Now that I am reading Books II and III of the Armand Diaries, I'm becoming aware of the power of Armand's focus. He wrote down his wants and wishes, and although he at times doubted their realization, he never gave up and in time, he was rewarded. It wasn't always easy...he paid his dues. But inevitably, he got what he focused upon.
The first entry in Book II, dated September 3, 1935:
Having finished almost four years of faithful diary-keeping, I am starting on a new plan. I intend to enter items about the interesting days only and spend much more space on these days than a conventional three or four-line-a-day book allows. And so today, to inaugurate the new procedure I will make a few choice remarks on marriage.
...In the first place, even I, except in my most generous moments, cannot but admit that I'm no prize package. Tendencies toward biting someone to pieces on the slightest provocation do not make for marital bliss. Then, I'm rather hard to please. In my admittedly romantic way, I feel a wife should be something of a perfect companion. This means someone well-educated, intelligent, a lover of the outdoors, plus an infinite capacity for over-looking my faults. Furthermore, I hate intelligent women, on the whole, because 9/10's of them are "blue stockings" and can't hold their learning.
With some women...I have felt that damned uncontrollable desire to possess which overrules saner rules of mental judgment outlived alone. Puppy love, maybe, but still, very inconvenient if it causes you to wake up some morning an actual husband and potential father. Let us pray to the gods no such calamity ensues.
Armand spent the next year full of study, mountain climbing, travel, movies, plays, concerts and dating. He worried about his finances, felt desperately lonely on some days and was exhilarated at other times. He longed for the perfect, lifetime, female companion.
Then on Friday, November 6, 1936, Armand wrote: Saw "Bride of Frankenstein" with Boris Karloff, Colin Cline, Elsa Lancaster - real first rate horror film. As a matter of passing comment, I might say that I am falling hard for Mary White, me latest, tho I haven't informed her of her good luck yet.
Saturday, November 28, 1936: ...I went to see Mary in eve. and we talked of this and that. More and more I love that girl; she seems to have none of the faults of other girls I have known, though naturally enough, she is not perfect (or should a fellow really in love admit no faults in his beloved?) (if it isn't love, then my system would never stand the real thing!)
Saturday, December 5, 1936: Last eve. Mary and I went down to see Myrna Loy, William Powell, Jean Harlow, Spencer Tracy in "Libeled Lady" - great show, funny and all but I enjoyed it mostly because Mary was there beside me. We held hands (ye Gods - I'm in deep!) and I don't ever remember doing anything I enjoyed more -talk about the tingles up and down your spine, unh!
Besides me love affair I'm carrying a full program of hard work now more than I've done since I came here. My Florida trip is shaping up (wish Mary could go).
Sounding like a swashbuckler ("me latest" and "me love affair"), Armand was madly in love with a woman who was two years older and still appearing to be indifferent. How does Armand negotiate his way through to Holy Matrimony? Please stay tuned as space here is limited and the story too poignant to cut short.