Monday, Aug 30th, 1976

My last day at home began with a wonderfully cool morning. I dreamed of school last night. No surprise.

Speaking o dreams, though, very sad news confirmed my ESP again. Less than a week ago (probably Thursday, Friday or Saturday) I had a dream. I only vaguely recalled it but for one scene. There was a bus and a Mardis-Gras type party amidst which was Johnnie Whitaker and Anissa Jones from FAMILY AFFAIR. Anissa was grim and sick. Today I learned that on Saturday night, at a party, Anissa Jones died of an apparent drug overdose. I remember when she made a personal appearance at Shillitos in Cincinnati during the series. I really wanted to get to go but I couldn't for some reason. I must have been maybe 10 at the time. I haven't seen an episode of FAMILY AFFIR for ages so I had no reason to dream of her. Especially in that state. But I did. And the symbolism that seems like it was so close to reality. She was only 18 years old. Makes you wonder how many others are caught up with drugs. People you know and maybe even love...but don't even suspect. Oddly, today's paper didn't even mention drugs for Mary (Anissa) like they did on TV.

I saw (surprisingly) William M. Gaines, Nick Meglin and Jack Davis(!) on TV. Also saw my first limited animation POPEYE cartoons.

Mom wrote me a check for that Wings LP. Best part is I still have $2.24 left!

Later I worked on last minute preps for school.

NOTES: The $2.24 was the change I got from the twenty I gave Mom in exchange for her writing the $17.76 check. Apparently there was no postage.

Not sure what I saw those guys on at this late stage--one of the morning shows maybe? Gaines was the publisher of MAD with Meglin a writer (and future editor) and Davis the magazine's most famous artist.

Obviously the biggest thing in my day, though, was the death of "Buffy." I didn't know her of course but after years of enjoying FAMILY AFFAIR I felt like I did...even though she was, to me, perpetually a little girl. I never knew anyone who died of an actual drug overdose but with her I got a little of what it must feel like. In reality, she was slightly older than me. Over the next few months, I'd find myself thinking about her often. Over the years since, whenever I heard of a child star who became depressed and died after their stardom ended, I'd remember Mary Anissa Jones.