they affect
me - Margaret Edith Catherine Kast Yerger. I do not do things
to defy others - that is not my way. I may do things to please
others, but not if it is not in my best interests to do so.
I guess this all seems to be leading up to something,
well, I guess it is.
I do not think I will be seeing you again. It is not from
lack of love - I *do* love you still - but it is from committment
here and the feeling that in the long run I will not be happier with
you than I am now. We have wonderful times together, filled with
happiness, friendship, adventure, love, passion, fun, closeness ...
But my future lies with John and my children. I fool myself a lot
in thinking of our relationship as something seperate from these.
It is - but not entirely. You would have me leave John for you -
whether or not the kids came along is irrelevent - maybe not
today or tomorrow, but sometime in the near future. This relation-
ship that we have now cannot continue as it is, it is not fair to
John, Judi, or the kids. It will only get more demanding of us and
our time. We may want more and more time together at their expense.
I do not wish to take that time away from them. I went into my
marriage with my eyes open - though very young - and determined to
make mine work. I think the timing of the wedding may have been
wrong but the marriage is not. Along with the problems is a very
deep committment to one another. I cannot say what the future will
bring John and I, maybe someday he will get tired of me, I do not
think so, but we have decided to work it out together. There will
be days I will probably curse my decision and hurt inside for what
may have been, but there will be more days when I know what I did
was right for all concerned.
Everything I have said to you was said from the heart. I
do love you. I miss you and will dreadfully for a long time. My
fantasies of us together will never be forgotten. Noone else will
have the part of me I gave to you. I tied my tubes for us - and so
that John would not have to raise someone else's child.
I will remember you always Stuart. You are a very special man,
one who has given me so much, shown me so much, taught me about
life and myself and yourself. It's not only the places you've
taken me, but the feelings you've given me that will remain with
me always.
This is never easy. I could give you excuse after excuse
for breaking up - unfairness, being so many miles apart, frustrations,
fears and angers - but in all honesty I can only say that though
we have talked about a future of Peg & Stu it is not a future I
want to live with. When we are locked in love's embrace it sounds
like Heaven. It is easy to imagine such a time coming to pass and
my being acceptable towards it - but I do not want to be controlled
by Stuart for the rest of my life. I want to live and grow in my
own way, make my own mistakes, control who I talk with or deal with
by myself, essentially be a person in my own rights.
I honestly think you see in me what you want to see, and
you are trying to create that person from me. When I tried to
tell you I felt uncomfortable in some of the places you took me -
trying to show me a good time - a taste of class - you did not
understand. When I hurt or am uptight, I do not want to be touched.
When I feel that I am being told what to do I react like a child
and want to run free, rebel. I do not usually do those things,
usually resentment builds up inside of me and comes out at other
times.
Enough.
Stu - my Love - take care of you for us all - for Judi, Randy,
Paula, Debbie, and least of all for Me. I love you. I will never
let another get as close to me as you did . I
cannot afford to do that. It will hurt to let you go - more than
you can imagine - but do so I must.
Sending you one last Kiss and memories of morning Lisses
With My Love,
Peggy
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#4 11-NOV-1985 18:58:13 MAIL
From: BOS1A::PRINCESS
To: CABUYS
Subj: empty sens now hon?
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#5 11-NOV-1985 19:31:00 MAIL
From: BOS1A::CABUYS "CONNIE"
To: RODM,CABUYS
Subj: one heart to another
.lt
MY MY MY MY
MY MY MY MY
MY MYMY MY
MY MY MY
MY MY
MY R o d MY
MY and MY
MY C o n n i e MY
MY MY
MY MY
MY MY
MY MY
MY MY
MY MY
MY MY
MY
Look Who's In MY Heart !
.el
I love you!!!!
Love,
Connie
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#6 11-NOV-1985 19:32:03 MAIL
From: BOS1A::CABUYS "CONNIE"
To: RODM,CABUYS
Subj: another heart for you!
.lt
MY MY MY MY
MY MY MY MY
MY MYMY MY
MY MY MY
MY MY
MY C o n n i e MY
MY and MY
MY R o d MY
MY MY
MY MY
MY MY
MY MY
MY MY
MY MY
MY MY
MY
Look Who's In MY Heart !
.el
I love you!!!!
Love,
Connie
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#7 11-NOV-1985 19:49:03 MAIL
From: BOS1A::CABUYS "CONNIE"
To: RODM,CABUYS
Subj: Peggy's on phone now (7:49 pm)
will call soon as I can!
I love you!
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#8 11-NOV-1985 20:22:23 MAIL
From: BOS1A::RODM
To: CABUYS,RODM
Subj: WOW! GET READY!!
My Beloved Darling Connie,
I may have gotten TOTALLY carried away but your surprise started something
I just couldn't stop!
I hope you like what follows!
GET READY !!!!!!!!
Love,
Rod
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#9 11-NOV-1985 20:24:36 MAIL
From: BOS1A::RODM
To: CABUYS,RODM
Subj: take deep breath!
Those who were not long ago in fact two
Are now in many ways becoming as one
On that day will become one heart, one life
When the waiting ends and they are
Husband & Wife
OURS OURS
OURS OURS OURS OURS
OURS OURS OURS OURS
OURS OURS OURS OURS
OURS Rod OURS Connie OURS
OURS \ / OURS
OURS \ / OURS
OURS \ / OURS
OURS Husband & Wife OURS
OURS OURS
OURS OURS
OURS OURS
OURS OURS
OURS OURS
OURS OURS
OURS OURS
OURS
I Told you!
My Darling I love you!!
Rod
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#10 11-NOV-1985 21:00:43 MAIL
From: BOS1A::RIDPATH
To: BUBBLES,SCOTTHBS,SERGO,AMTRAKMAN,RIDPATH,SETHJ,STOSH,TONYCAMAS,WBATTY,WB
YRN,WEEWIZARD,WHG,WOZ,YDOCXY,PRINCESSCHEY,WPG,HBSBRINKMAN,SILKIE,CARBYS,CABUYS
Subj: NEW BBS!!!
HI,
THERES 'S AN ALL NEW BBS IN TOWN.
IT'S BOSTON'S "DIAL YOUR MATCH"
THIS IS BOSTON'S ONLY ON LINE
MATCHING SERVICE.
FREE VALIDATION FOR ALL FEMALE
CALLERS
"DIAL YOUR MATCH"
BOSTON, MA
(617) 361-5459
PHONE LINES WILL NOT BE INSTALLED UNTILL
THE 14TH (NOV) SO... LOOK FOR DY IAL YOUR
MATCH TO BE UP ON THE WEEKEND OF THE 16TH
HELP GET THE US OFF TO A GOOD START AND LET YOUR
FRIENDS KNOW ABOUT BOSTON'S FIRST ON LINE MATCHING
COMPUTER MATCHING SYSTEM.
THOSE USR ER'S CLOSER TO WORS CHESTER, CALL
"DIAL YOUR MATCH # 85"
M (617) 792-6234
THANL KS, AND REMEMBER BOSTON'S
** DIAL YOUR MATCH **
(617) 361-5459)
WILL BE UP NOV 16 TH..........
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No more messages
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