Reminiscing about my New Brunswick Days - 1974-76

Part 2 of 2

Let me talk about some of the young ladies that I dated during that time:

 

 I met JL at one of those silly singles dances.  She worked as a biologist for Hoffman-LaRoche a very prestigious pharmaceutical company.  I could never get a date with her on a Saturday night, so I suspected she was dating someone else.  That certainly was fair game.  One weeknight, I took her out to dinner.  When we got home, her phone rang.  She pointed to the TV and took the call.  She was on the phone for at least 30 minutes.  It must have been her regular boyfriend.  She was obviously rude to me.  She was my type, so I was disappointed that it ended.

 

I met EM through the Bnai Brith singles group.  She was a psychiatrist’s daughter.  I had several pleasant dates with her, but she dated several guys she met through that group.  I perceived it that by dating several guys at once, she prevented herself from forming an attachment to any one.  Boy, I was wrong.  My last date with her was in early June 1976.  By September, her engagement to another guy was announced in the groups’ newsletter.  She was difficult, but I was someone inexperienced at that time with dating relationships.

 

In 1976 another singles group formed at a synagogue in Highland Park.  I met LM there a few months before I left NJ.  She was a dentist’s daughter.  Her father did not run a radio message board.  Remember, there was no Internet in the 1970s.  When I first met her she said, we can get together during the week, because I see friends on weekends.  I smelled something fishy, but what to heck.  A had about 5 dates with her, and when I phoned all of a sudden she said, by the way, I’m kind of going steady with this guy, and I really love him.  She said it was difficult to tell me that.  It was better than getting the standard, I’m busy line.  Oh well.  These things happen for the better.

 

I wish the Internet were around when I was single and unattached.  I think I would have done well at initially meeting women.  Sustaining dating relationships was difficult for me back then.  The Internet could not have helped me there.

 

I said I wasn’t going to discuss career issues here, but I must relate two interview stories.  I interviewed at a family owned business called Research Organic Chemical Company.  They interviewed me for about an hour and even gave me a written test about chemistry.  They said that as part of my interview, I would have to perform a “lab test” by working for them for two days for no pay.  At first I agreed to do that, but after losing a night’s sleep I changed my mind.  I phoned them that morning and told them they would either hire me or not.  The risk to the employee in taking a new job is higher than that of an employer.  Some years later I found out that this company was put out of business since they dumped toxic chemicals in the sewer.  The owners of the company were convicted of a crime and thrown in jail.

 

I got another interview though an employment agency.  They told me not to arrive at the company until 5:30 PM since the company was going to fire the incumbent and needed an immediate replacement.  It turned out to be a wild goose chase.

 

Before I close, let me talk at little about radio at that time.  I was not much of an enthusiast back then.  AM radio was still king and I listened mostly to Harry Harrison in the morning.  My interest in radio was dormant, but came back some years later.

 

In December 1976 I left New Brunswick, NJ since I found a job for a pharmaceutical company in Connecticut.

 

This was a very difficult period in my life since I was frustrated in two ways.  Back in the 1970s people married much younger than they do today.  I really felt that being 27 years old and single, I was looked down upon.

 

I had difficulties back then finding the right job.  But if I had to flounder in my career, it was better to do it when I was younger without a wife and family.  I know a guy today who lost his job about a year ago and can’t find anything else.  He has a wife and a young daughter.

 

So Is life.

 

From time to time I have gone to professional meetings in New Brunswick.  The downtown area was really revitalized in the 30 years since I have left.  Rutgers University is bigger than it was back then.  I obviously lost touch with all the people I knew back then.