January 20 – Monday –
While waiting at the auto wash, I happened to look up, and saw a large flock of wild geese flying westward across the murky sky.
Evening to Knox dinner (in honor of Lloyd Goodrich) and Goodrich’s lecture (with slides) on the decade of the Amory Show (current exhibition at the gallery) –
reception afterwards.
At dinner, when it came to dessert, when Mrs. Knox (at whose left I sat) saw that I left mine untouched (a chocolate pudding) she asked me if I did not want it – when I explained my reason for not eating it, she insisted I be brought something else – grapefruit was decided upon, and I thought she said she did not want her pudding either, and thought grapefruit would be nice – When the waiter came back, he set two half grapefruits in front of me. I said to her “Isn’t one of these meant for you?” She looked puzzled then said, “Why not?” and took one for her plate – all evening she kept laughing and saying “Thanks to Mr. Burchfield, I had a grapefruit for dessert” A most gracious lady –
We arrived late at the auditorium, and there were no seats to be had – Anyone else in Mr. Knox’s position would I think have seen to it that seats were kept for he and his party – the overflow sat on window ledges, stairs, etc. – One lady had her daughter give me her seat – and Ginny Elliot [Virginia Cuthbert] gave her place to Bertha.
Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, January 20, 1964