We continued to talk, through seven cups of coffee, continued to exchange ideas. He suggested a great many books I might read; my pockets are stuffed full of little notes to myself.

He is from New York, comes from a large family, is the oldest.

Tomorrow I am going to meet him at the Union for lunch.

Monday, October 26, 1931:

Met Bennett for dinner. We walked until 3 a.m. God, he knows so much. I’m learning a great deal from him. Even things I did not know about my South.

Wednesday, October 28, 1931:

Bennett dropped by tonight about 9. We talked way late into the night.

Saturday, October 31, 1931:

I went to a Halloween party at the Pudding; they had asked me to come. I met a very nice-looking girl, named Elaine Howe. She is from Roanoke, Virginia. She is about five feet, three and perhaps 125 pounds. I find her very attractive and very nice. She has a wonderful going-in-all-directions walk—it could be described as aimless, meandering. But I think it is her voice that makes me feel so good—it is like “home,” like a sparrow with a cough—not really high, but seeming to crack a little and soft, and aristocratic. She has light brown hair, longish, and nice eyes. I cannot help it; I have to say it; southern girls are the best in the world!

Monday, November 2, 1931:

Bennett and I lunched together; we talked all afternoon. He said—this is as much as he has ever talked about himself—that he wants to join the staff of the national society for colored affairs when he graduates. He does not feel it is doing all it can for the negro people, but he thinks it is a good start. What the hell am I going to be? to do? How and where am I going to situate myself to do what little I can? At least I know one thing; I do not want to go home and collect rents for my father.

Tuesday, November 3, 1931:

I am still thinking about a profession. The Crimson will be holding a competition soon. I may go out for it. I saw Bennett tonight for a short while. We both have studying to do.

Saturday, November 14, 1931:

I took Elaine to a party; actually she took me. Everybody was from “home.” It was wonderful hearing the southern way of speaking all at once, and again. I met a lot of nice people, especially girls.

Monday, November 16, 1931:

Sometimes I think Bennett and I are not really friends; that is, we hardly ever talk about personal things: clothes, girls, subjects (except where they enter into our future plans), or anything friends usually talk about. We talk always of politics, theories of government, communism vs. capitalism, the race problem. But then, these are the things which truly interest us and—why not?